A for Effort

A-Okay #2

by Jarad Greene

The next semi-autobiographical graphic novel from Jarad Greene continues to follow Jay, this time as he faces his freshman year of high school—and a whole new world of friendships, self-discovery, and stress about the future. The start of Jay’s freshman year is full of new things. . . .New friends. New classes. New challenges. All of which are expected, until his new friend group’s obsession with perfect grades puts the pressure on—especially when his best subject, art, is full. Without it to anchor him, Jay hopes theater class will be the easy A he’s looking for. But when the class begins, Jay finds himself struggling like never before. Turns out balancing Shakespeare with biology and geometry is a lot harder than he thought. Will Jay be able to step into the spotlight and deliver an A+ performance?  Perfect for readers of Yehudi Mercado and Rachel Elliott,  A for Effort ’s refreshingly witty and honest story is a heartfelt exploration of how it’s not always the outcome but the journey itself that truly matters. 

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Comics, LGBT, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary

224 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 2024

About the author

Hi there! My name is Jarad Greene and I’m a cartoonist and illustrator originally from Lutz, FL. I graduated from the University of South Carolina, with a BA in Criminology & Criminal Justice, and minors in Theatre, and Public Relations. My comics and cartoons have appeared in publications throughout the Southeast and Vermont. I spent eight years in Columbia, SC before moving to White River Junction, VT where I received my MFA at The Center for Cartoon Studies; I currently work for CCS as their Administrative and Development Coordinator.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great installment in the series!

In the author's note of A-Okay readers learn a little about Jarad's theater experience and how his acne impacted how he viewed his ability to act. This volume is an exploration of where he found his passion for theater. While the overall storytelling of this one wasn't as cohesive as the first volume, I still think it provided great insight to Jay's growth as a teenager. Not only do readers see him face new challenges, but there is also a glimpse of the growth and confidence that he has in his identity and dreams/goals. This one is definitely paced for an older audience. I would recommend it as a young adult graphic novel as it heavily explores themes related to the high school experience.

[Hugh Mcdonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the follow up to book 1. It was nice to see Jay settle into himself & understand more about his identity & what makes him happy & proud.

[Rebecca Shelton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Following Jay as he navigates new friendships, academic pressures, and unexpected challenges in theater class, the story offers a slice-of-life look at the complexities of growing up.

The graphic novel excels in its depiction of character dynamics and the struggles of balancing school and self-discovery. Greene’s illustrations effectively convey the tone and emotions of each scene, which ultimately helps enhance the storytelling. Jay’s journey is both witty and honest, making it a solid addition to the coming-of-age genre.

While the narrative is enjoyable, it doesn't offer a standout element to set it apart from similar works. The story feels familiar, and though it’s executed well, it lacks the "wow" factor that might make it truly memorable.

Potential concerns: The brief mention of sex and the term "ace" (asexual) might prompt questions from younger readers, but these moments are handled subtly and appropriately for the target audience.

Final Verdict: 3.5/5. A solid and enjoyable read with great illustrations, but it doesn't quite rise above the many coming-of-age graphic novels already available.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you HarperAlley, a digital review copy was provided for an honest review. It has been a few years since I read Jarad’s first book, A-Ok, and I did a reread of the Tale of an eighth grade boy, dealing with growing up: having his clean complexion plagued by serious acne, finding friends and also discovering his own ace identity.

So I was eager to pick up A for Effort, which is a sequel, but could also be read as a complete standalone. Now we find Jarad entering a new high school, having to make brand new friends, and find a new elective other than art—theater class.
This book has all the charm from the first, but we really focus on our MC’s struggle with academic expectations from friends, family, and himself.

This would be a great read for grades 5 and up, even though it is set during Freshman year, because it still has universal appeal of dealing with friendships, doing well in school, family, and finding your way.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Semi-autobiographical middle grade comic. I didn't read the previous book in this series, and I don't think that affected my enjoyment much. This seems like it has an almost entirely new cast of characters, and a self-contained story. This is about the main character discovering a love for theater, even while under intense academic pressure from his parents. The characters are all believable, even if they aren't all likable, and the main character's growth is also believable. There is a scene towards the end that spends too long showing the characters acting out a chunk of Shakespeare. It just doesn't add much to have multiple pages instead of a few panels.

[Deena Lipomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jay jumps into freshman year with an unexpected elective: theater! While memorizing lines, he tries to keep up with his other grades and changing friendships. What a semester! With fun color artwork and a mix of serious matters and humor, this is another fun semi-autobiographical comic about the author's teen life. A good follow-up, and more books would be welcome, especially since there is a lack of books about ninth graders.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this series so was looking forward to reading the sequel to A-Okay. This one didn't disappoint. I enjoyed the story-line of the pressure to have top grades while discovering new side of himself. There is less Ace focus in this book but a brief mention of it. Very curious if the author will tackle this topic in further sequels as the character/himself gets older.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Public library copy

Liked that this was a character just starting high school, but this had more of a YA level of pacing and introspection, so not sure how well middle schoolers will like it. There aren't as many graphic novels with boys as the main character, so it's worth a look.

[Colleen Frakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wasn't as good as the first book in the series, second books are hard, but still 5 stars. Hope there will be a 3rd to round it out.

[Shana Bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Alicia]

Reading to review for professional magazine- see review there.

[Hayden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad but slow.

[Gwen (Draco’s Version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

as a girlie who was in the high academics class all of high school- I related to the pressure a lil too much 🥲🥲

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

[Ree P · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

more about grades than being ace, great story and wonderful illustrations

[McKenzy Hupke · Rating 5 out of 5]

i couldn’t put this down! i LOVE semi-biographical things and one involving theatre class?? yes please. an amazing artist and i loved the book!!!

[Jen Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this with my daughter. We enjoyed it