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Will & Whit
Wilhelmina “Will” Huckstep is a creative soul struggling to come to terms with a family tragedy. She crafts whimsical lamps, in part to deal with her fear of the dark. As she wraps up another summer in her mountain town, she longs for unplugged adventures with her fellow creative friends, Autumn, Noel, and Reese. Little does she know that she will get her wish in the form of an arts carnival and a blackout, courtesy of a hurricane named Whitney, which forces Will to face her fear of darkness.
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2013
29 people are currently reading
2687 people want to read
About the author
Laura Lee Gulledge
4 books183 followersLaura Lee Gulledge (she/ we) is an Eisner Award nominated cartoonist, teaching artist,
collaborative muralist, and creative polymath based in Charlottesville, VA.
Her books include YA graphic novels The Dark Matter of Mona Starr, Page by Paige, Will & Whit, and the interactive Sketchbook Dares: 24 Ways to Draw Out Your Inner Artist. (Abrams Books) Her teen musical adaptation of Will & Whit is now available for licensing! (willandwhit.com)
Laura Lee explores visual storytelling at the intersection of wellness, whimsy, comics, co-creation, neurodiversity, and citizen artistry. When not in the studio she enjoys ecstatic dance, shared care, and laying under trees.
***Interested in hosting Laura Lee for a virtual or in-person visit? Please reach out at lauraleegulledge at gmail.com to learn more about workshops + residencies.
#artnerlove @lauraleegulledge
collaborative muralist, and creative polymath based in Charlottesville, VA.
Her books include YA graphic novels The Dark Matter of Mona Starr, Page by Paige, Will & Whit, and the interactive Sketchbook Dares: 24 Ways to Draw Out Your Inner Artist. (Abrams Books) Her teen musical adaptation of Will & Whit is now available for licensing! (willandwhit.com)
Laura Lee explores visual storytelling at the intersection of wellness, whimsy, comics, co-creation, neurodiversity, and citizen artistry. When not in the studio she enjoys ecstatic dance, shared care, and laying under trees.
***Interested in hosting Laura Lee for a virtual or in-person visit? Please reach out at lauraleegulledge at gmail.com to learn more about workshops + residencies.
#artnerlove @lauraleegulledge
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
February 23, 2018
Having absolutely adored Page by Paige by Laure Lee Gulledge, I was excited to pick this up but unfortunately I was somewhat disappointed. It was a cute, quick read, with a sweet message but overall, it wasn't anything all too special for me.
July 16, 2017
mehhhh. skimmed the last 30 pages. not very good or interesting.
September 20, 2013
Laura Lee Gulledge quotes Doctor Who and references Firefly in this book. I could almost stop there, since that's how the author fully won me over. But the truth is that she didn't need the references. I like this book, and especially the characters, well enough without.
This is the sort of quiet book where not much happens. At least, there aren't many big events. It's just about the characters, and how they change over the course of the book. We see the most change in the main character, Will (short for Willhelmina). Will lost her parents, and has been trying to bury her grief. But it isn't all about her. It's also about her two best friends, both struggling to gain confidence in themselves. And it's about art, and how it can be used as an escape or as therapy.
I read and loved Page by Paige, which is also about art as an outlet. The art in this one is every bit as lovely as in Page by Paige, but I think Gulledge has improved as a storyteller.
This is the sort of quiet book where not much happens. At least, there aren't many big events. It's just about the characters, and how they change over the course of the book. We see the most change in the main character, Will (short for Willhelmina). Will lost her parents, and has been trying to bury her grief. But it isn't all about her. It's also about her two best friends, both struggling to gain confidence in themselves. And it's about art, and how it can be used as an escape or as therapy.
I read and loved Page by Paige, which is also about art as an outlet. The art in this one is every bit as lovely as in Page by Paige, but I think Gulledge has improved as a storyteller.
April 20, 2018
I LOVED this book! It was SO beautiful! It made me cry!
August 3, 2016
3.5 Stars
“You know, in the dark, people see what they want to see.”
Will & Whit by Laura Lee Gulledge is a very sweet read. A graphic novel filled with darkness, grief, light, and healing. The black and white illustrations and pages with deep, deep black borders somehow still radiate warmth and light. A story that shows how the light can cut through the darkness and pain with a little help and love from friends and family.
Wilhelmina“Will” is a warm, creative “old-soul” trying to keep busy over the summer with work and crafts. Keeping busy helps her avoid facing the pain of losing her parents. Will is trying so hard to be brave and strong. Trying so hard not to be a burden to her Aunt. But she can’t hide away all her feelings and fear. Will is afraid of the dark. Shadows and pain haunt her in the dark.
”In the dark, there’s no avoiding or hiding. It’s just you and your thoughts.”
But with storm Whitney or “Whit” on the way and threatening to blackout the whole town, Will might have to face her fears head on. Face her pain. It’s funny how people tend to communicate more when the lights go out. We have to talk to each other face to face. No avoiding with texts or emails. No online distractions. The truth somehow seems to come out in the dark. So with support and help from her circle of longtime friends and quirky Aunt, Will’s heart starts to mend. A wonderful tale that reminds us that healing is a team effort. We can’t do it alone.
I adore book presentations and packaging. It’s a weakness of mine. :) But I felt like this cover art was misleading. This is not a romance, but it looks like they were trying to package it that way. My only other issue with this story was at times these teenagers came across as too sweet. They were supposed to be 17, but came across much younger. Don’t get me wrong—I enjoyed their optimism, crafts, hippie ways, and bad puns. But the way they talked to each other at times felt too perfect and sweet.
All just minor bumps though. I would recommend this book to young readers in a heartbeat. The way Ms. Gulledge addresses grief in words and pictures is inspiring and heartfelt.
January 23, 2014
Graphic novels are so not my thing. This, however, had a very quirky character. Liked that she was afraid of the dark and chose to makes lamps. Had many kooky friends, things jumped from on the thing to another. Too much was jammed in but it was easy to read, not one of those graphics were the bubble words are all over the pages and so much is put on a page that it makes one dizzy to look at. No, I still do not love graphics but I didn't hate this one. That is the best I can do.
July 16, 2017
This was so cute!
February 24, 2014
I read this one right after Friends with Boys (catchin' up on my realistic GNs) and I felt like this one was also not quite the book its cover & title wanted me to think it was? I again assumed it was a teen romance. (Maybe I just assume everything is a teen romance?) But it's much more of a story about one girl facing her fears and grief through the power of art and friendship. It was also remarkably funny, with a lot of currently-timely pop culture references that I enjoyed, and that I think a lot of nerdy teens will too. It's a little bit hipstery (what with the family thrift store and the performance art space carnival and the constant obsession with how other kids use their cell phones too much) but I was kind of into that, and a certain flavor of teen reader will be too. (Think maybe fans of like Perks of Being a Wallflower, but less angsty.)
I also thought the art was really pretty!
I also thought the art was really pretty!
February 3, 2018
This is a great example of how people in real life DO NOT talk. The dialogue in this graphic novel is stilted and contextualized. No teenager says "Great Scott" ever. It has a cute message but it's banged over your head by page one.
July 27, 2016
LOVED IT!
February 27, 2014
Seventeen-year-old Wilhelmina "Will" Huckstep isn't your typical teenager. She has an old-fashioned soul and loves making old things into new ones, especially lamps, which helps keep the darkness at bay. Will is afraid of the dark and the shadows that haunt there. When Hurricane Whitney (Whit) causes widespread power outages, Will must learn to overcome her fears.
I really wanted to like this story and for the most part I did. I really like Will's character as well as her Aunt Ella. I also really like how the author illustrates the shadows that are haunting Will throughout the story.
However, overall, I didn't like the author's drawings. I don't know what it is about them, but I didn't like them.
Also, I found Will and her friends to be annoying at times. I think they acted older and wiser than their seventeen-year-old selves. The character Reese, is thirteen-years-old and looks and acts older than she is. Maybe if they had been college-aged and Reese had been older this wouldn't have bothered me as much.
The ending of the story is sweet and sad and redeems the things I didn't like about the rest of the book. I'll give Will & Whit 2.5 stars.
I think that teens who enjoy reading graphic novels will also enjoy this one. I'd be interested in knowing what they think about it though.
I really wanted to like this story and for the most part I did. I really like Will's character as well as her Aunt Ella. I also really like how the author illustrates the shadows that are haunting Will throughout the story.
However, overall, I didn't like the author's drawings. I don't know what it is about them, but I didn't like them.
Also, I found Will and her friends to be annoying at times. I think they acted older and wiser than their seventeen-year-old selves. The character Reese, is thirteen-years-old and looks and acts older than she is. Maybe if they had been college-aged and Reese had been older this wouldn't have bothered me as much.
The ending of the story is sweet and sad and redeems the things I didn't like about the rest of the book. I'll give Will & Whit 2.5 stars.
I think that teens who enjoy reading graphic novels will also enjoy this one. I'd be interested in knowing what they think about it though.
October 15, 2018
Beautiful, loved it, and the art is gorgeous.
Also probably one of my best Dollar Tree finds <3
Also probably one of my best Dollar Tree finds <3
April 9, 2017
Hundreds more reviews like this one at Mrs. ReaderPants.
REVIEW: I am kind of surprised at the relatively low (3.71) Goodreads rating on this title. Many reviewers said that not enough happens in the book, and I will agree that it is more of a "slice of life" than an action-packed adventure. This is such a beautiful book with the underlying theme of friendship and dealing with grief. I loved this book; it's a must for any middle and high school library.
This is the second graphic novel by Laura Lee Gulledge that I've read, and I am officially a huge fan. The stories in both Will & Whit and Page By Paige are solid, but the gorgeous artwork just blows me away. I love how Will's shadows follow her anywhere there is darkness. For example, in one scene, Will goes to the basement of their antiques store, and there are hands reaching for her from the shadows. Will knows they aren't really there and ignores them, but she understandably avoids dark spaces.
I first thought this would be a romance--just look at the cover--and that Will and Whit were a boy and girl. In reality, Whit is a hurricane that knocks out the power and forces Will to face her fears. There is romance, but it is just one part of the story and does not come together until the very end.
Friendship is powerful in this book, and Will has several friends who rally around her when she can't deal with the darkness. I loved how one of the friends, Noel, has nursed a crush on another friend, Autumn, for a very long time but hasn't had the nerve to ask her out. So sweet and realistic! I also loved how Noel's 13-year old little sister is also an important part of the gang, even though she is a couple of years younger than the others. I also found this to be realistic--my own sister is two years younger than I am, and we had many of the same friends in high school.
THEMES: grief, fear, friendship, family
THE BOTTOM LINE: Will & Whit is a great addition to any middle or high school graphic novel section. Highly recommended.
STATUS IN MY LIBRARY: We have it, and I recommend it often.
May 28, 2018
I liked this book although I think we missed out by the non storm sections being in B&W. It took away from the feeling of the story. I also think the characters were too ....positive? Encouraging? Not at all like actual teens? I think In a perfect world friends would be as supportive as these 3. The story was original though and the art was complimentary.
November 12, 2020
Ok, so here are my three things: one, Laura Lee Gulledge is fantastic. Two, the ending just brought this all in for me. And three, a great meditation on friendship, the power of shadow and darkness to help bring us back to the light, and about challenging yourself so you’re always just that bit outside of your comfort zone.
February 4, 2019
I found this graphic novel in a dollar store and it was amazing! I fell in love with the artwork! It was beautiful! I thought the story was told so well. It flowed so nice and had so many great plot points and amazing small features! Great story and needs more people talking about it!
March 13, 2017
Meh
I loved the art style but the story was lacking.
I loved the art style but the story was lacking.
July 24, 2019
That one was cute, but it was so short that it felt a little rushed. I did love how quirky all of the characters were! And their hobbies too!
September 24, 2019
Wonderful, clean friendship story. I loved that the characters are artistic, imaginative and surround themselves with people who are alike.
September 8, 2024
I initially reviewed this at 4 stars but, having read many many many more graphic novels, I do have to drop it down to 3. Let's call it a 3.5 if you'd like.
I do adore Page by Paige, but to my eyes Will and Whit is just kind of a rehash with some of the heart taken out. You have a loner not-like-normal-teens protagonist (even down to preferring old things to new) who struggles to socialize despite her objectively cool artistic hobbies... but in this case the narrative seems a lot more random, because instead of having a linear arc of learning to be more outgoing in a new place, Will has to heal her fear of the dark, which seems to have come from the death of her parents in a car crash.
It was never really clear to me if this was the case, actually-- Will is afraid of the dark, and this is illustrated in some occasionally fun ways, but it wasn't clear to what extent this was or was not related to the death of her parents, and why. It wasn't clear, either, how her journey through the book led to healing-- or if it did at all. We don't get to see a clear difference in behavior from beginning to end. Things just sort of happen, and Will's fear of the dark gets brought up, and occasionally she thinks about how she's still not over the thing she won't talk about, and then at the end many warm things are said that imply a resolution when nothing really happened in the way of one. She just went from not talking about it to talking about how she arguably should. I really struggled to make it through the book, especially the beginning, with the lack of connection between the different events happening.
I still love the art style and the big chunky lines, but especially rereading this in the 2020s, it's hard to make a case for a black-and-white graphic novel. Especially one that so frequently references color! I do genuinely wish it was possible for books like these to get color reprints, because it's missing an entire world of potential right now. I also wish that the Whitney scenes felt... well, darker, because I didn't have much to go on outside of black page borders, and it was clear the characters felt the storm a lot more.
There's also a bit of mildly uncomfortable nice-guy stuff that only really works if you get on board with the "obviously this girl should be dating her friend, not that random other guy who actually made a move!" vibe early. I'm also not sure how I feel about the white characters trying to encourage the one Indian girl to not wear blue contacts because she ~doesn't need to change herself~ and referring to her "Indian princess eyes" (?!) and praising the fact that she "looks Indian again" when she removes them. I mean, yes, she doesn't have to change herself, and I'm glad she ends up feeling comfortable with her dark eyes, but is this really the vehicle?
Still, I'm glad I bought myself a copy, and I do see myself likely reading it again. It just didn't pull me through this reading slump.
I do adore Page by Paige, but to my eyes Will and Whit is just kind of a rehash with some of the heart taken out. You have a loner not-like-normal-teens protagonist (even down to preferring old things to new) who struggles to socialize despite her objectively cool artistic hobbies... but in this case the narrative seems a lot more random, because instead of having a linear arc of learning to be more outgoing in a new place, Will has to heal her fear of the dark, which seems to have come from the death of her parents in a car crash.
It was never really clear to me if this was the case, actually-- Will is afraid of the dark, and this is illustrated in some occasionally fun ways, but it wasn't clear to what extent this was or was not related to the death of her parents, and why. It wasn't clear, either, how her journey through the book led to healing-- or if it did at all. We don't get to see a clear difference in behavior from beginning to end. Things just sort of happen, and Will's fear of the dark gets brought up, and occasionally she thinks about how she's still not over the thing she won't talk about, and then at the end many warm things are said that imply a resolution when nothing really happened in the way of one. She just went from not talking about it to talking about how she arguably should. I really struggled to make it through the book, especially the beginning, with the lack of connection between the different events happening.
I still love the art style and the big chunky lines, but especially rereading this in the 2020s, it's hard to make a case for a black-and-white graphic novel. Especially one that so frequently references color! I do genuinely wish it was possible for books like these to get color reprints, because it's missing an entire world of potential right now. I also wish that the Whitney scenes felt... well, darker, because I didn't have much to go on outside of black page borders, and it was clear the characters felt the storm a lot more.
There's also a bit of mildly uncomfortable nice-guy stuff that only really works if you get on board with the "obviously this girl should be dating her friend, not that random other guy who actually made a move!" vibe early. I'm also not sure how I feel about the white characters trying to encourage the one Indian girl to not wear blue contacts because she ~doesn't need to change herself~ and referring to her "Indian princess eyes" (?!) and praising the fact that she "looks Indian again" when she removes them. I mean, yes, she doesn't have to change herself, and I'm glad she ends up feeling comfortable with her dark eyes, but is this really the vehicle?
Still, I'm glad I bought myself a copy, and I do see myself likely reading it again. It just didn't pull me through this reading slump.
April 11, 2014
I never read graphic novels. The only time I ever do is for class, so when I had to pick a graphic novel to read for my YA lit class, I thought this one sounded cute. And look how adorable the cover is! In the end, though, I just couldn't get into the graphic novel genre and didn't enjoy the story as much as I wanted to.
Will has always loved making lamps as a way to fight the shadows of darkness that have haunted her ever since her parents' death. Now, she's living with her eccentric Aunt and trying to lessen the burden she is on everyone around her. As the end of the summer is approaching, Will simply wants to hang out with her friends away from the drama of the world. When hurricane Whitney approaches, the entire town loses power and Will finds herself helping out with an arts carnival, along with her best friends. Through the hurricane and carnival, Will has to face her fears of darkness and finally confront the loss she's been hiding from.
From the cover, I thought this one was going to be a super cute romance in graphic novel form. Ha, I was so wrong. There isn't really any romance until pretty much the very end, and even then we don't get to see the romance actually happen. The entire story is just Will dealing with her fear of darkness and helping out with the arts carnival. I'm not that familiar with graphic novels, but I kind of wanted to more to happen than what actually did.
Reading this book, I wasn't all that impressed with the characters or the story. Sure, the characters were fun, but that's about it. The story went by super quickly, so I didn't really have time to become really invested in the characters. That being said, I feel like I only got a surface reading of the story and didn't really get anything out of it. I did think Will'd passion for building lamps was really unique and cool, and I liked how she transferred that passion into actual art in the end. The arts carnival was fun. Other than that, I wasn't all that impressed with this book.
So I guess I can say graphic novels are definitely still not the genre for me. I need more words and emotions than this book gave me, not to mention more depth from the characters and story. The pictures and illustrations were very pretty and I liked the whimsical style to them, but I needed more from the story to enjoy this one.
Will has always loved making lamps as a way to fight the shadows of darkness that have haunted her ever since her parents' death. Now, she's living with her eccentric Aunt and trying to lessen the burden she is on everyone around her. As the end of the summer is approaching, Will simply wants to hang out with her friends away from the drama of the world. When hurricane Whitney approaches, the entire town loses power and Will finds herself helping out with an arts carnival, along with her best friends. Through the hurricane and carnival, Will has to face her fears of darkness and finally confront the loss she's been hiding from.
From the cover, I thought this one was going to be a super cute romance in graphic novel form. Ha, I was so wrong. There isn't really any romance until pretty much the very end, and even then we don't get to see the romance actually happen. The entire story is just Will dealing with her fear of darkness and helping out with the arts carnival. I'm not that familiar with graphic novels, but I kind of wanted to more to happen than what actually did.
Reading this book, I wasn't all that impressed with the characters or the story. Sure, the characters were fun, but that's about it. The story went by super quickly, so I didn't really have time to become really invested in the characters. That being said, I feel like I only got a surface reading of the story and didn't really get anything out of it. I did think Will'd passion for building lamps was really unique and cool, and I liked how she transferred that passion into actual art in the end. The arts carnival was fun. Other than that, I wasn't all that impressed with this book.
So I guess I can say graphic novels are definitely still not the genre for me. I need more words and emotions than this book gave me, not to mention more depth from the characters and story. The pictures and illustrations were very pretty and I liked the whimsical style to them, but I needed more from the story to enjoy this one.
April 19, 2014
(Intermediate) Will and Whit
1. I did enjoy this book as the main character is overcoming a difficult event in her life. However, I would not add this book to my personal library. This book deals with loosing a family member and I feel that this is a topic that needs to be approached cautiously with primary children-all children for that matter. This book is also intermediate for my preschoolers. I would recommend this book to my media specialist to add to her collection for 5-6th grade students. This books does a nice job of focusing on family and friendships.
2. This would be a great book for students in 5-7th grade. In this story, the main character is overcoming a tragic event and learning how to keep on living life. The reader is able to make assumptions as to what happened to Will through the shadowed, somewhat spooky images in this book. This would also be a good book for intermediate students who are dealing with the loss of a loved one and friendships.
3. (2013, May 15). Booklist. http://www.booksinprint.com.leo.lib.u...#
Across the reaches of YA-targeted media, it's rare to find a work with such a relentlessly upbeat tone and sense of uncompromising positivity as those found in this graphic novel. As with her Eisner-nominated debut, Page by Paige (2011), Gulledge uses relationships, dialogue, font choice, and, most significantly, the bold lines of her figures and solid, forthright faces of her characters to fuel a world suffused with sunshine (though she uses the image of her protagonist's shadow to compelling effect, too). This is all the more remarkable given the story, in which Wilhelmina Huckstep faces the recent death of her parents, an abiding fear of the dark, and a storm headed for her small town. Though the storm causes a blackout, Will and her friends bond with a group of visiting performers. As troubles both romantic and personal come to a head, Gulledge's dialogue can occasionally feel saccharine and stilted, but the situations and emotions are all highly teen-relevant and hope is never less than a palpable presence.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2010 Booklist
1. I did enjoy this book as the main character is overcoming a difficult event in her life. However, I would not add this book to my personal library. This book deals with loosing a family member and I feel that this is a topic that needs to be approached cautiously with primary children-all children for that matter. This book is also intermediate for my preschoolers. I would recommend this book to my media specialist to add to her collection for 5-6th grade students. This books does a nice job of focusing on family and friendships.
2. This would be a great book for students in 5-7th grade. In this story, the main character is overcoming a tragic event and learning how to keep on living life. The reader is able to make assumptions as to what happened to Will through the shadowed, somewhat spooky images in this book. This would also be a good book for intermediate students who are dealing with the loss of a loved one and friendships.
3. (2013, May 15). Booklist. http://www.booksinprint.com.leo.lib.u...#
Across the reaches of YA-targeted media, it's rare to find a work with such a relentlessly upbeat tone and sense of uncompromising positivity as those found in this graphic novel. As with her Eisner-nominated debut, Page by Paige (2011), Gulledge uses relationships, dialogue, font choice, and, most significantly, the bold lines of her figures and solid, forthright faces of her characters to fuel a world suffused with sunshine (though she uses the image of her protagonist's shadow to compelling effect, too). This is all the more remarkable given the story, in which Wilhelmina Huckstep faces the recent death of her parents, an abiding fear of the dark, and a storm headed for her small town. Though the storm causes a blackout, Will and her friends bond with a group of visiting performers. As troubles both romantic and personal come to a head, Gulledge's dialogue can occasionally feel saccharine and stilted, but the situations and emotions are all highly teen-relevant and hope is never less than a palpable presence.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2010 Booklist
September 6, 2015
This is a poignant story, about growing up and grieving, loss and moving on. The narrative is mainly dialogue and the illustrations really help to tell the story. I loved the artsy way that Will created lamps from old and junky items. And I appreciated the creative effort to put together the carnival.
Our oldest and I both read this one and we both really liked it. I really appreciated the bits at the end of the book, especially the soundtrack and the 'Inspiration Board" that explains some of the background for the characters and events in the story. I also liked the recipe for Blue Crush cookies (see below) - sounds pretty yummy.
interesting quotes:
"You know, in the dark, people see what they want to see." (p. 105)
"We're human. All we are are beautiful contradictions." (p. 172)
Blue Crush Cookies
"Ingredients:
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar, white is ideal for color intensity
Your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe & ingredients
Directions:
*Step 1. Prepare your chocolate chip cookie recipe to the point where you'd add the chocolate chips.
*Step 2. Now for the blue part: Place the blueberries, water, and sugar in a small pot. Cook for 30 minutes on mid to low heat, stirring occasionally, and covered with a lid. You can use more or less sugar depending on the sweetness of your particular berries...and how strong your sweet tooth is.
*Step 3. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked berries and gently HAND MIX the blueberries into your cookie dough along with your chocolate chips. It's normal for the batter to look grey at this point, so don't fret.
*Step 4. And now bake 'em like usual, and behold as they turn blue! I personally like to sprinkle a little sea salt on top as a finishing touch, but feel free to come up with your own variation." (p. 189)
Our oldest and I both read this one and we both really liked it. I really appreciated the bits at the end of the book, especially the soundtrack and the 'Inspiration Board" that explains some of the background for the characters and events in the story. I also liked the recipe for Blue Crush cookies (see below) - sounds pretty yummy.
interesting quotes:
"You know, in the dark, people see what they want to see." (p. 105)
"We're human. All we are are beautiful contradictions." (p. 172)
Blue Crush Cookies
"Ingredients:
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar, white is ideal for color intensity
Your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe & ingredients
Directions:
*Step 1. Prepare your chocolate chip cookie recipe to the point where you'd add the chocolate chips.
*Step 2. Now for the blue part: Place the blueberries, water, and sugar in a small pot. Cook for 30 minutes on mid to low heat, stirring occasionally, and covered with a lid. You can use more or less sugar depending on the sweetness of your particular berries...and how strong your sweet tooth is.
*Step 3. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked berries and gently HAND MIX the blueberries into your cookie dough along with your chocolate chips. It's normal for the batter to look grey at this point, so don't fret.
*Step 4. And now bake 'em like usual, and behold as they turn blue! I personally like to sprinkle a little sea salt on top as a finishing touch, but feel free to come up with your own variation." (p. 189)
June 28, 2023
2.5 rounded up. The plot didn’t work for me. The main character has too many problems to overcome:
-traumatic loss of parents
-grandparents who are also dead that she was supposedly close to?
-grief
-fear of the dark
-romance
-hurricane
-side plot about her two friends falling in love
-side plot about a carnival
These problems all seem to just neatly wrap up without any real effort on the part of the protagonist. The storm happens to her for like 2 pages and then the rest of it is aftermath and how that affects the carnival? She says it’s about how she “overcame her shadows” but it’s basically she made an art installation about her parents death and cried, so now she’s good. The pacing was a wreck. The fear of darkness wasn’t really addressed. The art was ok. I think it would’ve benefited from being colored. She talks about color a lot but is black and white, so that doesn’t always translate. Also, I know this was from 2013, but there’s a BIPOC friend they call an “Indian Princess” at one point and I don’t love that. It feels off.
Not one I’d recommend. Plot was too chaotic and the ending doesn’t feel earned.
Edit: I forgot the protagonist also does that insufferable "I like old things. I wAs BoRn In ThE wRoNg TiMe" nonsense that I can't. She's very "manic pixie dream girl" and the story is ABOUT her. I don't like her. It's just a mess.
-traumatic loss of parents
-grandparents who are also dead that she was supposedly close to?
-grief
-fear of the dark
-romance
-hurricane
-side plot about her two friends falling in love
-side plot about a carnival
These problems all seem to just neatly wrap up without any real effort on the part of the protagonist. The storm happens to her for like 2 pages and then the rest of it is aftermath and how that affects the carnival? She says it’s about how she “overcame her shadows” but it’s basically she made an art installation about her parents death and cried, so now she’s good. The pacing was a wreck. The fear of darkness wasn’t really addressed. The art was ok. I think it would’ve benefited from being colored. She talks about color a lot but is black and white, so that doesn’t always translate. Also, I know this was from 2013, but there’s a BIPOC friend they call an “Indian Princess” at one point and I don’t love that. It feels off.
Not one I’d recommend. Plot was too chaotic and the ending doesn’t feel earned.
Edit: I forgot the protagonist also does that insufferable "I like old things. I wAs BoRn In ThE wRoNg TiMe" nonsense that I can't. She's very "manic pixie dream girl" and the story is ABOUT her. I don't like her. It's just a mess.
March 27, 2014
Ever since the accident that killed both her parents, Will has been afraid of the dark. A talented artist, she combats this fear by creating quirky lamps out of repurposed items. Then a major storm hits the area, knocking out power to the town for several days, and Will can no longer hide from her fears. At first, she deals reasonably well, throwing herself into a talent show being put on by a group of local teens. But sooner or later, Will must face her fears. And, with a little help from her awesome friends, she might be well on the way to overcoming them.
This was a lovely coming of age story. True that things wrapped up a bit neatly for everyone (all the characters faced and overcame their deepest fears by the end of the story, be it personal demons, insecurities about appearance, or confessing a crush to that special someone), but the story was so well done I was glad of this. That means no loose ends. And sometimes I hate loose ends! At least when I'm reading. The format helped tell the story in a very cool way.
Overall, awesome! I'm definitely going to have to check out the author's other books!
This was a lovely coming of age story. True that things wrapped up a bit neatly for everyone (all the characters faced and overcame their deepest fears by the end of the story, be it personal demons, insecurities about appearance, or confessing a crush to that special someone), but the story was so well done I was glad of this. That means no loose ends. And sometimes I hate loose ends! At least when I'm reading. The format helped tell the story in a very cool way.
Overall, awesome! I'm definitely going to have to check out the author's other books!
July 24, 2013
As a huge fan of Page by Paige, I was super excited to see that Laura Lee Gulledge was putting out a second graphic novel! I was a little sad to see that her second book had less of a visually metaphoric style (since that was one of the things I LOVED about her first work), and a little sad to see that it's not in color (color is actually kind of important in this book, as it was in Page by Paige), BUT...overall, I was not disappointed.
The story in Will & Whit is much more memorable than it was in Page by Paige. The characters feel more fully developed (although there is the minor problem that both of the male main characters look kind of exactly the same), and the emotion is more deeply felt. I am also really happy that I read the author note first, and realized that Laura Lee Gulledge is working on developing this story into a play. SO PERFECT. There is a theatricality to this story -- it feels like it should be performed, and lit, and acted. Light is very important in this story.
I also loved that this story is not at ALL about what you think it's going to be about by looking at the cover. It's so much more than first impressions.
The story in Will & Whit is much more memorable than it was in Page by Paige. The characters feel more fully developed (although there is the minor problem that both of the male main characters look kind of exactly the same), and the emotion is more deeply felt. I am also really happy that I read the author note first, and realized that Laura Lee Gulledge is working on developing this story into a play. SO PERFECT. There is a theatricality to this story -- it feels like it should be performed, and lit, and acted. Light is very important in this story.
I also loved that this story is not at ALL about what you think it's going to be about by looking at the cover. It's so much more than first impressions.
December 12, 2015
Wow I understand where the author is coming from so much more now after reading Page by Paige. I read this one first and really struggled with its attempts at introspection.
Firstly I really liked the illustrations - all of the 'shadows' were brilliant. I also really enjoyed Will as a character, she had her own thing going on, interests, hobbies, friends, etc.
However, I just didn't gel with her problems or the other characters. I love books with multiple friendship dynamics, when a character has close friends, acquaintances, frenemies, etc. It was quite layered in that way, however I felt that most of the characters had quirks rather than character traits and I confused them a lot.
In the same vain as Page by Paige I felt the dialogue was too short and choppy and that translated into resolutions that came too quickly and without hiccups. Resolutions in a books shouldn't always be perfect. A good example of this in a graphic novel is This One Summer.
3 Stars because I love the style and I really appreciate this type of graphic novel, just some of the characters/story didn't really gel with me.
Firstly I really liked the illustrations - all of the 'shadows' were brilliant. I also really enjoyed Will as a character, she had her own thing going on, interests, hobbies, friends, etc.
However, I just didn't gel with her problems or the other characters. I love books with multiple friendship dynamics, when a character has close friends, acquaintances, frenemies, etc. It was quite layered in that way, however I felt that most of the characters had quirks rather than character traits and I confused them a lot.
In the same vain as Page by Paige I felt the dialogue was too short and choppy and that translated into resolutions that came too quickly and without hiccups. Resolutions in a books shouldn't always be perfect. A good example of this in a graphic novel is This One Summer.
3 Stars because I love the style and I really appreciate this type of graphic novel, just some of the characters/story didn't really gel with me.
February 23, 2013
Language: Damned & badass on first two pages and more peppered throughout book (bastard, douche, etc.) Doesn't detract and actually works as characters are seniors in HS, but beware before handing book over to younger audience.
Another effort from Laura Lee G that I found better than her Page by Page, has more of a storyline (main character Will is afraid of the dark), arc and quirky touches: Will likes older/antique things in a modern age, introduces people with 3 things you should know about....
The setup in sections that make reference to light and shadow is clever: there is a reason Will fears the dark and it has to do with her parents.
There is also a spot or two of romance in the book and the one flaw is the book ends too abruptly.
Fans of Telgemeier will like this work notwithstanding the language. Will be glad to see what LLG has planned next (back jacket mentions developing Will & Whit for the stage!)
Another effort from Laura Lee G that I found better than her Page by Page, has more of a storyline (main character Will is afraid of the dark), arc and quirky touches: Will likes older/antique things in a modern age, introduces people with 3 things you should know about....
The setup in sections that make reference to light and shadow is clever: there is a reason Will fears the dark and it has to do with her parents.
There is also a spot or two of romance in the book and the one flaw is the book ends too abruptly.
Fans of Telgemeier will like this work notwithstanding the language. Will be glad to see what LLG has planned next (back jacket mentions developing Will & Whit for the stage!)
January 28, 2014
Gulledge is definitely honing her craft. I really liked how she integrated visual metaphor into Page by Paige, and here it's even more seamlessly integrated into the story. It feels more like a manga convention than a gimmick (masterful though PbyP was).
Still have one major complaint, though. Amulet SERIOUSLY needs to start publishing Gulledge in color. Gulledge's work (all two books) seems to always have an Art theme, but more than that, color is often mentioned/a plot point in her stories. Grayscale is simply not working for me, even if Gulledge is good with it.
As far as the story itself goes, it's fine. Some of her character markers seem fairly idealized and surface-level, but the climax did make me cry. Course, that could be her particular themes here.
Solid, but I think it will mostly appeal to a niche audience.
Still have one major complaint, though. Amulet SERIOUSLY needs to start publishing Gulledge in color. Gulledge's work (all two books) seems to always have an Art theme, but more than that, color is often mentioned/a plot point in her stories. Grayscale is simply not working for me, even if Gulledge is good with it.
As far as the story itself goes, it's fine. Some of her character markers seem fairly idealized and surface-level, but the climax did make me cry. Course, that could be her particular themes here.
Solid, but I think it will mostly appeal to a niche audience.
February 26, 2015
Wil and Whit Book Review This was a really bizarre graphic novel and my first young adult one. Have to say I'm not a fan. It was a super fast read but felt a little all over the place. One minute its about a carnival the next about a ginormous storm.
Will feels like her life is out of control. She's hiding everything that happened from her best friends Autumn and Noel. Following a family tragedy Will tries to plan a fun summer and connect with her friends.
I actually think this would have been better as a regular novel instead of a graphic novel. There is almost too much packed in the pictures and very short wordings to get a real feel of how these characters, especially Will are feeling. The pictures are all in black and white which I'm definitely not a fan of. I'm looking for bright and colorful pictures when I want to read a graphic novel.
Will feels like her life is out of control. She's hiding everything that happened from her best friends Autumn and Noel. Following a family tragedy Will tries to plan a fun summer and connect with her friends.
I actually think this would have been better as a regular novel instead of a graphic novel. There is almost too much packed in the pictures and very short wordings to get a real feel of how these characters, especially Will are feeling. The pictures are all in black and white which I'm definitely not a fan of. I'm looking for bright and colorful pictures when I want to read a graphic novel.
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