(2) YA Clearly and honestly, cartoonist Alexander's debut graphic memoir explores familial loss, social isolation, and sexual identity. At the start of seventh grade in a new school, Damian vows to remain silent. "If I never spoke with anyone I couldn't get hurt, right?" Effectively sequenced flashbacks highlight frequent harassment by classmates and relatives for being "girly" and "sensitive," providing context for Damian's cautious behavior. In contrast, tender and supportive memories of his grandparents, along with a small group of elementary-school friends, offer moments of hope and humor. Having tragically lost their mother at the hands of their father, Damian and his older brother were raised by their grandparents. Throughout this tumultuous childhood, doodling, writing, reading, and video games become a source of escapism and companionship. Feelings of attraction to other boys eventually lead an adolescent Damian to realize that he is gay, but it is not until a liberating conversation with a school therapist that his sexual identity is positively affirmed. The digitally rendered illustrations feature an organic, wobbly pen line and an authentic 1990s-to-­early-2000s visual aesthetic. Alexander regularly forgoes representational backgrounds for emotive blocks of colors (red for anger, pink for love, blue for sadness), allowing the main characters to take center stage and drive the narrative--particularly through facial expressions. An often-heartbreaking but powerful--and empowering--story of self-discovery, akin to Curato's Flamer (rev. 11/20) and Krosoczka's Hey, Kiddo! (rev. 9/18).

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022