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Peanut
Before you write me off as a delusional psycho, think about what it's like to be thrown into a situation where everyone knows everyone... and no one knows you. Sadie has the perfect plan to snag some friends when she transfers to Plainfield High—pretend to have a peanut allergy. But what happens when you have to hand in that student health form your unsuspecting mom was supposed to fill out? And what if your new friends want to come over and your mom serves them snacks? (Peanut butter sandwich, anyone?) And then there's the bake sale, when your teacher thinks you ate a brownie with peanuts. Graphic coming-of-age novels have huge cross-over potential, and Peanut is sure to appeal to adults and teens alike.
207 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2012
29 people are currently reading
1278 people want to read
About the author
Ayun Halliday
15 books114 followersAyun Halliday is the Chief Primatologist of the long running, award-winning East Village Inky zine and author of the self-mocking autobiographies No Touch Monkey! And Other Travel Lessons Learned Too Late, The Big Rumpus Dirty Sugar Cookies: Culinary Observations, Questionable Taste, and Job Hopper. She collaborated with illustrators Dan Santat on the picture book Always Lots of Heinies at the Zoo, and Paul Hoppe on Peanut, a graphic novel for young adults. Luddite vagabonds may remember her as the author of the analog guidebook, The Zinester's Guide to NYC. She is a regular contributor to Open Culture, and freelances both articles and illustrations to a variety of other publications.
Ayun's latest books are Creative, Not Famous: The Small Potato Manifesto and its interactive companion Creative, Not Famous Activity Book: An Interactive Idea Generator for Small Potatoes & Others Who Want to Get Their Ayuss in Gear
She lives in East Harlem with the playwright Greg Kotis.
Ayun's latest books are Creative, Not Famous: The Small Potato Manifesto and its interactive companion Creative, Not Famous Activity Book: An Interactive Idea Generator for Small Potatoes & Others Who Want to Get Their Ayuss in Gear
She lives in East Harlem with the playwright Greg Kotis.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 525 reviews
July 16, 2017
This book was so disappointing on many levels. First of all, who the heck fakes a peanut allergy for attention?? The main character was completely annoying and rude to her friends the only reason I finished this was because I wanted to see her get caught and get in trouble.
However, I really did like the art. Simple, the way I like it. Which is why this isn't one star.
However, I really did like the art. Simple, the way I like it. Which is why this isn't one star.
January 23, 2022
when i still lived in my childhood home, i would periodically go to the (very small) graphic novel section of my local library and check out whatever books i hadn't read.
which invariably led to me discovering masterpieces, like this story of a girl who wants to be popular and cool at her new school and so fakes a peanut allergy, getting the boy and the friends and the attention.
because of course. whenever i hear "that person has a peanut allergy," i know i'm looking at the queen bee.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago
which invariably led to me discovering masterpieces, like this story of a girl who wants to be popular and cool at her new school and so fakes a peanut allergy, getting the boy and the friends and the attention.
because of course. whenever i hear "that person has a peanut allergy," i know i'm looking at the queen bee.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago
December 8, 2014
Before you read this book, you need to ask yourself if you could possibly be sympathetic to someone who fakes a medical condition for attention. If the answer is no, you will absolutely hate this book. If the answer is maybe, depending, you'll probably just dislike it.
Sadie fakes a potentially life threatening medical issue, a peanut allergy that she claims is so severe that even a tiny morsel could literally kill her. She is, of course, not even remotely allergic to peanuts, she just wants people to pay attention to her. Already I disliked her intensely. Seriously, who does that? Who is so desperate for attention that they'll fake a medical condition, one that in the real world (and, indeed, in the world of the book) doesn't actually cause much of a stir? I read this book because I wanted to know the answer, and I was disappointed. Halliday doesn't spend any time exploring why somebody would tell, and maintain, such an enormous. Sadie goes so far as to buy herself a medic alert bracelet, and tries to buy an epipen online. She's really, really invested in this, and I don't know why. Is she a pathological liar? She doesn't seem to be. Is she cripplingly insecure? She doesn't seem to be. She seems like an otherwise normal girl that decides to spend her time at school lying to everybody she comes into contact with, and I have no idea why.
Which made the book a frustrating experience. I just wanted to understand her, but there was no understanding to be had. Eventually, I got to be the point where I just wanted her to get caught, to face the consequences. And when she does, it's an incredible relief, until it becomes obvious that Halliday won't let her face many consequences. Yes, she loses her friends (because really, could you stay friends with her?) but she doesn't seem to get any punishment from her mother, the school nurse is weirdly and entirely understanding, and she actually gets to keep her boyfriend, who ends up breaking his own ethically motivated boycott of technology for her. This might be the thing I understood the least. What about finding out that your girlfriend has lied to you from the moment you met would make you change yourself to suit her better?
And for that matter, what was up with that technophobia? Or Sadie's friend from her old school freezing her out? Or the maybe-yes-maybe-no relationship between two of Sadie's new friends? Or Sadie's father, who is entirely absent from this book without comment? There are way too many things that are brought into the story and just never dealt with. Why bother bringing up an absent friend if she plays absolutely no part in the book, and if she's entirely forgotten as soon as possible? You could write an entire book about losing touch with a friend who now lives elsewhere, but it just feels like filler here. As do so many other things.
But maybe if I hadn't disliked Sadie so intensely I might have felt differently about some of these things. But I did. Which naturally lead to me disliking just about everything about this book.
Sadie fakes a potentially life threatening medical issue, a peanut allergy that she claims is so severe that even a tiny morsel could literally kill her. She is, of course, not even remotely allergic to peanuts, she just wants people to pay attention to her. Already I disliked her intensely. Seriously, who does that? Who is so desperate for attention that they'll fake a medical condition, one that in the real world (and, indeed, in the world of the book) doesn't actually cause much of a stir? I read this book because I wanted to know the answer, and I was disappointed. Halliday doesn't spend any time exploring why somebody would tell, and maintain, such an enormous. Sadie goes so far as to buy herself a medic alert bracelet, and tries to buy an epipen online. She's really, really invested in this, and I don't know why. Is she a pathological liar? She doesn't seem to be. Is she cripplingly insecure? She doesn't seem to be. She seems like an otherwise normal girl that decides to spend her time at school lying to everybody she comes into contact with, and I have no idea why.
Which made the book a frustrating experience. I just wanted to understand her, but there was no understanding to be had. Eventually, I got to be the point where I just wanted her to get caught, to face the consequences. And when she does, it's an incredible relief, until it becomes obvious that Halliday won't let her face many consequences. Yes, she loses her friends (because really, could you stay friends with her?) but she doesn't seem to get any punishment from her mother, the school nurse is weirdly and entirely understanding, and she actually gets to keep her boyfriend, who ends up breaking his own ethically motivated boycott of technology for her. This might be the thing I understood the least. What about finding out that your girlfriend has lied to you from the moment you met would make you change yourself to suit her better?
And for that matter, what was up with that technophobia? Or Sadie's friend from her old school freezing her out? Or the maybe-yes-maybe-no relationship between two of Sadie's new friends? Or Sadie's father, who is entirely absent from this book without comment? There are way too many things that are brought into the story and just never dealt with. Why bother bringing up an absent friend if she plays absolutely no part in the book, and if she's entirely forgotten as soon as possible? You could write an entire book about losing touch with a friend who now lives elsewhere, but it just feels like filler here. As do so many other things.
But maybe if I hadn't disliked Sadie so intensely I might have felt differently about some of these things. But I did. Which naturally lead to me disliking just about everything about this book.
October 23, 2015
Loved the artwork. The story was so-so. Review to come.
July 25, 2015
I'm leaning more towards a 1.5 because this work is largely inoffensive, but I still found it so uninspiring that I can't bring myself to bump it up to 2 stars.
But before I get into that, I think I should explain something a little more personal first: I suffer from food allergies (including peanuts.) A LOT of them. Thankfully, none of them are airborne (meaning I can smell things I'm allergic to and be okay -- I just can't eat them), and while some of them are SEVERE, they're not DEADLY like they are for most people. And here's the thing: no one gives a shit if you have allergies. Yes, they're *concerned* and it's something they'll hopefully keep in mind, especially if it's life-threatening, but no one's like "ommggggg an ALLERGY!! Wow that's so interesting!!" Especially peanut allergies; they're incredibly common.
The reason I mention this is because I was leery of the premise of this book from the start. Having lived with a peanut allergy all my life, it all sounded outlandish and ridiculous. And it was. It was also really hard to like Sadie when she has no personality outside of her lying ways. I don't mean to say that I disliked Sadie because she lied about something (we've all done that), but because Halliday didn't characterize her outside of being a liar, outside of giving her a little snark (which admittedly, did breathe a little life into her.) Her motivations for lying are never explored, which I think could have made for a much interesting story. Thankfully, the secondary characters DO have personality, so that was nice, and I appreciated the candid dialog between Sadie and her friends. Halliday skimmed over other issues though, such as why Cheryl started giving Sadie the cold shoulder. Was she trying to demonstrate that people just drift apart? If that's the case, it wasn't conveyed very effectively.
I also found a disconnect between the tone of the work versus the content. As a whole, the comic's tone feels Middle Grade (despite being set in high school), but then Halliday would through in things that are decidedly NOT MG, such as jokes about faking orgasm, or have Sadie give the middle finger. I have no objections to this kind of content, but it felt incongruous with the rest of the work. I think this was partly due to the art style, which brings me to my next point..
I hated the art. Hated it. The line art looks like a rough free-hand style and it just looks bad. The faces are oddly proportioned and are equally uninspiring. Sadie is always wearing an item of clothing that's coloured some peachy/pink colour, but it felt gimmicky and largely pointless. I guess it was some kind of metaphor for her desire to stand out? Either way, a burst of colour doesn't detract from how bad the art is as a whole.
Overall, I would have a very hard time recommending this to anybody. I don't know how much my personal history with allergies has to do with it, but I couldn't wrap my head around the plot, I found the characterization largely lacking, and the art often made me cringe. For graphic novels that deal with high school life, I much prefer Faith Erin Hicks's Friends With Boys or Vera Brogsol's Anya's Ghost (very different content, but similar in themes and setting.)
But before I get into that, I think I should explain something a little more personal first: I suffer from food allergies (including peanuts.) A LOT of them. Thankfully, none of them are airborne (meaning I can smell things I'm allergic to and be okay -- I just can't eat them), and while some of them are SEVERE, they're not DEADLY like they are for most people. And here's the thing: no one gives a shit if you have allergies. Yes, they're *concerned* and it's something they'll hopefully keep in mind, especially if it's life-threatening, but no one's like "ommggggg an ALLERGY!! Wow that's so interesting!!" Especially peanut allergies; they're incredibly common.
The reason I mention this is because I was leery of the premise of this book from the start. Having lived with a peanut allergy all my life, it all sounded outlandish and ridiculous. And it was. It was also really hard to like Sadie when she has no personality outside of her lying ways. I don't mean to say that I disliked Sadie because she lied about something (we've all done that), but because Halliday didn't characterize her outside of being a liar, outside of giving her a little snark (which admittedly, did breathe a little life into her.) Her motivations for lying are never explored, which I think could have made for a much interesting story. Thankfully, the secondary characters DO have personality, so that was nice, and I appreciated the candid dialog between Sadie and her friends. Halliday skimmed over other issues though, such as why Cheryl started giving Sadie the cold shoulder. Was she trying to demonstrate that people just drift apart? If that's the case, it wasn't conveyed very effectively.
I also found a disconnect between the tone of the work versus the content. As a whole, the comic's tone feels Middle Grade (despite being set in high school), but then Halliday would through in things that are decidedly NOT MG, such as jokes about faking orgasm, or have Sadie give the middle finger. I have no objections to this kind of content, but it felt incongruous with the rest of the work. I think this was partly due to the art style, which brings me to my next point..
I hated the art. Hated it. The line art looks like a rough free-hand style and it just looks bad. The faces are oddly proportioned and are equally uninspiring. Sadie is always wearing an item of clothing that's coloured some peachy/pink colour, but it felt gimmicky and largely pointless. I guess it was some kind of metaphor for her desire to stand out? Either way, a burst of colour doesn't detract from how bad the art is as a whole.
Overall, I would have a very hard time recommending this to anybody. I don't know how much my personal history with allergies has to do with it, but I couldn't wrap my head around the plot, I found the characterization largely lacking, and the art often made me cringe. For graphic novels that deal with high school life, I much prefer Faith Erin Hicks's Friends With Boys or Vera Brogsol's Anya's Ghost (very different content, but similar in themes and setting.)
October 1, 2012
When Sadie moves to a new town for her sophomore year of high school, she thinks she's come up with a good way to make friends - faking a deadly peanut allergy. It's a great ice breaker, and it makes her whole life seem dangerous and interesting. Unfortunately, Sadie quickly realizes keeping up the lie won't be as easy as she thought...
Teenagers faking illness for attention is definitely a real thing that could be the premise of a great book, but this isn't it. The story is shallow & only gives a cursory look at the motivations behind Sadie's behavior (and Zoo's, for that matter), and the art is lacking. It has the feel of a tween/middle grade read, which makes the references to orgasms and De Maupassant incongruous & problematic. Despite its flaws, there are some cute moments, and girls who want something similar to Smile, or those who sympathize with doing crazy things to avoid feeling invisible might be satisfied with it.
Teenagers faking illness for attention is definitely a real thing that could be the premise of a great book, but this isn't it. The story is shallow & only gives a cursory look at the motivations behind Sadie's behavior (and Zoo's, for that matter), and the art is lacking. It has the feel of a tween/middle grade read, which makes the references to orgasms and De Maupassant incongruous & problematic. Despite its flaws, there are some cute moments, and girls who want something similar to Smile, or those who sympathize with doing crazy things to avoid feeling invisible might be satisfied with it.
March 3, 2015
It only took me about 45 minutes to read this graphic novel, but I did not enjoy it. Faking a severe peanut allergy so people think you're interesting? Not cool.
February 4, 2013
I hated this girl for being such a liar.
This book has art and a subject that's appropriate for middle schoolers but they threw in orgasm jokes and the finger and I don't know who to give it to...if anyone.
P.S. Sorry I used you for my goodread's challenge.
This book has art and a subject that's appropriate for middle schoolers but they threw in orgasm jokes and the finger and I don't know who to give it to...if anyone.
P.S. Sorry I used you for my goodread's challenge.
May 16, 2013
"So yeah, there's no changing the past...and forget about controlling the future. All that's left is to live in the present, whatever that means." Cute.
I did make a quick mental note to try out this recipe for Gado-Gado sauce, mentioned in the book:
A bit of Ginger
A bit of Garlic
1-2 TB Soy Sauce
1/2 C of Peanut Butter
I did make a quick mental note to try out this recipe for Gado-Gado sauce, mentioned in the book:
A bit of Ginger
A bit of Garlic
1-2 TB Soy Sauce
1/2 C of Peanut Butter
August 6, 2013
(My reviews are intended for my own info as a language arts teacher: they serve as notes and reflections for teaching and recommending to students. Therefore, spoilers may be present, but will be hidden.)
SUMMARY: Before reading Peanut, I was like, "An entire graphic novel just about a girl pretending to have a peanut allergy?" And yeah. It is. The story begins with Sadie Wildhack and her mom moving and Sadie enrolling in a new high school. Sadie is anxious about meeting new friends, and she gets the idea to gain attention by faking a severe peanut allergy. She even goes so far as to order a medical bracelet that she slips on during school hours. Her lie become more widespread when she gives a speech about her "life-changing condition" during advisory. To Sadie's pleasant surprise, her fake allergy does earn her a small following, including cute, off-beat Chris "Zoo" Suzuki.
Predictably, Sadie's lie becomes more and more difficult to maintain. Her mom wants to meet Zoo, but Sadie doesn't want to bring him around in case he mentions her allergy. The school nurse needs a signed medical form. Sadie accidentally eats a chip in the cafeteria that her friends discover contains peanut oil.
This wasn't the most engaging graphic novel I've ever read, but it wasn't bad, either. I loved the illustrations, which is half the fun of a graphic novel. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, though, and I'm not certain what message the author was trying to get across...or if there was a message at all. With the sorta weird premise, I did expect Ayun Halliday to develop some kind of universal theme. But I didn't see it, if there was one. The obvious lessons, be yourself or the truth will set you free, did not really apply. Probably (unfortunately) many teens will be able to relate the idea of doing ridiculous things to try to fit in with their peers.
READABILITY: Graphic novels can actually be pretty tough for those new to the format to make sense of. Lessons on which direction to read, inner versus outer dialogue signals, making inferences through textless illustrations, and others may be useful before putting a book like this one into middle schoolers hands.
APPROPRIATENESS: A few cuss words are uttered but very sparingly. Some references are made to hooking up, but nothing is described.
SUMMARY: Before reading Peanut, I was like, "An entire graphic novel just about a girl pretending to have a peanut allergy?" And yeah. It is. The story begins with Sadie Wildhack and her mom moving and Sadie enrolling in a new high school. Sadie is anxious about meeting new friends, and she gets the idea to gain attention by faking a severe peanut allergy. She even goes so far as to order a medical bracelet that she slips on during school hours. Her lie become more widespread when she gives a speech about her "life-changing condition" during advisory. To Sadie's pleasant surprise, her fake allergy does earn her a small following, including cute, off-beat Chris "Zoo" Suzuki.
Predictably, Sadie's lie becomes more and more difficult to maintain. Her mom wants to meet Zoo, but Sadie doesn't want to bring him around in case he mentions her allergy. The school nurse needs a signed medical form. Sadie accidentally eats a chip in the cafeteria that her friends discover contains peanut oil.
This wasn't the most engaging graphic novel I've ever read, but it wasn't bad, either. I loved the illustrations, which is half the fun of a graphic novel. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, though, and I'm not certain what message the author was trying to get across...or if there was a message at all. With the sorta weird premise, I did expect Ayun Halliday to develop some kind of universal theme. But I didn't see it, if there was one. The obvious lessons, be yourself or the truth will set you free, did not really apply. Probably (unfortunately) many teens will be able to relate the idea of doing ridiculous things to try to fit in with their peers.
READABILITY: Graphic novels can actually be pretty tough for those new to the format to make sense of. Lessons on which direction to read, inner versus outer dialogue signals, making inferences through textless illustrations, and others may be useful before putting a book like this one into middle schoolers hands.
APPROPRIATENESS: A few cuss words are uttered but very sparingly. Some references are made to hooking up, but nothing is described.
November 10, 2018
The book Peanut is about a girl faking a peanut allergy to get attention and make friends. I personally think this was an ok book because of the topic. This book was recommended to me by a friend and we both agreed that the topic is a bit random and weird. I felt like what really surprised me was that she was faking a severe peanut allergy. I think that, well, I would kinda get why you would want to fake a medical issue to get attention, but out of all the issues she could fake, she chose peanuts? I can make a connection from this graphic novel "peanut" to several other books that I have read and it is also about somebody faking something just to get friends. Overall, this book is not the best graphic novel i have ever read mostly because of the random topic, but it is still an entertaining book to read.
August 7, 2013
My daughter received this book to read and I loved the solid blue cover with a single raised peanut in the center so much I decided to read and review it myself. Being the mother of two daughters, fifteen and nine, I could absolutely relate to everything poor Sadie was going through. The teen years are some the hardest years of a girls life and all they want to do is fit in, be liked, and do well (for the most part) but it rarely goes this smoothly. Sadie is a high schooler who recently transfers in to a new school and wanting to fit in and give her peers something to remember her by, tells them she has a severe peanut allergy, hence the title and nickname peanut. The downfall is trying to live her lie when she doesn't actually have a peanut allergy, or any allergy for that fact. The author did a great job showing the reader just how difficult high school still is and all of the agonies and drama that go hand in hand. You couldn't pay me enough to relive my teenage years. Fantastic addition to my graphic novel collection!
My daughters's Review-
Reviewed by Janessa, Age 15
First of all, I just want to warn readers that while a young adult rating is on this book, I would rate for mature teens as it has several adultesque topics and vulgar gestures, which for most teens is the norm, but parents don’t always like to acknowledge it.
“It’s not kindergarten … I don’t need my mommy charging in to …”
The Full Review can be found here http://www.musingwithcrayolakym.com/3...
My daughters's Review-
Reviewed by Janessa, Age 15
First of all, I just want to warn readers that while a young adult rating is on this book, I would rate for mature teens as it has several adultesque topics and vulgar gestures, which for most teens is the norm, but parents don’t always like to acknowledge it.
“It’s not kindergarten … I don’t need my mommy charging in to …”
The Full Review can be found here http://www.musingwithcrayolakym.com/3...
November 12, 2016
Ugh. This graphic novel. 2 stars is being nice.
Sadie our main character is moving to a new school at the start of her sophomore year of High School. She is worried about how she will make new friends. At her last school her best friend Cheryl said you could fake a Peruvian accent and pretend you are an exchange student. This gave Sadie the idea of pretending to be someone she wasn't.
When I first picked up this graphic novel and saw the peanut on the cover, I didn't think anything of it. I didn't even know what the book was about. I just picked it up at random. Sometimes it's good going into something without knowing anything. Not this time.
Back to Sadie. She decides she is going to fake a peanut allergy to get friends. Have something "special" about her. She almost got caught a couple of times. Not having her health form filled out. Not carrying an Epi-pen on her person.
All hell breaks loose one day during a bake sale. Now Sadie is the laughing stock of the school and has lost several friends because of it.
This was kind of a moral story. Don't fake deathly allergies. Always be comfortable with who you are...yada yada. But to be that dumb and desperate is so ridiculous. What is the point of telling such a big lie. The stress of having to remember the lie is just so maddening.
I can't say I liked the overall story line. Sadie the liar. I would have never been able to get over it.
I enjoyed the illustrations and the fact Sadie got what she deserved, but other than that. Sigh....
Sadie our main character is moving to a new school at the start of her sophomore year of High School. She is worried about how she will make new friends. At her last school her best friend Cheryl said you could fake a Peruvian accent and pretend you are an exchange student. This gave Sadie the idea of pretending to be someone she wasn't.
When I first picked up this graphic novel and saw the peanut on the cover, I didn't think anything of it. I didn't even know what the book was about. I just picked it up at random. Sometimes it's good going into something without knowing anything. Not this time.
Back to Sadie. She decides she is going to fake a peanut allergy to get friends. Have something "special" about her. She almost got caught a couple of times. Not having her health form filled out. Not carrying an Epi-pen on her person.
All hell breaks loose one day during a bake sale. Now Sadie is the laughing stock of the school and has lost several friends because of it.
This was kind of a moral story. Don't fake deathly allergies. Always be comfortable with who you are...yada yada. But to be that dumb and desperate is so ridiculous. What is the point of telling such a big lie. The stress of having to remember the lie is just so maddening.
I can't say I liked the overall story line. Sadie the liar. I would have never been able to get over it.
I enjoyed the illustrations and the fact Sadie got what she deserved, but other than that. Sigh....
February 15, 2013
We've all told lies before, haven't we? Little white lies, here and there, little exaggerations to make our stories sound richer or our personalities sound greater. They rarely get us into much trouble. But the bigger lies - these are determined to blow up in our faces. Peanut explores one of these big lies through the life of a high school girl trying to make an impression on her new school. After Sadie's transfer, she starts telling classmates about her peanut allergy - a peanut allergy she doesn't actually have. It's a notable enough trait to help propel her friendships along, including a romantic one with Zoo. Zoo is a sweet boyfriend, calling Sadie "Peanut", making her a peanut-charm necklace, and even stopping her from eating some of his chips (fried in peanut oil). Turns out that her friends are better at remembering her allergy than Sadie is; and when her teachers and school nurse find out about her "affliction," Sadie finds herself trapped in her lie and desperate to find a way out.
What a surprisingly suspenseful read. Though I never made up a peanut allergy, I remember the horrors of being a new kid and unsure how to break into a circle of friends. It seemed an insurmountable task, one that would have benefited from some ingenuity in self presentation. As Sadie spirals deeper into her web of lies, the tension mounts, leading the reader right into the inevitable, emotional moment of truth. Pops of red-orange in Sadie's clothing make her stand out (to the reader, at least) against an otherwise cool, monochromatic palette of navy blue, a sophisticated color choice that makes this book all the more memorable.
What a surprisingly suspenseful read. Though I never made up a peanut allergy, I remember the horrors of being a new kid and unsure how to break into a circle of friends. It seemed an insurmountable task, one that would have benefited from some ingenuity in self presentation. As Sadie spirals deeper into her web of lies, the tension mounts, leading the reader right into the inevitable, emotional moment of truth. Pops of red-orange in Sadie's clothing make her stand out (to the reader, at least) against an otherwise cool, monochromatic palette of navy blue, a sophisticated color choice that makes this book all the more memorable.
March 21, 2017
I was teaching graphic novels and picked this one up to flip through for one example of how to set up a graphic novel, variations on color and technique, etc. So I really liked the illustrations and the way the bit of color was used in the book; however, I thought the storyline was a bit, well, stupid. Inventing a peanut allergy to seem unique? Regrets it later? I think kids are usually a bit more complicated than that, no?
March 6, 2016
This was interesting but it seemed a bit pointless. She made this whole big lie to make some friends when she could have done the same thing in a much easier and more successful way? The art was nice and I liked the pop of the red color on Sadie's shirt. However, I am not so sure I could really recommend this one. Interesting but a bit pointless.
March 14, 2017
While I enjoyed the illustrations well enough, the premise of this book was simply dumb. Girl attempts to reinvent herself by faking peanut allergy and then gets a boyfriend and wishes she didn't fake peanut allergy. Then, near the end, the school nurse makes a callous schizophrenia joke. But love prevails. The end.
March 2, 2025
I always have to give credit where credit is due and putting together a graphic novel is HARD so nice work there
However the story was so random and I didn’t like any of the characters :/
I thought this was set in the 80s for so long until someone mentioned 9/11
It honestly just felt too short maybe? Like it needed more time to develop and to explain why she does the thing she does… I got this as a gag gift for Caileigh (who has a peanut allergy) and while it is funny I am glad it was $6.99 at half price books and not more. Pretty disappointing read, just super boring and short and random.
However the story was so random and I didn’t like any of the characters :/
I thought this was set in the 80s for so long until someone mentioned 9/11
It honestly just felt too short maybe? Like it needed more time to develop and to explain why she does the thing she does… I got this as a gag gift for Caileigh (who has a peanut allergy) and while it is funny I am glad it was $6.99 at half price books and not more. Pretty disappointing read, just super boring and short and random.
January 19, 2022
Faking a fatal peanut allergy for attention is absolutely one of the insane borderline offensive things I could totally see myself doing, so this was a perfect read. The story is cute and compelling, the art is nice (I loved the red accents!), and the love story is wonderful. Very real depiction of high school and buildup of tension. Very quick and cute read.
April 7, 2025
Peanut
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ .5 (2.5/5) or 5.42/10 overall
Characters - 6
Atmosphere - 5
Writing - 6
Plot - 5
Intrigue - 6
Logic - 5
Enjoyment - 5
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ .5 (2.5/5) or 5.42/10 overall
Characters - 6
Atmosphere - 5
Writing - 6
Plot - 5
Intrigue - 6
Logic - 5
Enjoyment - 5
May 30, 2015
"The hardest thing about having a peanut allergy is remembering to stay vigilant. Especially if you don't have one." The genre of the book is Graphic Novel/Realistic Fiction. I really enjoyed reading this book because so many crazy things happen. Peanut would be one of my favorite graphic novels I've read.
The setting takes place at Sadie's school mainly and a little at her house. Sadie (main character) is starting a new school and wants to fit in. She fakes that she has a peanut allergy and gets some new friends, who are Angela, along with it. Good right? Not really. After a while things get outta hand, a bit. There is a HUGE event that takes place around the end with Sadie and a muffin. So when the huge catastrophe ends Sadie isn't so 'cool' anymore. Then at the end things don't end up so bad because her and Zoo FINALLY call each other on a phone. *(If you read the book you'll understand why.)* The main conflict is person vs. Self because Sadie has a fake peanut allergy and doesn't know if she could tell someone or keep it a secret.
An interesting thing I learned from this book is: fake till you make it.....but sometimes, you don't make it. Meaning, when you try and 'fake' things like saying "I was born in Hollywood' and things get great....well sometimes in the end things don't turn out so well. Like Sadie, she faked a peanut allergy and in the end she didn't feel too great. In the story it says, "Oh yeah. I almost forgot. I did have one other little problem, besides those guys. See, the thing is... I am not really allergic to peanuts. Maybe if I had it to do over again, I could try a different angle. People make friends any number of ways, right? No posing is Peruvian exchange student. No inventing a condition that I don't have." Why did Sadie have to make up that she had a peanut allergy? It doesn't say exactly in the book...but here's some text evidence, "Later that night. I'm not exactly sure what got into me....maybe it was this chat with my friend Cheryl... Yeah, well, anyway..." And the end of the quote begins Sadie's story.
The characters Celia and Leslie are similar because both like to spread/listen to gossip. In the book it states, "I'm Sadie. Celia. Leslie. So, can you even believe about MCCloskey's wife dumping him for her yoga instructor? Her female yoga instructor!" In the book you'll hear a bit more about those two people, but not much. (Sorry Mr. Burton about my next opinion about the book.) One funny thing I liked was when Sadie was wondering if she should tell her friends about her peanut allergy or not. "Your hometown teacher is the one to whom you'll come to when— *hell freezes over*. Is that how we meet offers of emotional support? With mockery and ingratitude? *No, Wait, Mr. Larch*— HRRUMPH!" {*around words are what Sadie is thinking/saying.*}
Overall, I'd give Peanut 5/5 stars because I love graphic novels and this has been a great read! I'd recommend this book to people who think the only way to fit in....is to become someone your not. Also I'd recommend it to middle schoolers and high schoolers. So if you were Sadie, would you tell someone about your 'fake' allergy, or keep it a secret like she did(until it finally get outta hand and you HAVE to confess)?? {tell me what you think in the comments:)}
The setting takes place at Sadie's school mainly and a little at her house. Sadie (main character) is starting a new school and wants to fit in. She fakes that she has a peanut allergy and gets some new friends, who are Angela, along with it. Good right? Not really. After a while things get outta hand, a bit. There is a HUGE event that takes place around the end with Sadie and a muffin. So when the huge catastrophe ends Sadie isn't so 'cool' anymore. Then at the end things don't end up so bad because her and Zoo FINALLY call each other on a phone. *(If you read the book you'll understand why.)* The main conflict is person vs. Self because Sadie has a fake peanut allergy and doesn't know if she could tell someone or keep it a secret.
An interesting thing I learned from this book is: fake till you make it.....but sometimes, you don't make it. Meaning, when you try and 'fake' things like saying "I was born in Hollywood' and things get great....well sometimes in the end things don't turn out so well. Like Sadie, she faked a peanut allergy and in the end she didn't feel too great. In the story it says, "Oh yeah. I almost forgot. I did have one other little problem, besides those guys. See, the thing is... I am not really allergic to peanuts. Maybe if I had it to do over again, I could try a different angle. People make friends any number of ways, right? No posing is Peruvian exchange student. No inventing a condition that I don't have." Why did Sadie have to make up that she had a peanut allergy? It doesn't say exactly in the book...but here's some text evidence, "Later that night. I'm not exactly sure what got into me....maybe it was this chat with my friend Cheryl... Yeah, well, anyway..." And the end of the quote begins Sadie's story.
The characters Celia and Leslie are similar because both like to spread/listen to gossip. In the book it states, "I'm Sadie. Celia. Leslie. So, can you even believe about MCCloskey's wife dumping him for her yoga instructor? Her female yoga instructor!" In the book you'll hear a bit more about those two people, but not much. (Sorry Mr. Burton about my next opinion about the book.) One funny thing I liked was when Sadie was wondering if she should tell her friends about her peanut allergy or not. "Your hometown teacher is the one to whom you'll come to when— *hell freezes over*. Is that how we meet offers of emotional support? With mockery and ingratitude? *No, Wait, Mr. Larch*— HRRUMPH!" {*around words are what Sadie is thinking/saying.*}
Overall, I'd give Peanut 5/5 stars because I love graphic novels and this has been a great read! I'd recommend this book to people who think the only way to fit in....is to become someone your not. Also I'd recommend it to middle schoolers and high schoolers. So if you were Sadie, would you tell someone about your 'fake' allergy, or keep it a secret like she did(until it finally get outta hand and you HAVE to confess)?? {tell me what you think in the comments:)}
February 4, 2013
"Peanut" is one of the most enjoyable books I've read recently, and definitely an addition to my growing list of favorite graphic novels. Through the protagonist, Sadie, Ayun Halliday captures perfectly the desire among adolescents--adolescent girls in particular--to fit in. Sadie takes this desire to extreme levels, faking a peanut allergy in order to garner attention among her new classmates. But, really, who hasn't embellished a personal characteristic or experience, or told a white lie like, "I like your shoes," when doing so makes the difference between eating lunch with others and eating alone? There's also a touch of "Mean Girls" in this book, because what high school would be complete without it? I think what saved "Peanut" from being just another angsty teen drama (see: "Blankets") is the character Zoo, who is a true individual: he shuns technology and fads (in a genuine, rather than ironic, way), and is self-possessed enough not to be bothered by dumb rumors. He and Sadie make quite the paradoxical pair, given that they are on rather opposite ends of the personal integrity spectrum (but of course, he doesn't know this for the majority of the book). At the end of the day, "Peanut" is a story about the importance of self-respect--certainly an important message to spread among adolescents, but also a nice thing for adults to be reminded of every now and again.
November 1, 2020
Peanut is about a girl who makes a very bad decision. Sadie is the girl. The bad decision? Lying about having a peanut allergy. Switching schools between freshman and sophomore year of high school is hard, after all. You're lost in a sea of people who all already know each other. Unless you find a way to stand out, like a potentially life-threatening allergy. Clearly, that'll help break the ice and make friends, right?
Sadie's deception goes about as well as you'd expect. What I didn't expect, though, was that I'd still be feeling for Sadie even while she's working so hard to lie to her new friends. I didn't quite get her reasoning behind the lie, intellectually or emotionally, but I do know (from my own past) that kids sometimes just do stupid things. Halliday just has a way of bonding you with Sadie once she's living with the consequences of her choice. I was definitely hoping she could find a way to end the lie and move forward without being totally humiliated. Hoppe's friendly, clean drawing style gives each character plenty of life. I'll be looking out for more of his work.
Sadie's deception goes about as well as you'd expect. What I didn't expect, though, was that I'd still be feeling for Sadie even while she's working so hard to lie to her new friends. I didn't quite get her reasoning behind the lie, intellectually or emotionally, but I do know (from my own past) that kids sometimes just do stupid things. Halliday just has a way of bonding you with Sadie once she's living with the consequences of her choice. I was definitely hoping she could find a way to end the lie and move forward without being totally humiliated. Hoppe's friendly, clean drawing style gives each character plenty of life. I'll be looking out for more of his work.
July 4, 2019
I read this book in 6th grade, before I had a life-threatening food allergy. I thought it was a weird book, how easy she got away with faking the allergy. Again, this was before I had a food allergy, so I would have given it a 3/5, but alas, I did not have a goodreads. Rereading this, I am pissed. I hated the plot. I really hated how the author made it seem that this isn't a serious issue. Honestly, I am glad she got exposed. Faking an allergy for attention is a horrible idea. To even get an Epipen, she has to get a doctor's note, so just saying she had the allergy would't have really worked. I guess I hated plot had many holes, and it really upset me. I know what it is like to have your face swell up, and almost have to go to the hospital. (We did go to the doctor, and they said to take me if my eyes swelled shut. Thankfully, they didn't.) For her fake everything made me angry. I hated this book, and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone with or without a food allergy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2013
Peanut is a book about a lie.
This is not what I'd call a relatively new trope, or even something that hasn't been done before, but it's a story that feels new and fresh, and is incredibly relatable. Sadie, at her new school, is going to help her social standing by faking a peanut allergy.
You know how something like that is going to end up.
A quick read for sure, Peanut has plenty to say about honesty and integrity, as well as an interesting sub-message about our hysteria over school safety and such. I've heard commentary that it's kind of unrealistic, but I disagree - who hasn't looked for that sort of edge to make a name for themselves? Who hasn't gotten caught up in a lie they cannot escape?
A solid read across the board, definitely glad I got to pick this one up.
This is not what I'd call a relatively new trope, or even something that hasn't been done before, but it's a story that feels new and fresh, and is incredibly relatable. Sadie, at her new school, is going to help her social standing by faking a peanut allergy.
You know how something like that is going to end up.
A quick read for sure, Peanut has plenty to say about honesty and integrity, as well as an interesting sub-message about our hysteria over school safety and such. I've heard commentary that it's kind of unrealistic, but I disagree - who hasn't looked for that sort of edge to make a name for themselves? Who hasn't gotten caught up in a lie they cannot escape?
A solid read across the board, definitely glad I got to pick this one up.
May 21, 2013
What would happen if you told everyone you were allergic to peanuts ... but you weren't? Sadie's tired of being invisible, so when she moves her sophomore year of high school she has a chance to start over. She orders a medical alert bracelet and starts living a double life and it works. Within a couple of weeks she's made new friends and even got a potential boyfriend. But this means she has to be vigilant all the time. And when things start to get too complicated she's afraid she'll lose everything if she reveals the truth.
This was a really interesting book and I don't think that it would have worked as a regular novel. This is an example of how graphic novels can really dig into something and have their own impact as a form.
This was a really interesting book and I don't think that it would have worked as a regular novel. This is an example of how graphic novels can really dig into something and have their own impact as a form.
November 8, 2022
Before you write me of as some kind of messed-up delusional psycho, think about what it's like to be thrown into a situation where everyone knows everyone... and no one knows you."
SO YOU CHOOSE TO FAKE A PEANUT ALLERGY?
there were so many possibilities in this story and it turned out so hopelessly pointless. i hate how there's actually a promising premise in this that could've lead to the story going horribly and hilariously wrong, but it only chooses to deliver the first and on a very limited, cookie-cutter scale even so. i get wanting to connect with people in a new environment but for the love of god, why did Sadie think it a good idea in *any* way to lie about something that could potentially be life-threatening??
SO YOU CHOOSE TO FAKE A PEANUT ALLERGY?
there were so many possibilities in this story and it turned out so hopelessly pointless. i hate how there's actually a promising premise in this that could've lead to the story going horribly and hilariously wrong, but it only chooses to deliver the first and on a very limited, cookie-cutter scale even so. i get wanting to connect with people in a new environment but for the love of god, why did Sadie think it a good idea in *any* way to lie about something that could potentially be life-threatening??
April 26, 2018
High school is tough, even tougher when you're moving to a new town as a sophomore. Sadie decides to make a fresh start with an interesting backstory - a made up peanut allergy, complete with stylish medical alert bracelet. At first, she loves the attention. As she makes new friends and connections at school, the act is harder to keep up and real life finally starts to intrude on her fake identity.
Written in a breezy tone that chooses not to delve too deeply into questions of trust, loyalty, and betrayal, Peanut is a quick and enjoyable story from both narrative and illustrative perspectives.
Written in a breezy tone that chooses not to delve too deeply into questions of trust, loyalty, and betrayal, Peanut is a quick and enjoyable story from both narrative and illustrative perspectives.
May 11, 2021
Whew that was an interesting plot. I typically don’t read graphic novels, so this is my first official one since uh… 7th grade. This main character girl…I already forgot her name, almost gave me anxiety. Jeez. Dramatic irony am I right?
[Also, me giving 3 stars for a GRAPHIC NOVEL is really good, and I’m being nice, so don’t come at me. I don’t have anything against it, it wasn’t bad, but compared to masterpieces like The Giver for example, which I gave five stars despite the short length, it just… can’t compete, I’m sorry. I just can’t put them on the same line and say the plot took the same amount of effort to develop.]
Hey, a good thing, I like the drawings too!
[Also, me giving 3 stars for a GRAPHIC NOVEL is really good, and I’m being nice, so don’t come at me. I don’t have anything against it, it wasn’t bad, but compared to masterpieces like The Giver for example, which I gave five stars despite the short length, it just… can’t compete, I’m sorry. I just can’t put them on the same line and say the plot took the same amount of effort to develop.]
Hey, a good thing, I like the drawings too!
December 15, 2014
The cutesy illustrations belie the content meant for older teens. (There is a brief mention of autoerotic asphyxiation, and some talk of "fooling around.") For the most part I wasn't impressed with the writing or the plot, and the main character is pretty unlikeable. The story redeemed itself at the very end with a somewhat-happy-yet-realistic conclusion, but not enough for me to give it a better rating.
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