Middle Grade Monday: Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee and illustrated by Molly Brooks

Image: Penguin Random House

Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee and illustrated by Molly Brooks. 249 p. Random House Books for Young Readers, May, 2022. 9780593301289. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Happy Monday TMS Readers! Middle Grade Monday features Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee and illustrated by Molly Brooks. This semi-autobiographical graphic novel centers of Katie's summer between fifth and sixth grades. She's worried about a lot - her freckles, whether people think she's weird, the fact that she homeschools, impending surgery and braces. She does have a BFF and she and Kacie are headed to sleep-away camp!

Unfortunately, once at camp, Kacie branches out and is happy to meet new friends, leaving Katie feeling isolated, jealous and feeling like bees are swarming and buzzing inside her. She develops some tics in order to alleviate the buzzing feelings, but worries that someone might notice her new habits. Things don't get much better once she returns home and her parents find a therapist to help her navigate her anxiety and OCD.

Katie is a sympathetic character that readers will root for. Unfortunately, anxiety in young people is on the rise and sometimes it can be hard to reach out for help. The art is vibrant and the panels are varied. Back matter includes notes from both the author and illustrator describing their personal struggles with anxiety as tweens and teens. Fans of Raina Telgemeier and Kayla Miller will enjoy Growing Pangs. Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday: Slip by Marika McCoola

Image: Workman 

Slip by Marika McCoola and illustrated by Aatmaja Pandya. 208 p. Algonquin/ Workman, June, 2022. 9781643752495 (Review of finished, purchased copy.)

Teen Tuesday features Slip by Marika McCoola and illustrated by Aatmaja Pandya. High school student and pottery artist Jade is about to leave for a month-long summer art intensive when she learns that her best friend has been hospitalized after an attempted suicide. She feels she should stay home to support her friend, but her parents point out that Phoebe can't have visitors, so she should go. Once at camp, Jade's struggles to be present with her art are compounded by the talent and confidence of fellow campers and demanding instructors. The one bright spot is Mary, who creates inter-active art, but their budding romance is threatened by Jade's unwillingness to be honest and open.

The art is mostly blue tones with flashes of pink and red symbolizing Jade's strong emotions. Occasionally, the panels are difficult to follow and Jade and Mary appear younger than high school age. Graphic novel fans who enjoy a leisurely, introspective story that explores themes of friendship, identity, and guilt will enjoy Slip.

Middle Grade Monday: Camp by Kayla Miller

Image: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Camp by Kayla Miller. 224 p. A Click Graphic Novel #2. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April, 2019. 9781328530813. (Review of finished paperback courtesy of publisher ALAAC19)

Middle Grade Monday features Camp by Kayla Miller. Besties Olive and Willow are excited to be heading to sleep-away camp together. They are bunking together and plan on  doing everything together. Problems arise almost immediately as Olive is interested in activities that Willow is not. Olive easily makes friends. Willow is instantly homesick. She hates the camp food and begins to demand more and more of Olive's attention. Will their friendship survive camp?

This terrific graphic novel won't sit in your library, so you'd better invest in a hard cover copy and consider purchasing a second copy. It's perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Victoria Johnson or for fans of friendship stories. The art is appealing in easy to follow panels. Olive and Willow are relatable and both grow as they try to salvage their friendship. There's angst and humor and some incredible camp activities. 

I got this books thanks to my book buddy, Barb, who created the website, abookandahug.  I ran into her as I wandered the exhibits at ALAAC last June. She was headed to the Houghton Mifflin Booth for Kayla Miller's signing and asked if I had read Click. I had not. She (of course) had and was eager to snag Camp. We could choose either Click or Camp.

I chose Camp partly because the story reminded me of #3 son and his best friend. BF's mom wanted him to attend the sleep-away camp that she had attended as a tween/ teen and her daughter attended. It was her daughter's last year there and she wanted BF to go. He was uninterested. She asked him if he would go if #3 went. BF said yes. So, she asked me at a Little League game if I'd consider sending #3 to camp in Colorado. It sounded like an amazing camp so I agreed to allow her to ask him if he'd like to go. He did. I had to put him on a plane (with connections) as an unaccompanied minor. I cried when I said good-bye. He never looked back.

Well. The boys were put in separate tents. #3 fell in love with the camp immediately and BF suffered from terrible homesickness immediately. It got so bad, his dad had to fly out once or twice. #3 felt terrible and tried to encourage him to join the amazing hikes and activities. Unfortunately, he never came around. When #3 got off the plane back home, he proclaimed he was going back the next year and thought #4 son should go as well. They did.