Chunky by Yehudi Mercado is a graphic novel about Hudi, an overweight middle schooler with health issues. His doctor advises weight loss, so his parents decide to enroll Hudi in sports. (It’s a fictionalized memoir.)

The chapters of the novel are each devoted to different sports, and end with a game end recap. Oh, and Hudi tries these sports with his imaginary mascot, Chunky. 

The diverse representation in this book is phenomenal, Hudi is Mexican and Jewish growing up in Texas. In the end, this book isn’t about Hudi’s weight so don’t let that deter you. In the words of the author, “‘Chunky’ isn’t about being fat. Being Chunky is about feeling like you don’t fit in.” 

I adored this graphic novel and plan to look for other books by the author. I highly recommend this book! 

This is a middle grades graphic novel with an intricate story about Bree, a girl who has just moved to Florida with her father. She’s interested in puzzles and math, but lands in Swim 101 as an elective- and she can’t swim. 

Christmas creates a story that is about both the bravery of Bree learning to swim and the racism that has prevented so many Black folks from learning. 

The illustrations are beautiful and the puzzle theme throughout is so well done. The exposition is in great balance with the illustrations, and the characters are strongly developed and show growth through the story. Everyone can get something from this book. I hope you’ll pick this up soon for yourself or a young reader in your life. 

His & Hers is the third book I have tried by Alice Feeney. I loved Rock, Paper, Scissors, and I DNFed Sometimes I Lie. This book was very twisty and interesting from the first few chapters. I like that Feeney includes lots of reasonable red herrings but when you get to the end, you will remember lots of clues along the way for how things actually happened. 

I was nervous I wouldn’t like this because one of the MCs is a cop, but this definitely didn’t have detective story vibes. If you want a nonstop suspense ride that will have you constantly questioning everyone, this is one to check out! 

The Benefits of Being an Octopus focuses on Zoey, a middle schooler who often feels like an octopus as she takes care of three little siblings most of the time. Zoey’s mom is a waitress with a new boyfriend named Lenny. 

As the story builds, we see that Lenny is very controlling and intimidating. Zoey is also finding out that her friend Fuschia is also in a dangerous situation. Zoey is encouraged by a special teacher and much of the novel focuses on her experiences on the debate team. Ultimately she has to apply those lessons to stand up for herself to see if her family can find a fresh start. 

This book is a great age appropriate look at what it is like to grow up having to be an adult when you are truly a child, at poverty, and at domestic violence. It was heartfelt and optimistic, while grounded in reality. 

Go With the Flow is a fantastic YA graphic novel. The story is about four friends in their sophomore year of high school. One day, the new girl starts her period in white pants, much to the cruel entertainment of her peers. A few girls take her to the bathroom and they all start a friendship that will take them through challenges and good times. 

As their friendship grows, they share about their own cycles- short, long, heavy, super painful. One of the friends becomes passionate about making hygiene products available for free at school. They are met with resistance, but they persevere. 

This is a really great graphic novel that I wish I had as a teenager. I hope you will consider reading it or giving it to someone young that you care about. 

This book slaps. If you ever enjoyed Seth Rogen, listen to this book. If you like to laugh, listen to this book. If you need a palate cleanser after some heavy reads, listen to this book. 

I felt so much nostalgia listening to this full cast audiobook. I remembered the movies and the comedy from my 20s, and hearing about Seth’s childhood was just a riot and absolutely endearing. There are serious moments to balance the humor, but this is a funny book that comes across as sincere- not as though the struggles of life were removed, rather that humor makes most situations better. 

I do hope you’ll read this excellent memoir and I’m sure you will laugh and smile. 

The Secret to Superhuman Strength is a graphic memoir about the author’s relationship with exercise, but it also focuses intensely on her personal relationships and on the lives of many philosophers and writers who are connected to the quest for personal fulfillment. 

I loved the art style but I felt that all of the philosopher minutia  pulled this memoir into the weeds. I wanted more focus on the authors relationship with exercise and less on the existential crises of historical figures. 

The Boys is a fantastic debut novel with characters you will quickly love. Ethan is a quiet, almost stoic person until he meets Barb who teaches him to ask questions and brings out joy in him. They have a lovely relationship until it is time to start their family. 

And that’s all you should know going into this book. The twist is wild, the book is short and binge worthy. Pick this up soon! 

Sometimes the best books are found by slowly perusing the shelves at the library. That’s what happened to me with this graphic novel and it is on my list of all-time favorites, not just for the joy of reading but also for the wisdom and reflection that was shared in this fictionalized memoir. 

The Dark Matter of Mona Starr is about Mona, a teenager- which means she’s going through a lot, though not as much as some other kids (which becomes a source of guilt). She starts having symptoms of anxiety and depression and she’s not sure how to deal with these issues. With the help of her family and a therapist and her own determined self reflection, Mona makes dramatic growth in learning how to take care of herself through times of higher and lower anxiety. 

I loved the storytelling in this graphic novel but what really stands out to me weeks after reading is the infographics that shared ideas about how to take care of oneself in times of mental distress. I think this is a valuable read for every human but especially young folks that may be discovering their own challenges with mental health. We can all use lessons and reminders about how to approach our feelings with curiosity instead of judgment and we all need a gentle reminder to figure out what taken care of ourselves looks like.  This graphic novel delivers all of that in a very appealing package. 

Last Summer on State Street is a fictional story told in the style of a memoir, and the characters are so well developed in such a short book.

In essence, this book is just as the title says. It is about the last summer that the narrator and many of her friends and family live in the projects on State Street in Chicago before they are driven out for the purposes of gentrification. The narrator focuses on all the ways both big and small that this relocation impacted those close to her. At highlights many challenges faced by the black community including systemic racism, police targeting, and the crack epidemic. 

I think this was a story beautifully told and all I could ask for would be little more time with each character.