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Garvey's Choice: The Graphic Novel
Award-winning author Nikki Grimes’s beloved novel in verse Garvey’s Choice is now a graphic novel, imaginatively and dramatically illustrated by Little Shaq artist Theodore Taylor III.
Garvey’s father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading—anything but sports. Feeling like a failure, he comforts himself with food. Garvey is kind, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and he is also overweight, teased by bullies, and lonely. When his only friend encourages him to join the school chorus, Garvey’s life changes. The chorus finds a new soloist in Garvey, and through chorus, Garvey finds a way to accept himself and a way to finally reach his distant father—by speaking the language of music instead of the language of sports.
Garvey’s Choice was a School Library Journal Best Book, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book, a Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book, and a Paterson Prize for Books for Young People Honor Book. With Theodore Taylor III’s full-color illustrations, this graphic novel edition is enthralling and inspiring.
Garvey’s father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading—anything but sports. Feeling like a failure, he comforts himself with food. Garvey is kind, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and he is also overweight, teased by bullies, and lonely. When his only friend encourages him to join the school chorus, Garvey’s life changes. The chorus finds a new soloist in Garvey, and through chorus, Garvey finds a way to accept himself and a way to finally reach his distant father—by speaking the language of music instead of the language of sports.
Garvey’s Choice was a School Library Journal Best Book, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book, a Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book, and a Paterson Prize for Books for Young People Honor Book. With Theodore Taylor III’s full-color illustrations, this graphic novel edition is enthralling and inspiring.
144 pages, Paperback
Published June 6, 2023
10 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
January 17, 2024
Garvey’s Choice: The Graphic Novel combines two of my favorite things at the library – graphic novels and novels in verse. Through a series of short poems, Author Nikki Grimes tells the story of Garvey, a boy who feels misunderstood by his father, who wants Garvey to be into sports, gets teased by his sister, and is bullied by kids at school because of his size. Illustrated by Theodore Taylor III, the book has bold, full-color illustrations that draw readers into Garvey’s world. Make the right choice and read this graphic novel in verse! – Diana F.
March 10, 2023
Garvey's Choice is a beautiful coming of age novel about Garvey, who prefers reading sci-fi and playing chess instead of playing sports like his dad and sister. Over the course of the novel, Garvey gains self-confidence, new friendships, and discovers a new talent. Nikki Grimes' poems pair perfectly with Theodore Taylor III's illustrations. I truly loved getting to know Garvey as a character, and thought the graphic novel medium was a great choice for retelling this story. A great read!
May 3, 2023
Hundreds more Librarian's Perspective Reviews at MrsReaderPants.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT GARVEY’S CHOICE
I have not read the original Garvey’s Choice, but this graphic novel makes me want to read it. As in the original book, the text of this graphic novel is in a tanka poem format. This format is explained in the notes at the end, but it is similar to haiku except with 5 lines.
I loved Garvey himself! We need a lot more graphic novels featuring African American middle schoolers. I love that Garvey feels so real – he’s overweight, sad, and eats his feelings. It’s so important that readers see themselves in the books they read, and I think many middle schoolers will identify with Garvey.
I love the honest family dynamics. Garvey’s dad loves him, but he doesn’t understand Garvey. He wants Garvey to play sports and lose weight and basically be someone else entirely. Garvey loves music and singing, and thankfully, that’s how he and his dad bond in the end.
Older sister Angela also loves Garvey, but she doesn’t realize her “teasing” words about his weight are hurtful. I love that once Garvey tells her this, Angela stops the words immediately. This family is totally normal! So many families have these kinds of dynamics, and it’s important that family members speak up and respect each others’ wishes. As happens in this story.
The Luthur Vandross references may cause students to look up Vandross’s music and hook a new generation of fans.
In the end notes, I liked the short section about challenges in creating a graphic novel but keeping the tanka poem format. Grimes talks about how part of the original tanka poems included “he said” or “she said” as part of the poem. But in the graphic novel, those lines are not necessary because the illustrations show who is speaking. So she had to tweak the poems to fit the format without including the speaker’s name.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT GARVEY’S CHOICE
Garvey doesn't look very overweight in the illustrations. I haven't read the original material, so maybe he is supposed to be just a little overweight?
DIVERSITY
Garvey and his friends are in middle school. Nearly all major characters, including Garvey, are Black. One new friend is albino.
ARTWORK/ILLUSTRATIONS
Color palatte is browns, blues, and greens. Front cover is eye-catching and will appeal to middle grade students.
THEMES
weight issues, fat shaming, being oneself, parental disapproval, pursuing one’s own interests, bullying, friendship, making new friends, siblings
LIBRARIANS WILL WANT TO KNOW
Would adults like this book? YES, adults who like middle grade graphic novels will enjoy Garvey’s Choice. Some adults may identify with Garvey when they were in middle school themselves.
Would I buy this for my high school library? NO; Garvey is a middle schooler. This is too young for high school.
Would I buy this for my middle school library? YES; no reservations for middle school libraries.
Would I buy this for my elementary school library? YES; no reservation for upper-elementary (Grades 4-5).
MATURE CONTENT
No content concerns for elementary or middle school libraries.
Language: none
Sexuality: none
Violence: peers at school name-calling, sibling “teasing” about weight
Drugs/Alcohol: none
Other: none
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT GARVEY’S CHOICE
I have not read the original Garvey’s Choice, but this graphic novel makes me want to read it. As in the original book, the text of this graphic novel is in a tanka poem format. This format is explained in the notes at the end, but it is similar to haiku except with 5 lines.
I loved Garvey himself! We need a lot more graphic novels featuring African American middle schoolers. I love that Garvey feels so real – he’s overweight, sad, and eats his feelings. It’s so important that readers see themselves in the books they read, and I think many middle schoolers will identify with Garvey.
I love the honest family dynamics. Garvey’s dad loves him, but he doesn’t understand Garvey. He wants Garvey to play sports and lose weight and basically be someone else entirely. Garvey loves music and singing, and thankfully, that’s how he and his dad bond in the end.
Older sister Angela also loves Garvey, but she doesn’t realize her “teasing” words about his weight are hurtful. I love that once Garvey tells her this, Angela stops the words immediately. This family is totally normal! So many families have these kinds of dynamics, and it’s important that family members speak up and respect each others’ wishes. As happens in this story.
The Luthur Vandross references may cause students to look up Vandross’s music and hook a new generation of fans.
In the end notes, I liked the short section about challenges in creating a graphic novel but keeping the tanka poem format. Grimes talks about how part of the original tanka poems included “he said” or “she said” as part of the poem. But in the graphic novel, those lines are not necessary because the illustrations show who is speaking. So she had to tweak the poems to fit the format without including the speaker’s name.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT GARVEY’S CHOICE
Garvey doesn't look very overweight in the illustrations. I haven't read the original material, so maybe he is supposed to be just a little overweight?
DIVERSITY
Garvey and his friends are in middle school. Nearly all major characters, including Garvey, are Black. One new friend is albino.
ARTWORK/ILLUSTRATIONS
Color palatte is browns, blues, and greens. Front cover is eye-catching and will appeal to middle grade students.
THEMES
weight issues, fat shaming, being oneself, parental disapproval, pursuing one’s own interests, bullying, friendship, making new friends, siblings
LIBRARIANS WILL WANT TO KNOW
Would adults like this book? YES, adults who like middle grade graphic novels will enjoy Garvey’s Choice. Some adults may identify with Garvey when they were in middle school themselves.
Would I buy this for my high school library? NO; Garvey is a middle schooler. This is too young for high school.
Would I buy this for my middle school library? YES; no reservations for middle school libraries.
Would I buy this for my elementary school library? YES; no reservation for upper-elementary (Grades 4-5).
MATURE CONTENT
No content concerns for elementary or middle school libraries.
Language: none
Sexuality: none
Violence: peers at school name-calling, sibling “teasing” about weight
Drugs/Alcohol: none
Other: none
April 8, 2023
A beautiful book that teaches powerful lessons, Garvey’s Choice is about a boy who is being bullied because of his weight. His father wants him to be an athlete, but he isn’t interested in sports. This is well-written, and I loved the illustrations.
September 7, 2023
Told in graphic novel format, this tale follows the life of Garvey as he tries to find his center, while his dad pushes him to become a jock, which he has no interest in. The choices Garvey decides to make bring an understanding to his world around him.
August 30, 2024
Was too good didn't want fo put it down and really good message and illustration
December 30, 2023
I'm not familiar with the original novel in verse, nor the poetry form Grimes used. I loved the illustrations and the story of Garvey finding himself and acceptance from his dad.
Read
December 26, 2023A sweet story…
December 14, 2023
This is a graphic novel for an emerging reader or a striving reader in the upper elementary or middle school grades. The original Garvey’s Choice is written in tanka, and much of that is preserved here. The text is spare and informative; readers can make inferences from the pictures. A very special book.
August 9, 2023
It was terrific to revisit Garvey again, trying hard to ignore his father's wishes for a football player. Nikki Grimes' words for middle-school-aged kids shine brightly again, this time teamed with artist Theodore Taylor III. I loved the brightly-colored chapter titles, like this one, "Three Bears" when Garvey says to himself, "It doesn't matter/how wide I am when I sing./Like Goldilocks, I/have finally found what fits./My high tenor is just right." Finding connections with his dad through music was a loving surprise to me again. It's a young teen story, a family story, a rich story for kids growing up!
October 17, 2023
I’m about to read the original novel in verse next, but after reading the author’s note, it seems the text of the graphic novel version is fairly close to it. The artwork is crisp and eye-catching and perfectly complements the plot. I think many many elementary and middle grade students will adore this book!
March 4, 2024
A fun story of a young boy trying to find the perfect size: the size to fit in his family, his school, with his friends and mostly the size of being happy. Prose poetry and illustrations move things along. The art supports the characters and voice of Garvey.
EDIT: Second read was a bit stronger for me, and the idea of dealing with weight with a boy is interesting.
EDIT: Second read was a bit stronger for me, and the idea of dealing with weight with a boy is interesting.
November 6, 2023
I first read “Garvey’s Choice” a few years ago and was excited to hear it was now written as a graphic novel, allowing even more students to fall in love with the story. I believe both versions are an excellent addition to any upper elementary or middle school library!
July 16, 2023
Such a sweet book! Another important one for middle schoolers who are struggling to find themselves and be proud of who they are. ❤️
August 1, 2023
Graphic novel is just as good as original work.
July 28, 2023
I remember enjoying the verse novel version years ago. I like this one just as much.
August 4, 2023
I liked this better than the original novel in verse. The illustrations are gorgeous and added a whole new layer of depth to Garvey and his story. A short, yet powerful graphic novel.
October 1, 2023
Good story
September 26, 2023
First sentence: Mom's got a talent
for origami, but she
can't fold me into
the jock Dad wants me to be.
At least, she knows not to try.
My thoughts, part one: Garvey's Choice (the original) is a verse novel by Nikki Grimes. I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE crazy love this verse novel. It is perfectly, perfect in every way.
Did we need a graphic novel adaptation? If I'd answered BEFORE reading, I'd have said probably not. BUT after reading the graphic novel, I think it is good too.
[ETA: I don't know why the illustrator does not depict Garvey as overweight or obese. Clearly in the original verse novel and seemingly in the graphic novel, he sees himself as large and others view him as 'large' as well. Is size relative? Yes. Sometimes. Can perceptions be exaggerated? Also yes. Can you be any weight and still feel fat? Yes.
The first time I looked at the graphic novel I was SO focused on how the text was adapted that I wasn't focused on how his body weight was depicted in the pages of this one.]
Premise/plot: Garvey is an overweight teen who'd much rather sing or read than play sports. There exists between father and son a gap that nothing seems to fill. At least at first. Garvey tries--unsuccessfully--to fill this gap with food. Garvey's dad may talk about sports--a lot--but I don't get the impression that he's actually cruel to his son. The two just aren't speaking the same love languages. In the novel, Garvey makes several choices. Will he choose to try out for chorus and risk rejection or humiliation? He ultimately decides that he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. After all, he's already being teased by his classmates; he's already hating lunch time. What he finds out is that he's really talented at singing; and his singing not only makes him happy in the process, but makes others happy too. That and he makes a second friend. Another choice he makes regards his weight. Will he try to lose weight? Should he try to lose weight? How should he go about it? What can he change in his life to be healthier and happier?
My thoughts part two: EVERYTHING I loved about the original--the turns of phrase, the imagery, the emotional journey, the heart and soul of it all--is present in the graphic novel. Including some/much of the original text.
Favorite quotes:
Stories are breadcrumbs.
Just follow the trail of books
and you will find me
lost among the galaxies
of scorched stars and ships to Mars. (14)
Over breakfast, Dad
eyes me like an alien
never seen before.
Sometimes, I could swear that he's
hoping to make first contact. (34)
for origami, but she
can't fold me into
the jock Dad wants me to be.
At least, she knows not to try.
My thoughts, part one: Garvey's Choice (the original) is a verse novel by Nikki Grimes. I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE crazy love this verse novel. It is perfectly, perfect in every way.
Did we need a graphic novel adaptation? If I'd answered BEFORE reading, I'd have said probably not. BUT after reading the graphic novel, I think it is good too.
[ETA: I don't know why the illustrator does not depict Garvey as overweight or obese. Clearly in the original verse novel and seemingly in the graphic novel, he sees himself as large and others view him as 'large' as well. Is size relative? Yes. Sometimes. Can perceptions be exaggerated? Also yes. Can you be any weight and still feel fat? Yes.
The first time I looked at the graphic novel I was SO focused on how the text was adapted that I wasn't focused on how his body weight was depicted in the pages of this one.]
Premise/plot: Garvey is an overweight teen who'd much rather sing or read than play sports. There exists between father and son a gap that nothing seems to fill. At least at first. Garvey tries--unsuccessfully--to fill this gap with food. Garvey's dad may talk about sports--a lot--but I don't get the impression that he's actually cruel to his son. The two just aren't speaking the same love languages. In the novel, Garvey makes several choices. Will he choose to try out for chorus and risk rejection or humiliation? He ultimately decides that he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. After all, he's already being teased by his classmates; he's already hating lunch time. What he finds out is that he's really talented at singing; and his singing not only makes him happy in the process, but makes others happy too. That and he makes a second friend. Another choice he makes regards his weight. Will he try to lose weight? Should he try to lose weight? How should he go about it? What can he change in his life to be healthier and happier?
My thoughts part two: EVERYTHING I loved about the original--the turns of phrase, the imagery, the emotional journey, the heart and soul of it all--is present in the graphic novel. Including some/much of the original text.
Favorite quotes:
Stories are breadcrumbs.
Just follow the trail of books
and you will find me
lost among the galaxies
of scorched stars and ships to Mars. (14)
Over breakfast, Dad
eyes me like an alien
never seen before.
Sometimes, I could swear that he's
hoping to make first contact. (34)
February 22, 2023
A young graphic novel adaptation of a success, from that still-new-to-me genre of "novels" written in "verse". Here, Garvey is in a cycle of comfort eating, putting on weight, and finding himself less and less able or willing to be the sporty son his dad wishes, hence the comfort eating, etc. What breaks him away from the mental issues that might cause is, variably, narratively awkwardly, and yet realistically, a progression of hobbies and interests – sci-fi and books, chess with his best buddy, and then finally chorus club at school, where he finds his inner Luther Vandross. The fact the narrative swings from hobby to hobby might only lead to the single gain of showing time passing through the months, but do distract from the core of the book, the idea of Garvey being overweight, and needing to learn "the perfect size is happy". Except…
Except the artwork gives little enough indication that Garvey is actually of a certain size. He didn't need to be ready for refilming The Whale sans body suit, but he barely looks an ounce overweight at times. Yes this makes the bullies look even more horrid, but it also makes them look stupid. Generally the visuals are fine, but for the misrepresentation of Garvey in this way.
Looking beyond these pages, I think the original "Garvey's Choice" must be an interesting read, especially for being written entirely in tankas. But boy I would also find it frustrating – the better "novels in verse" are ones where you can imagine the narrator using the poetic form (not possible here), and without thousands of needless poem titles pulling focus, breaking the flow and making nuisances of themselves, and doing that after ever other five lines would get on my craw. The titles of them are enough of an interruption to the flow here, where eyes are designed to be restless and scanning the imagery as well as seeing the words.
Still, this is not a failure – even though I have little empathy for "daddy issue" narratives, I did find myself siding with the bookish, ball-dropping Garvey. It's a pleasant, quick read, offering a fully-rounded narrative, if nothing like a rounded narrator. Not the subtlest of reads, it remains a crowd-pleasing success.
Except the artwork gives little enough indication that Garvey is actually of a certain size. He didn't need to be ready for refilming The Whale sans body suit, but he barely looks an ounce overweight at times. Yes this makes the bullies look even more horrid, but it also makes them look stupid. Generally the visuals are fine, but for the misrepresentation of Garvey in this way.
Looking beyond these pages, I think the original "Garvey's Choice" must be an interesting read, especially for being written entirely in tankas. But boy I would also find it frustrating – the better "novels in verse" are ones where you can imagine the narrator using the poetic form (not possible here), and without thousands of needless poem titles pulling focus, breaking the flow and making nuisances of themselves, and doing that after ever other five lines would get on my craw. The titles of them are enough of an interruption to the flow here, where eyes are designed to be restless and scanning the imagery as well as seeing the words.
Still, this is not a failure – even though I have little empathy for "daddy issue" narratives, I did find myself siding with the bookish, ball-dropping Garvey. It's a pleasant, quick read, offering a fully-rounded narrative, if nothing like a rounded narrator. Not the subtlest of reads, it remains a crowd-pleasing success.
October 7, 2024
It’s bullying….short and simple. Everyone is different and that even goes for family members, yet Garvey’s father wants his son to be more like his sister. He wants an athletic son, a son who plays football, someone who can score points, a son who can shoot a basketball but unfortunately, Garvey doesn’t do any of these things. Garvey likes science, he likes space, he likes reading and because he knows he doesn’t fit the mold for his father, Garvey likes food. Garvey uses food to escape, and his classmates have notice and their comments have fallen upon Garvey.
Garvey just wants to be accepted for who he is. He doesn’t feel safe at home or at school. At school, his friend Joe suggests a new club to him and unfortunately, his mind drifts to thoughts of his father. This was Garvey’s choice, but he did it, he made up his own mind and jumped in! He joined a club which ends up being life changing.
This was a great graphic novel to read. I liked how Garvey found himself and his growth throughout the book. Being able to see the characters facial expressions helped tell the story. Most of the text in this graphic novel is found in the captions inside each of the text boxes. This text is quite lengthy on some pages. I find it interesting that some pages do not have any speech bubbles on them while others only have one or two. The text is not difficult to read, and the story is easy to follow. The color palette was nice and keeping all the chapters separate was nicely done. Definitely worth picking up. 4.5 stars
Garvey just wants to be accepted for who he is. He doesn’t feel safe at home or at school. At school, his friend Joe suggests a new club to him and unfortunately, his mind drifts to thoughts of his father. This was Garvey’s choice, but he did it, he made up his own mind and jumped in! He joined a club which ends up being life changing.
This was a great graphic novel to read. I liked how Garvey found himself and his growth throughout the book. Being able to see the characters facial expressions helped tell the story. Most of the text in this graphic novel is found in the captions inside each of the text boxes. This text is quite lengthy on some pages. I find it interesting that some pages do not have any speech bubbles on them while others only have one or two. The text is not difficult to read, and the story is easy to follow. The color palette was nice and keeping all the chapters separate was nicely done. Definitely worth picking up. 4.5 stars
June 14, 2023
I really liked the original novel in verse, and I was interested to see how it would work as a graphic novel. The format works well, with dynamic illustrations and the poetry spread out over the page, but the graphic novel falls seriously short by picturing Garvey as the same size as the other characters. Since his weight is a major theme in the story, it's a problem that he doesn't actually look large in the illustrations.
His weight is a major part of his emotional arc as he deals with bullying at school, hurtful comments from his father, and deeper self-esteem issues. However, he doesn't look overweight at all in the illustrations, and pages where he looks slightly larger just show that his belly isn't perfectly flat. This creates three problems. Firstly, the story doesn't seem believable. A central, driving conflict doesn't look like a problem at all, and the people criticizing and bullying Garvey for his weight seem unhinged from reality, not just cruel.
Secondly, this doesn't provide any meaningful representation for larger kids who can relate to Garvey; they just have to see a relatively thin character getting picked on and struggling with body shame and weight anxiety. Thirdly, this book seems to encourage body dysmorphia for thinner kids, validating the idea that someone with a smaller frame really is fat and needs to lose weight. It's entirely unhelpful, and I would recommend the original book instead of this.
His weight is a major part of his emotional arc as he deals with bullying at school, hurtful comments from his father, and deeper self-esteem issues. However, he doesn't look overweight at all in the illustrations, and pages where he looks slightly larger just show that his belly isn't perfectly flat. This creates three problems. Firstly, the story doesn't seem believable. A central, driving conflict doesn't look like a problem at all, and the people criticizing and bullying Garvey for his weight seem unhinged from reality, not just cruel.
Secondly, this doesn't provide any meaningful representation for larger kids who can relate to Garvey; they just have to see a relatively thin character getting picked on and struggling with body shame and weight anxiety. Thirdly, this book seems to encourage body dysmorphia for thinner kids, validating the idea that someone with a smaller frame really is fat and needs to lose weight. It's entirely unhelpful, and I would recommend the original book instead of this.
April 17, 2024
"Garvey's Choice: The Graphic Novel" delves into Garvey's struggles with self-acceptance and bullying due to his weight and his aloofness from sports, a domain his father cherishes.
The narrative does an excellent job of portraying Garvey’s internal conflict and his journey towards self-discovery through the supportive lens of friendship and music. Encouraged by his only friend, Garvey joins the school chorus, unveiling his musical talent and finding solace and a means to connect with his father. This transformation from solitude to recognition is not just a personal victory for Garvey; it's a bridge that finally connects him with his father, speaking in the universal language of music rather than the exclusive language of sports.
However, despite its promising premise and engaging illustrations that vividly bring Garvey’s emotions to life, the graphic novel falls short in depth and complexity. The story feels somewhat superficial, skimming over the potential to explore deeper emotional and psychological themes that could resonate more powerfully with its audience. This aspect is particularly noticeable in the interactions between Garvey and other characters, which, although warm and affirming, lack the intensity that could make the narrative more impactful.
The narrative does an excellent job of portraying Garvey’s internal conflict and his journey towards self-discovery through the supportive lens of friendship and music. Encouraged by his only friend, Garvey joins the school chorus, unveiling his musical talent and finding solace and a means to connect with his father. This transformation from solitude to recognition is not just a personal victory for Garvey; it's a bridge that finally connects him with his father, speaking in the universal language of music rather than the exclusive language of sports.
However, despite its promising premise and engaging illustrations that vividly bring Garvey’s emotions to life, the graphic novel falls short in depth and complexity. The story feels somewhat superficial, skimming over the potential to explore deeper emotional and psychological themes that could resonate more powerfully with its audience. This aspect is particularly noticeable in the interactions between Garvey and other characters, which, although warm and affirming, lack the intensity that could make the narrative more impactful.
February 27, 2023
The original Garvey's Choice has been on my "TBR" list for years, but as much as I love Nikki Grimes, I kept putting off reading it. So, when I saw this graphic version on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to preview it. I immediately fell in love with Garvey and his well-meaning but somewhat clueless father (who as an adult, I can definitely relate to). Kids need to hear what Garvey does, that he's made in the image of God and that's good! I think this combination of graphics and poetry is a match made in heaven; the illustrations add details but still leave space for the reader's imagination. It will attract readers who would never pick up the non-illustrated version. I can't wait to introduce this to middle grade readers.
March 17, 2023
A graphic novel version of the 2016 kid's novel. It's written in verse and presented as little one page comics into Garvey's life. Garvey isn't like the rest of his family. He's sedentary and smart and becomes interested in music as the book goes along. His father doesn't get him at all because he doesn't like sports.
The biggest problem with the book is with the art. Garvey's is supposed to be overweight even though he's drawn exactly the same as every other character in the book. The book is supposed to be about Garvey finding out who he is and making better choices as a result. All of that is lost in the art. At the end, Garvey doesn't look any different than he does at the beginning. It makes me wonder if the artist even read the story they drew.
The biggest problem with the book is with the art. Garvey's is supposed to be overweight even though he's drawn exactly the same as every other character in the book. The book is supposed to be about Garvey finding out who he is and making better choices as a result. All of that is lost in the art. At the end, Garvey doesn't look any different than he does at the beginning. It makes me wonder if the artist even read the story they drew.
March 30, 2023
This is the graphic novel version of Poet Nikki Grimes’ book. I really loved this. The art is super accessible and vibrant and the combination of the poetry in the words with that sort of art make this a book I’m really excited about giving my kid. Garvey’s story about trying to relate to his dad, and never really fitting the mold expected of him, was relatable and I loved seeing him go on a journey from trying to change - his appearance, his interests - to just accepting who he is and finding his “thing”.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra publishing house for the advanced review copy of this book😻
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra publishing house for the advanced review copy of this book😻
May 13, 2023
If you have ever butted heads with your parents over your own passions and hobbies and what they want you to do... this is the novel for you. Garvey is at odd's with his dad's dream for him: his dad wants him to be athletic like his sister, but Garvey is content to be reading his science fiction novels at home. As a coping mechanism, Garvey turns to food. This spirals into being self-conscious about weight and being bullied for it. This is a struggle so many people can relate to. I love that Garvey literally finds his voice by singing in choir at his school.
I really loved the messages in this graphic novel. This was made for middle schoolers.
I really loved the messages in this graphic novel. This was made for middle schoolers.
March 7, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
This was similar to the graphic novel adaptation of Alexander's The Crossover because the text seems to be very similar to the regular novel, with the addition of pictures. I did enjoy the style of illustrations, but it was a bit odd that Garvey was not portrayed as heavy in the pictures. I can understand the reasons for doing this, but it did make his treatment seem not quite right. Since I have the regular novel, and it doesn't check out particularly well (the cover is not all that appealing), I will probably not purchase this title.
This was similar to the graphic novel adaptation of Alexander's The Crossover because the text seems to be very similar to the regular novel, with the addition of pictures. I did enjoy the style of illustrations, but it was a bit odd that Garvey was not portrayed as heavy in the pictures. I can understand the reasons for doing this, but it did make his treatment seem not quite right. Since I have the regular novel, and it doesn't check out particularly well (the cover is not all that appealing), I will probably not purchase this title.
May 6, 2023
This graphic novel adaptation of the novel-in-verse Garvey's Choice pair's Nikki Grimes's powerful prose with appealing illustrations by Theodore Taylor II. This book will appeal to readers of the original format and new readers who prefer the graphic novel genre. As a returning reader myself I found myself once again moved by the story of a boy discovering who he wants to be, and also how to communicate that to his family. I also recommend checking out the sequel to the original story, "Garvey in the Dark" which continues Garvey's story as it unfolds during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.
June 6, 2023
Garvey is content to read, study astronomy, and play chess with his best friend. Garvey’s dad wishes Garvey were more like his sister, the athlete. When Garvey’s schedule changes and he no longer has as many classes with his best friend, he decides to try chorus. Garvey makes a new friend in chorus and realizes that music is an untapped passion of his. Will he find a way to connect with his dad through music? This is the graphic novel adaption of the novel in verse and Nikki Grimes employed the five-line Japanese poetic style of tanka to create her poems.
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