Middle Grade Monday: Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan. 240 p. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc. April, 2020. 978133538199. (Purchased.)

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine went fast. I did some garden clean-up (not enough), a lot of walking with Boo (18 miles) and a fair amount of reading(4 books).

Middle Grade Monday features Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan. This gentle graphic novel is shy Natalie's sketchbook. As summer ends and middle school approaches, she has some worries. Her BFF Lily moved across town and she has seen very little of her over the summer. Any calls or texts Natalie sends are answered with excuses why the two can't get together. On the eve of the first day of school, Nat's got radio silence. She spies Lily heading to school with another girl, who looks super-cool and stylish. Nat's locker is close to Lily, but Lily rebuffs her attempts at friendship. Lily's rejection reinforces Natalie's feelings of not being enough - not cute enough, not smart enough or not athletic enough.

The terrain of fractured friendship and navigating new school situations should be familiar to most tweens. Natalie is endearingly underconfident and relatable. The author/ artist captured the drama and dialog of middle school well. The peppy palette and energetic panels keep the story moving. Fans of Shannon Hale and Raina Telgemeier will be happy to include Natalie. I know this one won't sit and am looking forward to reading Forget Me Nat and Absolutely Nat.