New in Town

Curlfriends #1

by Sharee Miller

New Kid meets The Baby-sitters Club in this graphic novel series opener about the Curlfriends, four inseparable Black girls who show us the meaning of true friendship—and being your true self.

Charlie has a foolproof plan for the first day at her new middle school. Even though she's used to starting over as the new kid—thanks to her military family's constant moving—making friends has never been easy for her. But this time, her first impression needs to last, since this is where her family plans to settle for good.

So she's hiding any interests that may seem “babyish,” updating her look, and doing her best to leave her shyness behind her...but is erasing the real Charlie the best way to make friends?

When not everything goes exactly to plan—like, AT ALL—Charlie is ready to give up on making new friendships. Then she meets the Curlfriends, a group of Black girls who couldn't be more different from each other, and learns that maybe there is a place for Charlie to be her true self after all.

Sharee Miller's graphic novel debut starts off an exciting contemporary series featuring four Black girls who each have a unique story, and each learn lessons about friendship, family, and being their true selves.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Fiction, Juvenile, Contemporary

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2023

About the author

Sharee Miller has a BFA in communication design from Pratt Institute. She lives in Brooklyn, where she enjoys spending time with her two cats and illustrating fun stories.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was patiently waiting for my hold of this one to come in since last year and it did not disappoint!

Curlfriends: New in Town follows main character Charlie who is new in town. She's moved around a lot due to having a military parent. However, this time she's determined to get it right and make lots of new friends. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned and Charlie has to learn that being yourself is enough to make new friends.

What Worked: This was super cute! I went to a different school for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade so middle school was a tough time for me. Having to start over and make friends at the beginning of every school year was tragic! Even as an adult, I was able to closely relate to Charlie's experiences. I appreciated that Miller took the time to showcase that being yourself is the best way to make friends. This book doesn't hyper fixate on bullying which I appreciated. Instead, Charlie is surrounded by a group of Black girls that are set on helping her feel comfortable in her own skin. Their confidence and acknowledgments of their strong and not so strong personality traits gives Charlie a safe space to be herself. While it takes some time for Charlie to notice this, it's a beautiful full circle moment. With gorgeous artwork and strong friendship at it's core, this isn't a graphic novel that you want to miss.

[emmalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

finally representation for people who hate tapioca pearls

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of books where the main character spends most of the book lying, and the simple plot of this book has Charlie Harper trying to change everything about herself in order to win friends at her new school. Pretty soon, honesty is out the window as she tells everyone only what she thinks they want to hear. She learns a lesson in the course of the book, sure, but I just felt bored and annoyed waiting for it to come.

I do like the art and the author's previous book, Don't Touch My Hair!, so I will certainly check out what she does next, even if she comes back to these characters.

(Best of 2023 Project: I'm reading all the graphic novels that made it onto NPR's Books We Love 2023: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels list.)

[Monique B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book with my daughter, who has loved Sharee Miller's other books. (Princess Hair & Don't Touch My Hair are household staples here, okay?!). 💁🏾‍♀️

I was SO excited to find this for her since her reading level is way advanced for her age. We both loved it! The pictures are bright & we loved the array of hairstyles and outfits 🩷.

This book is perfect for middle school aged girls, especially Brown and black girls. It goes through all of the different social aspects of being a preteen girl: wanting to fit in, wanting to dress a certain way, the distraught of your hair not being styled a certain way, having embarrassing parents who just don't understand, the first years liking boys, and everything that comes along with the awkward years of middle school.

Although my daughter is still in elementary school, she really doesn't understand all those concepts just yet, but it was fun to read and to talk about. She was like " YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE LIKES, CHARLIE! BE YOURSELF!" so yeah, she got the main idea... right?! 🤭

We've pre-ordered book 2! Can't wait to see what Charlie & her girlfriends get into next!

[Lanesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel was amazingly adorable! I loved the moral of being yourself no matter what. I read this with my 9 year old daughter and I do believe that this is a book she will cherish and remember for some time.

[Teonna Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost I loved this read! I love the representation of Black girlhood, Black families, friendships, Black hair, and Black love.

Being in a military family means Charlie has had more first days than she can count. On her first day of middle school, she is determined to make the best first impression to make friends. However, Charlie feels she must be and portray herself as someone she is not to accomplish this. Fortunately, she makes friends with Cara, Nola, and Ella-close-knit friends who call themselves Curlfriends. Charlie believes in order to keep her new friends she must like and do what they like or what Charlie believes is "cool." However, constantly pretending to be someone she is not becomes tiring and makes Charlie unsure of how and if she can maintain this facade.

Curlfriends is a beautiful graphic novel that details the challenges and beauty of making new friends, learning to accept and honor yourself, father daughter relationships, and more.

[chasc.taylor_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute and relatable for middle school girls. This touches on important topics (being yourself, self confidence, and honesty).

I’ll definitely read book 2 once released!

[Ainsley king💖⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I have always been a big fan of graphic novels and this was definitely one of my favorites.

[Deke Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my GOSH this is a perfect middle grade graphic novel and I’m so glad my library had it faced out because I hadn’t heard of it before!!

The art is adorable and so expressive and so full of emotion I got so very into all the characters who were all so very unique and full people. I cried so much at the end but I won’t spoil it, just it was so sweet and well done and perfect.

Also!! The day was in the Air Force and so there is some awesome military kid representation - the frustration of moving all the time but the coolness of being able to live overseas!!

So highly highly highly recommend!!

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick-paced graphic novel that I added to my classroom library for my middle school students.

[Hannah]

Okay, this is actually extremely good at conveying the anxiety of existing in middle school and of being a tween to the point that I was cringing, but here that’s a compliment and a sign of a book well done.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

After years of moving around due to her dad's military career, Charlie's family is finally settling in one spot. But Charlie isn't used to having her dad around all the time, she isn't used to being in one place long term, and all she wants is to make a good impression on her first day of middle school. At the same time, she's convinced that being herself isn't the way to do it. This sweet graphic novel shows how hard it is to make new friends, the loving communication with parents, and the importance of being who you are. It was so cute and sweet and fun. I hope to read more in this series.

[NIA … NIA · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking for a graphic novel that was like the lens I used to read when I was younger (BabySitters Club, Click, etc) This book definitely had the same coming of age and acceptance themes as those books. This was short, sweet, and enjoyable.

[Ayanna Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute quick read about being yourself. I loved the strong black female characters who were not afraid to share their voice and portray kindness as cool.

[Raiyaanah · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I initially started this novel I had my hopes up that it would be a lighthearted story about tween girls being friends, getting into shenanigans and all that jazz. I was slightly disappointed when I realized I didn't like Charlie. I didn't like how she portrayed herself to others, how she questioned people's kindness and her lack of trust in general. I wanted to like the story so I didn't return it. I kept trying to read it and kept finding myself disinterested. Today, is the start of our summer reading challenge at my local library so I felt obligated to read something today. All I had in my locker today was Curlfriends and a volume of a manga that I am not ready to read yet. So, long story long I read it- got sick of Charlie's antics and put it back down. My friend noticed I was reading it and we talked about how I've been absorbing the novel thus far. I mentioned my frustration with Charlie and she implored me to try again with the understanding that she's young, she's moved around for all of her life, she has not lived with her father due to his job and that she most likely has been the only black person in her school. Hearing those words helped me to be kinder and continue reading Curlfriends with a more empathetic approach. I had an easier time reading it today and wound up loving it. I think I needed to be more openminded to the fact the she is a child, she's learning and growing, so yeah! I thought it was a cute story and I am looking forward to more novels.

[Alexius McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful illustrated graphic novel. I’d say it’s got a rated G. This is a book I would’ve loved to have had growing up. It’s really nice to see a girl of color doing normal things and having normal problems.
I’d say it’s definitely worth the read and definitely going to worth adding to my personal collection

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up

What an absolutely adorable graphic novel! The art style was gorgeous, and I loved the characters and the message. The dad was great. I can’t wait to read more in the series.

[Hannah Showalter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5! This was really sweet. I spent a lot of it annoyed at the main character but I love the transformation she goes through. The art was so cute and loved the strong friendships here.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great messaging of staying true to who you are because the people who care for you most will always want to see the authentic you.

[Maria Almaguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and cute graphic novel about being true to yourself. When Charlie starts at yet another new school, she's determined to become a brand new person, which soon becomes exhausting as others become disillusioned by her falseness. Ah, if only all of us knew this back in junior high! Ha!

[Kathyj · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a good message about being yourself <3 loved this

[D.T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I absolutely loved this! Right away, the adorable art style and Charlie’s struggle to make friends drew me in. She goes through embarrassing mishaps and so much lying trying to be accepted. Charlie, like a lot of us, is in her head a lot.

Something unique is the book addresses what happens when a parent who has been absent (as in work, deployment, etc) changes the dynamic of the home once they return full-time. I don’t think I have seen many children’s stories cover this.

OR, having a social butterfly for a parent as a child who has difficulty connecting to others. Sometimes, the parent doesn't realize social interactions don't come easy to the child.

Moral: You don’t have to pretend to be someone else to be liked.

[Emily! (emuhleesbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely beautiful and heartwarming graphic novel about strong Black girls navigating friendship, acceptance, confidence, and family, with a lovely father-daughter storyline too!

I adored Charlie’s character growth throughout the story. Feeling like you don’t fit in as you watch your peers and even your parents make friends and start conversations with ease is extremely difficult to deal with, especially when you start at a new school a few weeks into the year. So it was understandable why she felt like she had to “hide” her real interests and style to blend in with her classmates and easily make friends. By the end, though, she realized that she only has to be herself and the right friends, the ones who will love her no matter what, will find her and stay by her side. The girls she was bonding with and forming friendships with (Nola, Cara, and Ella) each had unique interests and hobbies that made them who they are, and by sharing them, they provided Charlie with a kind, understanding, and positive environment for her to slowly show them who she was and what she loved in return!!

The moment at the beginning when Nola braids Charlie’s hair in the bathroom before even being properly introduced to her, as well as other little positive comments made throughout the story (like that she liked Charlie with her yellow glasses) made me smile! It was such a kind and loving thing to do and perfectly showcases the hearts of Charlie’s Curlfriends!! Cara always made sure to include Charlie in conversations, and Ella’s “bossiness” as described in the story is just how she shows affection. The present she made for Charlie was so adorable.

I loved the Charlie’s storyline with her dad as well, and the little pep talk he gave her when he found out her difficulties making friends at school. She was annoyed with him at first, afraid to bond with him because she was mainly used to her mom’s company as her dad was deployed a lot. But he kept trying to be involved in her life and activities and be there for her. As she opened up to him more, their bonding moments were so so lovely to read about!

[Josephine Sorrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curlfriends is a delightful story.

Charlie’s family is military so she is constantly on the move and always the new kid at school. This time though is different, no more moving. So she sets out to reinvent herself for her first day of yet another new school, but this one will be her permanent school.

So she’s off to school in her perfect outfit and perfect hair style. But alas Charlie is victim of a spilled bucket of water causing her first day to not quite go as expected. Charlie does, however, connect with a group of three friends and works really hard to find her place among these girls.

The story is a great depiction of middle school that lots of young girls will see themselves in, trying to fit in while still being yourself, trying to find your way when everything is new, and trying to figure out just what being a friend means.

The illustrations in the book are expressive and vibrant. I liked the mini heads that appeared on text to show you who was talking if they weren't in the bigger picture.

I enjoyed the four main characters and their different personalities. I thought the struggles and challenges of being a middle schooler were spot on and that Charlie's parents were excellent, understanding and supportive.

[Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Little, Brown Ink for sending me a review copy!

Curlfriends is an adorable and beautiful story of being the new kid in school, and even though our main character is new to middle school, this reminded me of what it felt like going into 9th grade, three weeks late, as the new kid. Worried about fitting in, people not liking me for who I was, and trying to become someone I wasn't, puts a terrible weight on one's conscious.

Lucky for Charlie that she was a wonderful support system. And oh my god I just wanted to pull her into a hug and tell her everything will be okay!

My favorite moment in the story is when Charlie meets her art teacher. It's the first time she's told to embrace something that is entirely her, which is creating drawings! Slowly over time Charlie realizes that it's okay to be herself and is encouraged by her wonderful friends. Nola was ADORABLE! I loved her little flower earrings and how she helped Charlie immediately with her hair on that first day of school.

5 stars!

[Dierric · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the series, New in Town, is about Charlie, a girl from a military family whose family settles in her parent's hometown. Charlie is nervous about her first day of school, starting 3 weeks into the school year. Charlie is so used to moving often that she has never really had friends. Several embarrassing things happen to her on her first day, but she is able to meet three other girls in her grade that eventually turns into a science group assignment turned friendship.
Charlie's obsession with fitting in was annoying how long it went on. I feel like there were plenty of opportunities for her to show her true self with her friends standing behind her. I do feel that her parents should have recognized what was happening and sat down and talked to her about being her authentic self.
Despite other reviews, I quite enjoyed the illustrations. I feel like it fit the vibe for middle schoolers who are of course the main audience.
Otherwise, a great first book in the series. I can't wait to read more.

[Taryn Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel was a great read. I truly loved the story and its message. The overall theme of embracing yourself and finding your tribe really resonated with me. I especially appreciated watching Charlie’s journey and how hard it was for her to fully accept herself. It felt very real and relatable, especially since I’ve experienced being the new girl in school and not quite fitting in. The visuals were also a strong point, they added so much emotion and depth to the story. Overall, I think this is a powerful and uplifting read not just for youth, but for adults as well. It’s the kind of graphic novel that sticks with you.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie has moved around a lot because her dad was in the air force. But now he has retired and the family has relocated permanently to her parents' home town.

Charlie is starting middle school three weeks into the school year and is nervous about making friends. A freak accident on her first day shakes her confidence, and though she meets some nice-ish girls, she's unsure of how to act around them. She hides her true self in an effort to seem cool and make the other girls like her, but slowly realizes that they like her for who she is and she doesn't have to try so hard.

Enjoyed this. A lot of second hand embarassment as Charlie makes decisions that you know are going to turn out badly. Would def recommend to 4th grade+. Diverse characters but diversity is not a theme if that makes sense. Took me a little bit to get into the artwork, which seemed stilted (it is done digitally), but I got over it by halfway through and just enjoyed the story.

[Amy Tippett · Rating 5 out of 5]

So thankful for my coworker who told me this was one of her all time favorite middle schooler books. Gosh I wish I had read this book when I was in school. The basic message is to just be yourself and don’t change yourself for the hope of being friends with someone. The artwork does what good artwork in graphic novels should do…enhance the storyline and make the reader pause to look at the art before turning the page. Loved this book.

[Libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of my most unlikeable protagonists I’ve encountered in quite a while. The lying was way over the top, and I frankly just got bored waiting for the ending of Charlie showing her true self to her friends. A younger reader may enjoy this, but I wouldn’t give it to an actual middle schooler I don’t think.