Review by Booklist Review
Mourn not for the thought balloon. It's currently in short supply since comics--particularly superhero comics--have become ever more cinematic, but Hale and Cespedes have reinvented this once-ubiquitous device to support the emotions of their story like a dream. In the form of expressive, disconnected shapes, they float around the eager, imaginative, and sensitive Cassie, deepening her character and making her anxieties and hopes more vibrant and more urgent. And nothing could be more appropriate to this story of Cassie's crowded family, shifting friendships, and transforming perspective. It's the stuff of everyday life for kids Cassie's age, but what could possibly be more important, more anxiety-producing, or more joyous? Cassie experiences all those emotions as she navigates transitions in her school life, her primary friendship, and her family relationships, learning to redefine her expectations, deciding what's worth holding on tight to, discovering unexpected wisdom, and, most significantly, figuring out how her own emotions both help and hinder her. And those magical thought balloons draw readers right into the heart of it. As a companion to her autobiographical Real Friends (2017), this will already be on the radar of Hale's many fans, while newcomers can instantly latch onto the themes and the accessibly realistic but enjoyably witty art, filled with recognizable body language and occasional flights of sparkling fancy. Consider multiple copies of this one.High-Demand Backstory: Hale is one of the biggest names in the middle-grade comics space; any new title from her is cause for celebration.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Hale (the Real Friends series) teams up with illustrator Cespedes for this heartfelt graphic novel series opener about friendship, family, and finding where one belongs. With fourth grader Cassie's hardworking parents overwhelmed by their arduous jobs and caring for Cassie's many siblings, and her bestie Vali suddenly ignoring her in favor of a new friend, Cassie dreams of improving her social standing and becoming a priority for her loved ones. Upon receiving a notice claiming that she's apparently the winner of a magazine sweepstakes--the letter's sparkly medallion reads "You've already won!"--Cassie believes that this event will finally make her stand out. But as she awaits her promised prize, and as school and family pressures mount, Cassie struggles to stay true to herself in the face of big changes. Hale skillfully tackles topics including peer pressure, financial disparity, and managing emotional sensitivity via Cassie's relatable dynamics with her parents, siblings, and schoolmates, each of whom boasts personality in spades. Cespedes's cheerful illustrations, expressive figures, and fluid line art add bouncy movement and whimsy into every situation, while retro details such as a landline telephone, VCR, and Atari gaming console contextualize the narrative timeline. Characters are depicted with varying skin tones. Ages 8--12. Author's agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. Illustrator's agent: Alyssa Jennette, Stonesong Literary. (Aug.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--6--As one of six kids, Cassie doesn't get much one-on-one time with her parents and often feels overlooked. When her best friend, Vali, starts to hang out with a mean girl in their class, Cassie feels abandoned with no one to talk to. So, when Cassie receives a sweepstakes mail flyer telling her she is a grand prize winner, she's thrilled and sends back her award-winning slip, eagerly deciding what grand prizes she will select. But the grand prizes don't come, and magazines her family can't afford start showing up instead. Cassie is determined to keep her prize-winner status a secret but doesn't know how to make the magazines disappear or how to get her friend to talk to her again. This story stands out from many current friendship graphic novels because Cassie is younger, still in fourth grade. The book takes place sometime in the past 50 years, post-television but pre-cellphone--close enough to current times to feel relatable, but distant enough that some kids might not understand certain plot elements, like the sweepstakes flyer. Even with the setting creating some roadblocks for readers, the graphic novel effectively captures both friendship drama and the difficulties of living in a large family. A good option for fans of Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham's "Real Friends" series. Cassie and her family are white, Vali has brown skin. VERDICT This heartfelt graphic novel tackles family and friendship hardships with compassion and is recommended for fans of Raina Telgemeier.--Annamarie Carlson
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Fourth grader Cassie dreams of solving all her problems by winning a contest. It's May 1984, and Cassie Carpenter feels overwhelmed by how much she needs--attention, space, money, and more. Things that feel trivial to others are overwhelming for her, and others call her "melodramatic," "sensitive," and "so emotional." Still, Cassie's problems are real: Her house is too small for everyone in her family to have their own bed or sit at the same table for dinner. Money is tight, and her mother is too tired to notice that Cassie needs her. At school, Cassie's best friend starts pulling away, preferring an unkind classmate. Then, Cassie receives a life-changing piece of mail: A magazine sweepstakes declares her a "grand prize winner"! A catalog of prizes accompanies a magazine order form, and Cassie is swept away by fantasies of how a vacation or a water bed for her mom might solve all her problems. But soon she finds that the contest is far from the easy fix she imagined. Hale's gift for capturing middle-grade joys and agonies is once again on full display, and fans of her Best Friends graphic memoir trilogy will find much to love in this series opener. Cespedes' illustrations and Pien's colors are vibrant and appealing, capturing the liabilities and, importantly, the gifts to be found in Cassie's deeply emotional worldview. Cassie's family reads white; other characters are racially diverse. Heartfelt and accessible: another winner from a beloved author. (author's note)(Graphic fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
