A hilarious and heartfelt graphic novel about imagination, a first crush, and finding one’s place at one’s own pace.
Thirteen-year-old Tara was at the end of seventh grade when she was selected for a special program in which she’d skip eighth grade and start high school. Now, she’s worried about what high school will be like, even though she has her older sister, Isla, there to guide her. She imagines getting lost in an endless hallway or being offered drugs (even though she has no idea what drugs look like).
Once there, she must navigate the chaos of the boys in her English class, determine what music is “cool” (and whether she cares), and generally figure out where she fits in and how things will turn out. Author/illustrator Emma Hunsinger’s brilliantly chaotic illustrations show Tara’s reality in aqua and teal, with her vivid and often outlandish imaginings in reds and pinks, and occasional pops of yellow in both. The approach works wonderfully to show both the action of the story and what is going on inside Tara’s head—and Hunsinger finds the perfect balance between giving Tara relatable feelings and adding just enough absurdity to make the story a humorous delight.
One bright spark in Tara’s day is Lilly, a girl she is paired with for an English project and who becomes a crush. The fact that it is a same-sex crush is not a big deal—but the fact that it is a first crush is. Tara worries about everything from saying the wrong thing to having dormant bug eggs suddenly hatch out of her body while she’s at Libby’s house.
I also loved Tara’s relationships with both Isla and with their toddler brother, Pete. Tara tells us that Isla is her best friend, and indeed the two of them are close. Their relationship is not without moments of tension, but is generally loving and mutually supportive, and a refreshing change from so many fraught sibling relationships in literature. And Tara is a loving big sister in turn to Pete, on whom she can let loose the full force of her creative storytelling and play acting.
Tara is amusingly awkward but increasingly confident, with a distinctive view of the world and the many everyday challenges of growing up. There is humor here, yes, but there is also heart and hope and a sense that Tara—and by extension, readers—can find a way in the world. Highly recommended, and cue this one up for many awards.
Tara, her family, and Lilly are White.
