Review by Booklist Review
After having a great summer with his family, Tyler is starting a new year of school. Things this year are different. He's experiencing new feelings and becoming more self-aware of his body and appearance. Kids he had long considered friends aren't quite acting like good friends should, and the bullying at school is brutal. At home, his dad has decided to go on a diet and by proxy he and his mom and brother are also forced to charge their eating habits. With a new focus on health at home, Tyler struggles to feel confident in his growing and changing body. Throughout the school year, he loses friends, gains new ones, and even meets a girl, all while trying to find a happy median of healthy habits and happiness. In this semiautobiographical follow up to Button Pusher, Page compassionately explores the changes many tweens face. His colorful, expressive cartoon style effectively evokes the emotional realities of his characters. Middle-school readers who are looking for a boy-centered read-alike for Shannon Hale's Real Friends series will find what they're looking for here.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Page (Button Pusher) delivers an enthusiastic autobiographical comic about bullying and body insecurity. During a visit to a Wisconsin racetrack with his family over the summer, soon-to-be seventh grader Page wins an oversize extra-large T-shirt, which his father suggests he will one day grow into. Later, while back-to-school shopping with his mother, the youth must browse through clothes made for "husky" bodies when his usual sizes no longer fit (his mother reassures him by claiming husky means "tough"). When his dad expresses a desire to go on a no-sugar diet, his parents use it as an opportunity to encourage the whole family to eat healthier, despite objections from Page and his younger brother. Soon Page becomes self-conscious about his body and begins comparing himself to others; these feelings are exacerbated by his classmates' bullying, his parents' pressuring him to lose weight, and the unrealistic image standards he witnesses in the media. Sunny full-color illustrations imbue the graphic novel with the nostalgic vibe of a Saturday morning cartoon, while lighthearted and insightful storytelling brings the narrative to a tidy close. Ages 8--12. (Mar.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4--8--Set in the late 1980s, the book follows Tyler, a middle school youth grappling with body image. He is larger than many of his peers and begins to suffer bullying because of it. In addition, his father is on a health food kick and insists that his entire family participate in his diet while dropping cruel digs against his wife and two sons about their weight. Though Tyler's feelings are hurt, and he is embarrassed on several occasions, he also engages in teasing other classmates about their perceived flaws. A shift away from childhood friendships to new and kinder friends makes him slowly realize that he has hurt others as much as he has been hurt himself. The art is colorful and cartoony and will appeal to young readers, although some 1980s references might not land. The graphic novel's tone is very message-heavy, as issues like physical appearance, toxic masculinity, and bullying are depicted. Tyler and his family are white. VERDICT This coming-of-age memoir addresses body image in males, a topic not often found in middle school books, making it a solid purchase for libraries to fill that gap.--Nancy McKay
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Review by Horn Book Review
In Button Pusher (rev. 5/22), Tyler gained weight as a side effect of taking Ritalin for his ADHD. In this companion graphic memoir, Page explores the intersection of body image, bullying, and masculinity during his middle school years. Tyler wins an extra-large T-shirt at a racetrack and, while it fits initially, he starts to notice that his pants no longer do. Then his father decides to lose weight and insists the entire family "start eating a little better" and exercise more regularly. Dad's more-extreme no-sugar diet raises questions for Tyler ("my dad had reached his goal weight...But did losing thirty pounds make him healthier?"). Meanwhile, middle school remains an emotional minefield. Tyler is increasingly insecure about his body; and as his friends mercilessly ridicule other students with pranks and name-calling, it's only a matter of time before they turn on him. Fortunately, this coincides with a change in bus routes, allowing him to befriend a few other students who allow him to be himself. These positive friendships coincide with the cumulative effects of his healthier habits, providing a good measure of self-acceptance, not to mention closure to the narrative. The visual appeal of the art is strong with bright colors, effective panel layouts, and the occasional use of white space. In his author's note, Page says he slightly rearranged and reshaped the events and characters in this story; nevertheless, the emotional truth resonates. Jonathan HuntMay/June 2025 p.115 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Spanning 1989 to 1990, Page's latest graphic memoir looks back on seventh grade, when he navigated shifting friendships and body-image issues. After winning an extra-large T-shirt in a competition and having to buy husky jeans during back-to-school shopping, Tyler begins to look at himself differently: "I'm not fat. Am I…?" While changing in the locker room, Tyler struggles with the ways his body differs from those of other boys, especially those who are developing muscles; even watching TV shows likeHe-Man reminds him that he doesn't resemble society's physical ideal. While Page's cartoon art is appealing and clearly presented, the narrative loses focus as it juggles multiple storylines, including brief encounters with a bully, Tyler's frustration as lighthearted jibes between friends turn mean-spirited, his own casual cruelty toward a fellow student, and a budding relationship with a classmate wrestling with her own insecurities. Tyler's father's quest to lose weight and to get the rest of the family to adopt healthier habits takes up a lot of narrative space while barely affecting Tyler's examination of his own body. Though related, these elements don't hang together well, leaving the book uneven in spots. Nevertheless, Tyler's journey feels authentic as he slowly finds "a place for myself in the world…where I [can] just be myself." Tyler and most characters present white. Lacks cohesion but still a relatable look at bodies and self-acceptance. (author's note)(Graphic memoir. 10-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
