Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Fifth grade was supposed to be the best year ever for friends Stella, Emiko, and Latasha. Yet for Stella, school has been miserable. Textbooks are too thick and have few illustrations, and Stella, perpetually the last to finish classwork, frequently answers questions incorrectly. Worse, everyone--including Emiko and Latasha--has been playing the online companion video game to Stella's favorite show, Witchlins, and Stella, unable to comprehend the text-heavy game guide and instructions, lashes out at her friends. The reveal of this year's class project adds to her troubles; instead of painting a mural like she expected, Stella and her classmates are each meant to craft a novel. But how can Stella write a book when reading is hard enough as it is? Visually diverse characters play the role of supportive family and friends in this empathetic graphic novel by Garcia (Starfire) and Williams (Girl on Fire), which offers sensitive insight into one girl's experience with dyslexia via effervescent jewel-toned illustrations. Ages 8--12. (Jan.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--6--Fifth grade friends Stella, Latasha, and Emiko have a shared obsession: their favorite magical television show, Witchlins. But when the TV show releases a guidebook and accompanying digital game, Stella can't keep up with the text-heavy directions. Not only is she falling behind with her friends, her struggle to read and comprehend is also causing problems at school. Fortunately, Stella has a crew of concerned educators who see her challenges and help her gain the skills she needs to read fluently. Garcia writes Stella's journey from her own lived experience being neurodivergent and parenting a dyslexic child. It's because of this that Stella's emotional crescendo of frustration and self-isolation feels deeply authentic. The word choices and visual cues increase this title's accessibility for dyslexic or struggling readers. Brown's visual storytelling is paced perfectly and will draw fans of Raina Telgemeier Smile, Varian Johnson's Twins, and Kat Fajardo's Miss Quinces right in. The characters throughout the book are diverse in ethnicity and skin tone, including Stella and her friend group, their families, teachers, and fellow students. VERDICT While this must-read title will be especially affirming for those with dyslexia or who struggle in school, all young readers will find aspects of themselves within Stella's world, and perhaps be inspired to ask for help when needed.--Sarah Simpson
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young dyslexic girl struggles with reading. Stella Martinez can't wait to start fifth grade. She and her BFFs, Latasha and Emiko, even get to sit together in Miss Marin's class. But to Stella's dismay, school soon feels like "one big reading class." Even math, one of her favorite subjects besides art, has word problems, and the fifth grade project is a Young Authors Competition. Textbooks have longer words and fewer pictures, making comprehension time-consuming, and Stella falls behind. Even the new online universe for Stella and her friends' favorite show,Witchlins, requires a guidebook, which Stella has trouble following. As her BFFs and classmates discuss the game, Stella feels left out. Will reading ruin her friendships? Garcia, who based Stella's story on her daughter's journey of coming to terms with dyslexia and her own experiences with neurodivergence, introduces a multifaceted protagonist with a learning disability and encouragingly highlights various coping strategies. Adults are warmly supportive, barring a dour, gray-haired, light-skinned librarian whose misconception that graphic novels aren't "real" books is emphatically dispelled. In keeping with Miss Marin's affirmation that "all brains work differently," the book's clear lettering, decodable text, and expressive art invite readers of all abilities to root for Stella. Stella and her dad and sibling are brown-skinned and cued Latine; Mom is pale-skinned. Latasha presents Black, Emiko is of East Asian descent, and Miss Marin has light-brown skin. An uplifting, sympathetic portrayal of dyslexia and friendship. (resources, cover design process)(Graphic fiction. 8-11) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
