(2) YA Kirby Finn is a hero to the students at Greycliff Academy. In addition to the "Seven Good Reasons" videos he sends out, which delineate why it's best not to grow up, he leads his After-School Resistance team of students in cleverly dispatching bullies and other jerks, saving a friend's local business, and waging an underground war on Principal Cudgel, puppet of school board president Darth Finkenboner. Best friends Raja Ahmed and Kelly Rose are there for Kirby, even after discovering that the friend they thought they knew has been harboring secrets about his identity. Gownley's (the Amelia Rules! series; The Dumbest Idea Ever, rev. 3/14) pen-and-ink drawings, hand lettering, and full-color panels combine for a dazzling array of busy, action-filled pages with blizzards of speech bubbles, and an occasional quiet pause in the form of a cityscape, nighttime sky, or neighborhood scene. The writing works well with the illustrations to create a sensitive portrait of friends, each with a well-developed backstory, who realize that they "weren't just a bunch of random kids," but rather a constellation of young people who were big and powerful together. Back matter includes an author's note and a look behind the scenes at the book's creation.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) 4-6 In this graphic novel memoir, thirteen-year-old Jimmy was a basketball star and top student until an untimely bout of chicken pox caused him to miss his team's championship game and a ton of school. As Jimmy's grades began to slide, his love of drawing grew. Jimmy is a likable kid, and the visuals are strong. Tween readers will fall for Gownley's story.

Reviewer: Sam Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2014

(4) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. Four briskly moving graphic novels follow nine-year-old Amelia and her life with her divorced mom, former-rock-star aunt, and friends. In Heroes, Amelia learns about frenemies; Kisses features a tame spin-the-bottle game; Fireflies presents the threat of moving from the neighborhood; and Graceland humorously considers the changes a move might bring. The illustrations lack subtlety, but these are comical views of tween-age dramas. Review covers these Amelia Rules! titles: Amelia in Fireflies and Time, Amelia and Her Three Kisses, Amelia in Heroes and Villains, and Amelia in Into Graceland.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. Four briskly moving graphic novels follow nine-year-old Amelia and her life with her divorced mom, former-rock-star aunt, and friends. In Heroes, Amelia learns about frenemies; Kisses features a tame spin-the-bottle game; Fireflies presents the threat of moving from the neighborhood; and Graceland humorously considers the changes a move might bring. The illustrations lack subtlety, but these are comical views of tween-age dramas. Review covers these Amelia Rules! titles: Amelia in Fireflies and Time, Amelia and Her Three Kisses, Amelia in Heroes and Villains, and Amelia in Into Graceland.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. Four briskly moving graphic novels follow nine-year-old Amelia and her life with her divorced mom, former-rock-star aunt, and friends. In Heroes, Amelia learns about frenemies; Kisses features a tame spin-the-bottle game; Fireflies presents the threat of moving from the neighborhood; and Graceland humorously considers the changes a move might bring. The illustrations lack subtlety, but these are comical views of tween-age dramas. Review covers these Amelia Rules! titles: Amelia in Fireflies and Time, Amelia and Her Three Kisses, Amelia in Heroes and Villains, and Amelia in Into Graceland.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. Four briskly moving graphic novels follow nine-year-old Amelia and her life with her divorced mom, former-rock-star aunt, and friends. In Heroes, Amelia learns about frenemies; Kisses features a tame spin-the-bottle game; Fireflies presents the threat of moving from the neighborhood; and Graceland humorously considers the changes a move might bring. The illustrations lack subtlety, but these are comical views of tween-age dramas. Review covers these Amelia Rules! titles: Amelia in Fireflies and Time, Amelia and Her Three Kisses, Amelia in Heroes and Villains, and Amelia in Into Graceland.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. Eleven-year-old Amelia has been surviving the emotional roller coaster of elementary school throughout this series. Now, when her beloved aunt Tanner goes into hiding, Amelia makes it her mission to find her. Gownley continues to turn the commonplace into the semi-heroic through a winning protagonist. Adept panel illustrations carry the action of this pleasing graphic novel.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. Amelia McBride continues to face life's challenges head-on--and with humor. In Happy she learns more about her former-rocker aunt's past. Superheroes brings a new friend with a secret. Present dives into a box of family photos and mementos. Life gets philosophical. The humor and tumult of the transitional middle-grade years are tenderly explored in these well-illustrated graphic novels. Review covers these Amelia Rules! titles: The Meaning of Life...and Other Stuff, Superheroes, What Makes You Happy, and When the Past Is a Present.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. Amelia McBride continues to face life's challenges head-on--and with humor. In Happy she learns more about her former-rocker aunt's past. Superheroes brings a new friend with a secret. Present dives into a box of family photos and mementos. Life gets philosophical. The humor and tumult of the transitional middle-grade years are tenderly explored in these well-illustrated graphic novels. Review covers these Amelia Rules! titles: The Meaning of Life...and Other Stuff, Superheroes, What Makes You Happy, and When the Past Is a Present.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. Amelia McBride continues to face life's challenges head-on--and with humor. In Happy she learns more about her former-rocker aunt's past. Superheroes brings a new friend with a secret. Present dives into a box of family photos and mementos. Life gets philosophical. The humor and tumult of the transitional middle-grade years are tenderly explored in these well-illustrated graphic novels. Review covers these Amelia Rules! titles: The Meaning of Life...and Other Stuff, Superheroes, What Makes You Happy, and When the Past Is a Present.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. Amelia McBride continues to face life's challenges head-on--and with humor. In Happy she learns more about her former-rocker aunt's past. Superheroes brings a new friend with a secret. Present dives into a box of family photos and mementos. Life gets philosophical. The humor and tumult of the transitional middle-grade years are tenderly explored in these well-illustrated graphic novels. Review covers these Amelia Rules! titles: The Meaning of Life...and Other Stuff, Superheroes, What Makes You Happy, and When the Past Is a Present.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. As Amelia turns eleven she continues to learn bittersweet lessons about friends, families, and first loves. When Amelia finally musters the courage to profess her feelings to Kyle, things don't go as she'd hoped. Without losing its sense of humor, Gownley's episodic graphic novel also shows the real and messy sides of adult relationships in conjunction with Amelia's experiences.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Amelia Rules! series. Comics star Amelia McBride returns for another misadventure, as she and her friends attempt to become popular by following advice from the title book. Though there's no didacticism to be found, Amelia’s choices show that she's figuring out how to do right, not just shooting for popularity. Exaggerated facial expressions and varied comic-panel illustrations support and develop the story's humor.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister