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A review by bookph1le
Best Friends by Shannon Hale
4.0
4.5 stars
Why are middle grade graphic novels so goooood? I love that these are books that both my kiddo and I love, and that provide such great topics for conversation.
I particularly enjoyed the way this book considered several topics, yet none of them got short shrift. It provides a lot of food for thought about what healthy friendships look like, when it may be time to move on from a friendship that no longer works, how girls receive mixed messages about who they ought to be and what they ought to do, about the toll anxiety takes, and about how important it is to blaze your own trail rather than going along with the crowd.
What I love most of all about this book and so many other middle grade books is not just their honesty, but the way they treat kids and their problems with dignity. I think it can be all to easy as an adult to dismiss kids' problems and forget how confusing and scary so much of what kids face is. I love that books like this offer parents and kids an avenue for exploring amd discussing those feelings.
I'd be remiss if I didn't specifically mention the art as well. I've read several books Pham has illustrated, and I love her style. The detail is wonderful, and the characters' faces are so expressive. The coloring is fantastic too.
I hope there will be more of these books. They're really wonderful.
Why are middle grade graphic novels so goooood? I love that these are books that both my kiddo and I love, and that provide such great topics for conversation.
I particularly enjoyed the way this book considered several topics, yet none of them got short shrift. It provides a lot of food for thought about what healthy friendships look like, when it may be time to move on from a friendship that no longer works, how girls receive mixed messages about who they ought to be and what they ought to do, about the toll anxiety takes, and about how important it is to blaze your own trail rather than going along with the crowd.
What I love most of all about this book and so many other middle grade books is not just their honesty, but the way they treat kids and their problems with dignity. I think it can be all to easy as an adult to dismiss kids' problems and forget how confusing and scary so much of what kids face is. I love that books like this offer parents and kids an avenue for exploring amd discussing those feelings.
I'd be remiss if I didn't specifically mention the art as well. I've read several books Pham has illustrated, and I love her style. The detail is wonderful, and the characters' faces are so expressive. The coloring is fantastic too.
I hope there will be more of these books. They're really wonderful.