Monday Mantra: Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming…
Midterm Break right around the corner has me humming this tune allllll week long. I don’t know about you, but I am SO ready for a much-needed break. I can almost feel the Kellan-hug waiting for me Friday night, and I can’t tell you guys how much I need that; it’s been too long since I went home.
But first, books!
When I first saw this book at Walmart, I was so excited. I recently read Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novel Smile, which I absolutely loved. This novel follows Catrina (Cat) and her family as they move to Northern California due to her sister, Maya’s, medical concerns. Once there, Maya and Cat are clued in on the town secret: Bahia de la Luna is filled with ghosts. Maya is determined to go ghost hunting and meet them, but Cat is hesitant; why would she want to talk with the dead? Can Cat overcome her fear in time to celebrate Day of the Dead – a tradition in her new home? Can she experience this for herself and for Maya?
There were many things I enjoyed about this graphic novel, but there were also some problematic parts. I thought Telgemeier tried hard to include a variety of different topics in a book probably made for a middle school audience. Due to this, some items were glossed over. Attempting to cover mortality, life after death, illness, and a completely different culture is difficult, and I felt like maybe all of these weren’t addressed in a full enough way. Many resources outlined this book as dealing in cultural appropriation; when thinking through the subject, I found the blog post titled Ghosts: Swing and a Hard Miss as well as the post titled Not recommended: Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier to be helpful in understanding the term and what it means.
One of the pieces I loved in the novel was the inclusion of the G-tube within the narrative. Maya, Cat’s sister, has cystic fibrosis and struggles to get enough nourishment. This is the first novel I have ever seen a G-tube mentioned and pictured. My younger brother, Kellan, has Down syndrome and was born without his esophogus. He had one constructed but has had numerous difficulties with it over the years; because of this, he has had a feeding tube for his entire life. He struggles with understanding why he has one and no one else does (I often have to show him my stomach to prove I don’t have a “button” :)) and has also been teased about having one, so seeing this incorporated into the novel was refreshing.
When Anya falls down a well, the last thing she expects to find is a friend. Growing up, Anya hasn’t always had the best luck at fitting in. From her accent to her clothing, most pieces of her life made her stand out. Finding Emily Reilly, the nearly century old ghost at the bottom of the well, could be Anya’s ticket to a “normal” high school life. Emily helps Anya with school, clothing choices, and boys – but what’s beneath the her facade? Is she as good of a friend as Anya once thought? As the story unravels, Anya must face the truth about her friend’s secret past as well as face the truth about her attitude. Anya’s Ghost is one of my favorite graphic novels from this semester. I love the setting and the real-life implications it asks readers to contemplate. Being a high schooler isn’t easy, and this book questions the need to fit in and conform. (5/5)
When Sunny heads to Florida to visit her grandfather, she expects a summer full of beaches and Disney World. Instead, she finds herself living in a retirement home with a grandpa who thinks going to the grocery store is an exciting day trip. Her luck changes when she meets Buzz, the son of a maintenance worker who introduces Sunny to the world of comics. Their adventures keep the friends busy; from finding residents’ cats to running from Big Al, the pair never seem to have much of a dull moment. But why was Sunny sent to Florida in the first place? And why does she only name Teddy, her youngest brother, and not Dale when people ask? As the summer moves forward, dark family secrets come to light that Sunny must accept and learn from. Set in the 1970s, this book is full of beautiful images and color. I’m already looking forward to reading the next book. (4/5)
Regan Garey 