Hi there! I’m here to tell you my thoughts about another BookishFirst win, this time a middle-grade graphic novel. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
I think this may be the first time I’ve been able to review a graphic novel early here on my blog. I wasn’t expecting Frizzy, a middle-grade graphic novel, to land in my lap but BookishFirst has been very kind to me (and several of my bookish friends) lately, so when I got an email saying I’d won it in a raffle I was super excited. I’ve heard very good things about Claribel Ortega, though I haven’t picked up any of her standard novels yet, but after this I just might need to read some more of her work. And the art style makes me itching to pick Rose Bousamra’s solo graphic novel, coming out in 2024/2025.
From Goodreads: “Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and “growing up.” That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have “presentable”, “good hair”. But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn’t understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tia Ruby—she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.”
This was just absolutely and utterly adorable. There is something so heartwarming about a child learning to love herself, despite others trying to keep her down. I loved Marlene’s relationship with her mom – although the two don’t see eye to eye on everything, especially when it comes to hair, Marlene knows that when it comes to what’s important, they can sit down and have an honest discussion about their feelings. Communication is super important, especially when it comes to kids and their parents – they need to feel safe enough to start the conversation and be vulnerable, or at least be truthful about their thoughts when approached. I already mentioned how much I liked Bousamra’s art style, but I just want to highlight their ability to convey such emotion, whether happy, sad, lonely, angry, or anything else in between, so well, and that’s super important in a graphic novel. Additionally, there needs to be a great narrative leading the art forward, and Ortega’s storytelling does just that. This is aimed for a middle-grade audience, so I am not it’s target, but I can still appreciate how many things it gets right. I really liked the commentary about feeling ostracized by your family. The story starts at a quince for Marlene’s cousin, and when she’s had fun and her hair has come a bit undone from the glamor of the salon, many of her family members, adults in particular, chastise her for looking unkempt. As a kid, you think your family are the only ones who will love you unconditionally, no matter what, but when they start negatively commenting on your appearance, or questioning your decisions, you start to question their love and feel unwelcome in a community where you’re supposed to feel safe. However, in contrast, I loved how Marlene could rely on her aunt, Tía Ruby, and when wants to learn more about talking care of her hair, and embracing her natural curls for what they are, Ruby is immediately on board and walking her step by step through the process. It teaches that not every hair type for every person or ethnicity is the same, and therefore the technique may need to be tweaked or differ altogether, but there is nothing wrong with the way your hair is naturally, even if some people in society try to dictate what is and isn’t a “normal” or “acceptable” style.
Overall, this graphic novel was just a delight to read, and I’m glad that the BookishFirst gods were looking out for me when I entered the raffle. I can’t wait for kids, especially kids of color, to feel seen and represented in a story so beautiful, and that they understand they are beautiful as they are, no matter that certain members of society will tell them otherwise. Frizzy is set to be released on October 18th, 2022, which the day after this post goes live, so please check this out if you’re interested, and even share it with a young one in your life who feels like they need to embrace their quirks because that’s what makes them beautiful. *Thanks to BookishFirst and the publisher, First Second Books, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Where to find Frizzy:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Macmillan
Claribel A. Ortega’s site
Rose Bousamra’s site
Thoughts About Things 