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bookishrealm 's review for:
Roll Call
by Lee Knox Ostertag
I definitely understand why readers enjoy Molly Knox Ostertag's graphic novels. This was heartwarming, charming, and fun to devour! CW: bullying & parental abandonment
Roll Call is the first in a new Dungeons and Dragons series that follows Jess and her best friend Olivia. The two initially meet in elementary school and bound over their love of playing imagination based games. Eventually, they grow into die hard Dungeons and Dragons fans and spend most of their time playing the game. As they transition into their last year of middle school, Olivia wants to expand their friend group and invite more people to play while Jess prefers to maintain their close knit friendship without the involvement of others. What follows is a heartwarming and sometimes tough narrative of what it's like to make new friends when you're used to being alone.
What Worked: The storytelling of this book was amazing! I went through so many emotions while reading this especially as the story pertained to Jess. I understood her fear of making new friends, but I was so frustrated by some of the decisions that she made. Nevertheless, Ostertag made me reckon with the fact that I probably would have behaved the same way if I was her age and in the same position. I absolutely adored and loved Olivia. Despite the ups and downs of her relationship with Jess, she tried to be empathetic and caring. She was extremely aware of Jess's experiences with her mother and how that would impact her need for closeness. There was just a certain emotional maturity about her that I didn't expect. Now, I was extremely nervous about the inclusion of Dungeons and Dragons because I've never played; however, I feel like Ostertag did a wonderful job explaining various aspects of the game that made it more accessible for readers like me. This is a love letter to those kids that love playing or have grown up playing D&D. It gets rid of the assumptions and biases that people have had about it. Tie that in with a good look at middle school friendships and it makes for an excellent story. I also adored the artwork. It was bright and vibrant. The panels of Jess, Olivia, and the other kids matched the panels of the fantastical world. They worked in harmony instead of opposition which I really appreciated.
What Didn't Work: I think that there was some great character development with most of the characters, but things fell a little flat with Kelly who was the bully. I'm not sure if Ostertag plans explore her more in future installments, but compared to the other characters she was 0ne-dimensional.
Overall, this was a fun and exciting middle grade graphic novel. I'm extremely excited to check out more in the series.
Roll Call is the first in a new Dungeons and Dragons series that follows Jess and her best friend Olivia. The two initially meet in elementary school and bound over their love of playing imagination based games. Eventually, they grow into die hard Dungeons and Dragons fans and spend most of their time playing the game. As they transition into their last year of middle school, Olivia wants to expand their friend group and invite more people to play while Jess prefers to maintain their close knit friendship without the involvement of others. What follows is a heartwarming and sometimes tough narrative of what it's like to make new friends when you're used to being alone.
What Worked: The storytelling of this book was amazing! I went through so many emotions while reading this especially as the story pertained to Jess. I understood her fear of making new friends, but I was so frustrated by some of the decisions that she made. Nevertheless, Ostertag made me reckon with the fact that I probably would have behaved the same way if I was her age and in the same position. I absolutely adored and loved Olivia. Despite the ups and downs of her relationship with Jess, she tried to be empathetic and caring. She was extremely aware of Jess's experiences with her mother and how that would impact her need for closeness. There was just a certain emotional maturity about her that I didn't expect. Now, I was extremely nervous about the inclusion of Dungeons and Dragons because I've never played; however, I feel like Ostertag did a wonderful job explaining various aspects of the game that made it more accessible for readers like me. This is a love letter to those kids that love playing or have grown up playing D&D. It gets rid of the assumptions and biases that people have had about it. Tie that in with a good look at middle school friendships and it makes for an excellent story. I also adored the artwork. It was bright and vibrant. The panels of Jess, Olivia, and the other kids matched the panels of the fantastical world. They worked in harmony instead of opposition which I really appreciated.
What Didn't Work: I think that there was some great character development with most of the characters, but things fell a little flat with Kelly who was the bully. I'm not sure if Ostertag plans explore her more in future installments, but compared to the other characters she was 0ne-dimensional.
Overall, this was a fun and exciting middle grade graphic novel. I'm extremely excited to check out more in the series.