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Skip!: A Graphic Novel
Jay often feels that like they are a nobody. Beah, on the other hand, is fierce, charming, athletic—and OBSESSED with the street skipping art, Double Dutch. When the two meet, sparks fly, in this colorful slice-of-life graphic novel about the wonder of platonic friendship and finding your identity.
2023 AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL FOR CHILDREN READING LIST HONOREE
Jay is always scribbling poetry in their notebook. When they come across Skip, a Double Dutch team, they befriend the members—and decide to join, too. For the first time ever, Jay has a place to belong—and friends to confide in.
But Jay’s friendship with their new bestie Beah is intense, both in and out of Double Dutch. As Beah and Jay help each other grow into the people they will become, it challenges their friendship and their own identities.
This charming “slice of life” graphic novel is about accepting yourself, navigating "first love" friendship, and finding your own voice. It’s rendered in debut author-illustrator Sarah Burgess’s gorgeous art style ribboned with playful humor and sports drama.
“Sequences snake across the page, mimicking the billowing of a jump rope, while sparingly employed structured panels zoom in on emotions or change perspective, complementing the fluid, motion-filled ambiance of Burgess’s endearing debut.” - Publisher's Weekly
"The colors and physical expressions pop in nearly every panel. Burgess is already a masterful visual storyteller and will be fun to watch. ... Skip! belongs in every library serving middle schoolers and deserves tween book discussion group awareness." - School Library Journal
“A journey of self-discovery, creativity, and belonging centers a sweet, uplifting story of friendship and ambition.” - Kirkus Reviews
"This is, appropriately, not one to be skipped.” - The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
2023 AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL FOR CHILDREN READING LIST HONOREE
Jay is always scribbling poetry in their notebook. When they come across Skip, a Double Dutch team, they befriend the members—and decide to join, too. For the first time ever, Jay has a place to belong—and friends to confide in.
But Jay’s friendship with their new bestie Beah is intense, both in and out of Double Dutch. As Beah and Jay help each other grow into the people they will become, it challenges their friendship and their own identities.
This charming “slice of life” graphic novel is about accepting yourself, navigating "first love" friendship, and finding your own voice. It’s rendered in debut author-illustrator Sarah Burgess’s gorgeous art style ribboned with playful humor and sports drama.
“Sequences snake across the page, mimicking the billowing of a jump rope, while sparingly employed structured panels zoom in on emotions or change perspective, complementing the fluid, motion-filled ambiance of Burgess’s endearing debut.” - Publisher's Weekly
"The colors and physical expressions pop in nearly every panel. Burgess is already a masterful visual storyteller and will be fun to watch. ... Skip! belongs in every library serving middle schoolers and deserves tween book discussion group awareness." - School Library Journal
“A journey of self-discovery, creativity, and belonging centers a sweet, uplifting story of friendship and ambition.” - Kirkus Reviews
"This is, appropriately, not one to be skipped.” - The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
December 3, 2023
Review originally posted here: https://samsstudios.substack.com/p/we...
Jay, like many artistically inclined teenagers, is pretty socially isolated, spending most of their free time at home writing poetry. That is until, at their mother’s suggestion, they search for an after-school club where they could fit in. They try dance to no success before bumping into Double Dutch expert Beah who invites them to her team Skip. Friendship ensues from there along with the obligatory YA intergroup and interpersonal drama.
Sarah Burgess’s debut published graphic novel has a lot of light-hearted fun to offer through its love for Double-Dutch and the organic cast dynamics manifesting through it. The stakes are relatively low clique rivalry fare that’ll primarily appeal and be relatable to the book’s young target audience while the game aspects will rouse the attention of a wider range of readers due to the engaging presentation. It’s common for sports-themed stories to be so caught up in their character drama that the sport is relegated to a backdrop, but I can sense here just as much effort is put into representing the game itself.
While I’m neutral towards Double Dutch, these pages grabbed my full attention which I would attribute to the freeform composition drawing you into the action with the ropes feeling like a separate entity controlling the scene. Moments like when the colors are outside of their lines accentuate the game’s high intensity from the player’s POV.
Of course, even with great choreography, a story needs a good cast to stand on its legs which I think Skip! does succeed in. Jay develops into a more socially outgoing person over the book’s course but retains their introverted tendencies so their change never feels sudden. Beah is the enthusiastic friend who’s happy to invite other people to her hobby but can get too passionate about it which does become a point of conflict between her and Jay later during the book. Although adults don’t have a major presence, the few ones that are shown are genuinely sympathetic, especially Jay’s mom. Similar to many parents, she doesn’t get all of her kid’s motions, but her intentions are always in the right place. Furthermore, she goes out of her way to support Jay’s creative pursuits while encouraging them to venture outside of their comfort zone and giving them personal space where needed.
Overall, Skip! did not skip a beat in crafting an engaging plot with animated choreography. I would highly recommend it to middle-grade and YA readers looking for a light entertaining read that’ll elicit some smiles and excitement.
Thank you Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jay, like many artistically inclined teenagers, is pretty socially isolated, spending most of their free time at home writing poetry. That is until, at their mother’s suggestion, they search for an after-school club where they could fit in. They try dance to no success before bumping into Double Dutch expert Beah who invites them to her team Skip. Friendship ensues from there along with the obligatory YA intergroup and interpersonal drama.
Sarah Burgess’s debut published graphic novel has a lot of light-hearted fun to offer through its love for Double-Dutch and the organic cast dynamics manifesting through it. The stakes are relatively low clique rivalry fare that’ll primarily appeal and be relatable to the book’s young target audience while the game aspects will rouse the attention of a wider range of readers due to the engaging presentation. It’s common for sports-themed stories to be so caught up in their character drama that the sport is relegated to a backdrop, but I can sense here just as much effort is put into representing the game itself.
While I’m neutral towards Double Dutch, these pages grabbed my full attention which I would attribute to the freeform composition drawing you into the action with the ropes feeling like a separate entity controlling the scene. Moments like when the colors are outside of their lines accentuate the game’s high intensity from the player’s POV.
Of course, even with great choreography, a story needs a good cast to stand on its legs which I think Skip! does succeed in. Jay develops into a more socially outgoing person over the book’s course but retains their introverted tendencies so their change never feels sudden. Beah is the enthusiastic friend who’s happy to invite other people to her hobby but can get too passionate about it which does become a point of conflict between her and Jay later during the book. Although adults don’t have a major presence, the few ones that are shown are genuinely sympathetic, especially Jay’s mom. Similar to many parents, she doesn’t get all of her kid’s motions, but her intentions are always in the right place. Furthermore, she goes out of her way to support Jay’s creative pursuits while encouraging them to venture outside of their comfort zone and giving them personal space where needed.
Overall, Skip! did not skip a beat in crafting an engaging plot with animated choreography. I would highly recommend it to middle-grade and YA readers looking for a light entertaining read that’ll elicit some smiles and excitement.
Thank you Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2023
Hmmmm. This is a hard one for me to review. It started off challenging because of a combination of things, but most critically was the artwork. I just didn't like the way it was drawn, and as a result, it took me much longer to get into the story and the characters. There is pretty good character development, and the plot works through some things that are important life lessons, especially in middle school. I did, however, find that Jay's relationship with their parents and sibling was never dealt with in a way that resolved things. And I get that in real life, things don't wrap up with a nice bow, but I felt that they were never able to really work through the home challenges. And while everything with Beah worked out well, I'm not sure that she ever learned to be a better friend to Jay and the others. They were there to support her, but she was not as ready to support them.
What I did find unexpected was the fact that Jay's music did not factor into the final skip elements, and for a book that was very focused on double dutch, it wasn't really that key and faded into the background. And maybe that's why this was a bit harder for me to really embrace because I went into the book thinking that the skipping would factor more prominently and, in the end, it did not.
There was also a section at the start that really confused me when Jay was being bullied and Beah all of a sudden appeared. I didn't get the impression that their schools were THAT close together ....
But despite a rocky start, it was a good read. Still wish the art had been stronger.
*I received an ARC via NetGalley.
What I did find unexpected was the fact that Jay's music did not factor into the final skip elements, and for a book that was very focused on double dutch, it wasn't really that key and faded into the background. And maybe that's why this was a bit harder for me to really embrace because I went into the book thinking that the skipping would factor more prominently and, in the end, it did not.
There was also a section at the start that really confused me when Jay was being bullied and Beah all of a sudden appeared. I didn't get the impression that their schools were THAT close together ....
But despite a rocky start, it was a good read. Still wish the art had been stronger.
*I received an ARC via NetGalley.
May 19, 2023
I didn't like this book.
First of all, the main characters. Jay was such a pushover and their obsession with Beah was... a lot. I did not get it.
Beah was obnoxious and terrible. I just disliked her character so much.
The characters in general would all behave in a completely over the top manner and it was exhausting to read.
The art wasn't terrible, but not great either. The panels were so full too, and sometimes the text was just all over the place, which made the pages feel cluttered.
So yeah, I personally wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
[I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
First of all, the main characters. Jay was such a pushover and their obsession with Beah was... a lot. I did not get it.
Beah was obnoxious and terrible. I just disliked her character so much.
The characters in general would all behave in a completely over the top manner and it was exhausting to read.
The art wasn't terrible, but not great either. The panels were so full too, and sometimes the text was just all over the place, which made the pages feel cluttered.
So yeah, I personally wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
[I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
May 5, 2023
i feel weird being the first goodreads review of this book,,
i was just aimlessly scrolling on netgalley when i decided to read this, and i had no idea i'd love it so much?!! it genuinely had me beaming at some parts its so so sweet
firstly, the art is soo gorgeous and doesn't follow your "typical" comic/graphic novel format, by which i mean the panels flow into each other on the page and are still coherent and easy to read, and i loved that ! the art also kind of reminded me of heartstopper? something to do with the brushes? idk i'm not an artist,,,
this book follows jay, a nonbinary(?) kid who doesn't really fit in much, but makes friends who are interested in double dutch :) if you don't know what double dutch is, google defines it as 'a game in which two long jump ropes turning in opposite directions are jumped by one or more players jumping simultaneously.' its also associated with new york hip-hop culture. the more you know!
it shows jay as they embrace their talent in writing and lyricism, and their nuanced friendship with beah, and what making friends and embracing your interests is like for teens in general.
the only thing that i didn't like about it was how flat the characters were :( they didn't really have purpose or personality except for their respective passions. i also wish jay's gender non-conformity was mentioned more than simply one line where they mention not knowing whether they're a boy or a girl, but it was still nice to see how everyone respected them.
overall i'd really recommend this !! it was really sweet and the art is gorgeous :)
...i'm gonna go watch double dutch championships on youtube now, goodbye.
arc from netgalley !
i was just aimlessly scrolling on netgalley when i decided to read this, and i had no idea i'd love it so much?!! it genuinely had me beaming at some parts its so so sweet
firstly, the art is soo gorgeous and doesn't follow your "typical" comic/graphic novel format, by which i mean the panels flow into each other on the page and are still coherent and easy to read, and i loved that ! the art also kind of reminded me of heartstopper? something to do with the brushes? idk i'm not an artist,,,
this book follows jay, a nonbinary(?) kid who doesn't really fit in much, but makes friends who are interested in double dutch :) if you don't know what double dutch is, google defines it as 'a game in which two long jump ropes turning in opposite directions are jumped by one or more players jumping simultaneously.' its also associated with new york hip-hop culture. the more you know!
it shows jay as they embrace their talent in writing and lyricism, and their nuanced friendship with beah, and what making friends and embracing your interests is like for teens in general.
the only thing that i didn't like about it was how flat the characters were :( they didn't really have purpose or personality except for their respective passions. i also wish jay's gender non-conformity was mentioned more than simply one line where they mention not knowing whether they're a boy or a girl, but it was still nice to see how everyone respected them.
overall i'd really recommend this !! it was really sweet and the art is gorgeous :)
...i'm gonna go watch double dutch championships on youtube now, goodbye.
arc from netgalley !
August 2, 2023
This graphic novel didn't really work for me, sadly. I loved seeing a nonbinary main character and I always love a focus on friendship, so those elements were great. But the art style didn't work for me, which prevented me from feeling emotionally invested. I also didn't feel very invested in the plot because it focused on Double Dutch a lot when the main character didn't even really like it, which made it hard to care about it as the reader. I also couldn't really follow along with how the friendship progressed, which felt very sudden to me at times.
May 6, 2023
I’d like to thank edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. We follow Jay a solitary teen who is still trying to find out who they really are. They meet a new friend who is into double Dutch and help the team practise. I feel this graphic novel is about finding out who you really are and how it feels to find friends who know the real you. An interesting, fun read, I enjoyed the art that went with it.
December 29, 2023
i wanted to like this one WAY more than i did, unfortunately. the concept sounded great and i was excited to read it. I didn’t love the drawing style because sometimes it was hard to tell who was saying what or the order of dialogue on the page. i was confused about the timeline because it all seemed to take place during one school year, but it seemed like with Jay meeting the team after the setup of the book, and prep for a big competition which would take a while, that Jay’s calendar at the end of the noon wouldn’t say it was mid-September? while on the surface it seemed like everything wrapped up well, i don’t think it was clear how poorly a certain character treated Jay and other people on the team at times, and i don’t think anything really showed whether or not she actually has learned to be a better friend or they all just decided to let it go and are instantly besties again? I wanted to learn more about the art club, too, and I wish there has been more resolution with Jay and his mom and bother and between the Skip team and the other team too (maybe showing what happened at the competition?)
May 24, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for the review copy!
2.5 ⭐
This is a hard one to review. I liked the idea and message about finding something you like while being yourself but too many things didn't work for me.
I never got the feeling that they all learned from what their group is going through and how they could do better in the future by communicating more.
2.5 ⭐
This is a hard one to review. I liked the idea and message about finding something you like while being yourself but too many things didn't work for me.
I never got the feeling that they all learned from what their group is going through and how they could do better in the future by communicating more.
June 2, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for my to review******
3 stars. Skip! Is a graphic novel that explores the struggle of discovering yourself while also discovering how to be a friend. I loved the art style!! The characters felt so alive and in action the whole time. It felt punchy and quick. I appreciated the NB rep and the history of Double Dutch. I do wish Beah had a moment of private reflection because I think it would have added to the self accountability needed in friendships. I would have also loved to see Beah support Jay doing something they wanted ie: like an open mic. However, this story was sweet and fun.
3 stars. Skip! Is a graphic novel that explores the struggle of discovering yourself while also discovering how to be a friend. I loved the art style!! The characters felt so alive and in action the whole time. It felt punchy and quick. I appreciated the NB rep and the history of Double Dutch. I do wish Beah had a moment of private reflection because I think it would have added to the self accountability needed in friendships. I would have also loved to see Beah support Jay doing something they wanted ie: like an open mic. However, this story was sweet and fun.
May 16, 2023
3,5 stars
this captures high school friendship dramas so well, how introverts always has to wait until an extrovert adopt them but the next thing they know they were being isolated from other potential friends. I love that the dialogues written in messy handwriting, not the neat typed text so somehow it makes the story more alive and real. But at the end, I still couldn't over that one character that was acting very concerning and didn't addressed properly. So that's that
this captures high school friendship dramas so well, how introverts always has to wait until an extrovert adopt them but the next thing they know they were being isolated from other potential friends. I love that the dialogues written in messy handwriting, not the neat typed text so somehow it makes the story more alive and real. But at the end, I still couldn't over that one character that was acting very concerning and didn't addressed properly. So that's that
May 29, 2023
Thanks Netgalley for the copy!
I’m afraid I thought this graphic novel was messy in terms of not explaining whats really going on, it just felt pretty confusing tbh….
I’m afraid I thought this graphic novel was messy in terms of not explaining whats really going on, it just felt pretty confusing tbh….
January 13, 2024
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were in no way influenced by receiving this copy.
This was a hard one to get through, and it's not because of the topic matter (that was very light), but just everything about this wasn't good. The panels were sloppy and all over the place. The dialog did not follow normal bubble pattern where you knew exactly what text to read next, it jumped all over and on more than one occasion I read the whole thing out of order because it simply didn't flow properly. There was no distinction between what was said in Jay's head vs what they actually spoke out loud. And the art in general was plain ugly and sloppy. And there were times the print was so microscopically small I could barely read it, call me old and blind if you must but I shouldn't have to squint to read a text in a book.
The story itself was also bad. The timeline made no sense. You think that some events happen on the same day, but they could also be weeks apart? And I swear the competition happened twice in the book too. I don't understand how Jay can call Beah their best friend when they barely spent any time together? Unless there was some time jump I missed? And what was even the point of bringing in Annabelle to just completely write her out after the one time she exists in the book? I think this author had way too many things they wanted to see happen, didn't give themselves enough pages to do it, and just fudged it to make it work.
Jay was a nonexistent friend. A bad friend at times. Ashwin only comes along to be a weird semi-love interest? And then disappears, only to come back when it's convenient again. And Beah is just straight up a bad friend (and she's bad at double-dutch, because on no page did we ever actually see her do well. She only ever messes up).
This was a hard one to get through, and it's not because of the topic matter (that was very light), but just everything about this wasn't good. The panels were sloppy and all over the place. The dialog did not follow normal bubble pattern where you knew exactly what text to read next, it jumped all over and on more than one occasion I read the whole thing out of order because it simply didn't flow properly. There was no distinction between what was said in Jay's head vs what they actually spoke out loud. And the art in general was plain ugly and sloppy. And there were times the print was so microscopically small I could barely read it, call me old and blind if you must but I shouldn't have to squint to read a text in a book.
The story itself was also bad. The timeline made no sense. You think that some events happen on the same day, but they could also be weeks apart? And I swear the competition happened twice in the book too. I don't understand how Jay can call Beah their best friend when they barely spent any time together? Unless there was some time jump I missed? And what was even the point of bringing in Annabelle to just completely write her out after the one time she exists in the book? I think this author had way too many things they wanted to see happen, didn't give themselves enough pages to do it, and just fudged it to make it work.
Jay was a nonexistent friend. A bad friend at times. Ashwin only comes along to be a weird semi-love interest? And then disappears, only to come back when it's convenient again. And Beah is just straight up a bad friend (and she's bad at double-dutch, because on no page did we ever actually see her do well. She only ever messes up).
August 20, 2023
4 stars!
A charming and whimsical graphic novel about a young enby teen named Jay who just wants to feel loved and be creative. Jay is an introverted kid who has social anxiety, is awkward, and doesn't feel like they belong anywhere. Until one day they meet the enthusiastic and ambitious Beah, a young girl who loves to double dutch with her friends. Jay along with the others starts doing jump rope creating a new chapter for them. But things get complicated as people shift and goals cause friendships to become complicated.
I was charmed by this graphic novel, first by the art and secondly by Jay. The art of the book was gorgeous, the characters felt genuine and there was a flow to the scenes that captured a child's wild and creative mind perfectly. Jay reminded me of myself as a kid (and sometimes as an adult), a shy queer kid who uses literature to find themselves in a scary and loud world. I appreciated such a realistic depiction of the anxious people pleaser mind, and how through their friends, Jay learned that they already have value and worth. One of the novel's main themes was friendships and some of the hurdles we must overcome to grow and mature. Beah and Jay's friendship was sweet but also real as it showed how we must work on our own fears and hearts to not hurt our connections with others. I highly recommend this book to people of all ages, as it might help younger people to value themselves and not feel shame for their hobbies and passions. But also it might remind older readers to come back to the childlike way of seeing the world, where kindness and creativity are a priority.
A charming and whimsical graphic novel about a young enby teen named Jay who just wants to feel loved and be creative. Jay is an introverted kid who has social anxiety, is awkward, and doesn't feel like they belong anywhere. Until one day they meet the enthusiastic and ambitious Beah, a young girl who loves to double dutch with her friends. Jay along with the others starts doing jump rope creating a new chapter for them. But things get complicated as people shift and goals cause friendships to become complicated.
I was charmed by this graphic novel, first by the art and secondly by Jay. The art of the book was gorgeous, the characters felt genuine and there was a flow to the scenes that captured a child's wild and creative mind perfectly. Jay reminded me of myself as a kid (and sometimes as an adult), a shy queer kid who uses literature to find themselves in a scary and loud world. I appreciated such a realistic depiction of the anxious people pleaser mind, and how through their friends, Jay learned that they already have value and worth. One of the novel's main themes was friendships and some of the hurdles we must overcome to grow and mature. Beah and Jay's friendship was sweet but also real as it showed how we must work on our own fears and hearts to not hurt our connections with others. I highly recommend this book to people of all ages, as it might help younger people to value themselves and not feel shame for their hobbies and passions. But also it might remind older readers to come back to the childlike way of seeing the world, where kindness and creativity are a priority.
June 13, 2023
4.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
The story explores the highs and lows of high school friendships. Jay is nonbinary and really shy, and spends most of their time with their head in their notebook, writing rhymes, until they meet Beah and get drawn into playing Double Dutch with her and her friends.
This is a really charming comic. It has an art style that's really loose and free that works really well with the fast movement of the jump rope, and I'm sure fans of Heartstopper would enjoy this art.
While the story focuses on friendship and not romance, it focuses around how a new relationship can really take over your whole life and how difficult it can sometimes be to focus on yourself and your hobbies outside of that relationship.
I don't know if this comic is a standalone or if it's going to have more volumes, but there were a few things that felt a little unfinished (I thought the bully character was going to have more of an impact to the story), and the ending was a tiny bit rushed.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
The story explores the highs and lows of high school friendships. Jay is nonbinary and really shy, and spends most of their time with their head in their notebook, writing rhymes, until they meet Beah and get drawn into playing Double Dutch with her and her friends.
This is a really charming comic. It has an art style that's really loose and free that works really well with the fast movement of the jump rope, and I'm sure fans of Heartstopper would enjoy this art.
While the story focuses on friendship and not romance, it focuses around how a new relationship can really take over your whole life and how difficult it can sometimes be to focus on yourself and your hobbies outside of that relationship.
I don't know if this comic is a standalone or if it's going to have more volumes, but there were a few things that felt a little unfinished (I thought the bully character was going to have more of an impact to the story), and the ending was a tiny bit rushed.
August 29, 2023
I enjoyed this immensely in parts and my eye twitched in others. I’m here for all the rep, so the fact that Jay is Enby was a huge plus to me. This wasn’t a book about their sexuality or bullying, it was a book where they just were. And we need more books that normalize using the correct pronouns for a character.
Bea was a lot. I’ve known driven people before, but none so intensely as her. There were times that I wanted Jay to kick her in the shin, but they did not… and I lived through it. 🤷🏻♂️ I feel like she was under a lot of stress, which resulted in her taking her frustrations out on her friends.
The art style is more sketchy than most of the graphic novels I’ve read. It gave a very unfinished, sketchbook feel and I kind of loved it. It may not be the style everyone loves, but I appreciate Skip! standing out by using a different approach.
This was a character driven story that focused on friendship and growth over romance, so go into it with that in mind. I didn’t need romance, so I’m glad it wasn’t forced.
Bea was a lot. I’ve known driven people before, but none so intensely as her. There were times that I wanted Jay to kick her in the shin, but they did not… and I lived through it. 🤷🏻♂️ I feel like she was under a lot of stress, which resulted in her taking her frustrations out on her friends.
The art style is more sketchy than most of the graphic novels I’ve read. It gave a very unfinished, sketchbook feel and I kind of loved it. It may not be the style everyone loves, but I appreciate Skip! standing out by using a different approach.
This was a character driven story that focused on friendship and growth over romance, so go into it with that in mind. I didn’t need romance, so I’m glad it wasn’t forced.
September 3, 2023
I received a free ARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Jay needs an afterschool hobby and a place to fit in. Jay meets and starts to fall for Beah who is obsessed with double-dutch and joins her team. Jay is better at poetry and making rhymes, but Jay’s skill at helping the beat of the ropes helps the team. Jay starts to realize they want more than just double-dutch and Beah gets upset by this. Jay needs a place to fit in, but also wants to keep their friends.
There were things I liked about this book and things I didn’t. I liked the ease of the LGBTQ+ inclusivity – but I had issues with the story flow through the artwork. The artwork didn’t move my eye through the panels well. I also wanted more focus on Jay finding their place and the ending didn’t quite nail it for me. Beah was a little sharp in personality and I felt it could have been tackled a bit more. The story was readable and unique, I wanted to keep reading.
There were things I liked about this book and things I didn’t. I liked the ease of the LGBTQ+ inclusivity – but I had issues with the story flow through the artwork. The artwork didn’t move my eye through the panels well. I also wanted more focus on Jay finding their place and the ending didn’t quite nail it for me. Beah was a little sharp in personality and I felt it could have been tackled a bit more. The story was readable and unique, I wanted to keep reading.
September 11, 2023
First of all, thank you Netgalley for provinding this eARC for an honest review. #Skip #NetGalley
Sadly, this graphic novel didn't really work for me even if I liked it and it was sooo easy and quickly to read (note that i know nothing about double dutch and English is not my mothertongue). In this book, we can find Jay, a nonbinary(?) kid who doesn't really fit in much, but makes friends who are interested in double dutch.
While the art was gorgeous (it doesn't follow the classic format, panels just flow into each other), I had some problems with the characters, they are flat, soooo focused in their interests. Moreover, I didn't like how much Jay (was/were?) obsessed with Beah and neither I like the development of the friendship, it felt like it was going too fast.
On the other hand, I must admit that I knew nothing about double dutch and thanks to this book I search a bit about it but I didn't think it was going to be the main character.
Sadly, this graphic novel didn't really work for me even if I liked it and it was sooo easy and quickly to read (note that i know nothing about double dutch and English is not my mothertongue). In this book, we can find Jay, a nonbinary(?) kid who doesn't really fit in much, but makes friends who are interested in double dutch.
While the art was gorgeous (it doesn't follow the classic format, panels just flow into each other), I had some problems with the characters, they are flat, soooo focused in their interests. Moreover, I didn't like how much Jay (was/were?) obsessed with Beah and neither I like the development of the friendship, it felt like it was going too fast.
On the other hand, I must admit that I knew nothing about double dutch and thanks to this book I search a bit about it but I didn't think it was going to be the main character.
October 22, 2023
An extremely cute teen comic about -- well, it's not really about double dutch, actually, it's about finding your voice, and learning not to overpower people. I love that we had a nonbinary lead and that wasn't a big deal, and the beginning crushes you can see, and the strong friendships. The way the characters hurt each other when they were upset felt very real as well. I feel like it didn't entirely end at the right place -- it resolved the central conflict, but it felt like there was no denoument to it -- but it is still well-paced and charming and takes its time with the story it wants to tell.
April 26, 2024
cute and a quick read but kind of disappointing? the characters and plot just sort of fell flat to me & it felt kind of messy and unfocused. it just felt sort of like a first draft that would've worked better with some more editing and a clearer idea of the story it was trying to tell
dnf
November 15, 2023Dnf @ page 54- it was fine, just not grabbing my attention, and I don’t care for the sloppier art style
January 26, 2024
Cute and good rep. Not a standout for me though.
July 1, 2024
SKIP! High High Energy comic with action that goes SWOOSH! And dialogue that SWOOPS! And friendship that SWOONS!
The motion of this story is just as powerful as the plot. Finding belonging when you're different or shy or scared or passionate or casually sliding by. It's a great representation of how you're allowed to take up space exactly as you are.
The motion of this story is just as powerful as the plot. Finding belonging when you're different or shy or scared or passionate or casually sliding by. It's a great representation of how you're allowed to take up space exactly as you are.
May 9, 2023
Skip is about a young person named Jay who gets caught up in the world of double-dutch after meeting a new friend who has a team. It’s about Jay learning what it means to be a friend and has themes of bullying and rivalry from another double-dutch team in their area.
I liked it but I didn’t LOVE it. The friendship dynamic felt odd, (probably because the characters are so young)
Beah is just not really a great friend and is actually pretty selfish. But I think readers are supposed to like her and Jay’s friendship anyways? It’s kind of unclear whether she’s supposed to be seen as a good friend or a bad one. The story did feel pretty rushed and random at times, with new characters popping out of nowhere(beats brother in the cafeteria scene). I’m not really sure what the main message of the book would be because Beah doesn’t really evolve as a character in my opinion, she just seems to expect everyone to bend to her life which I wasn’t a fan of. I can see the vision for the story I just think it could’ve gone so much further and instead fell kinda flat. This is making the book sound really bad but I genuinely don’t regret reading it so if the book sounds interesting and you think you might like you should definitely read it. I think this book would definitely be better liked by middle graders or a generally younger audience. I did really like the art style it was gorgeous all the outfits,coloring and general aesthetic/colors of the characters and settings were really cool. Although I didn’t connect to this particular story, I did like the art so will probably read other graphic novels by this author in the future it wasn’t poorly written it just wasn’t fleshed out enough for me.
I liked it but I didn’t LOVE it. The friendship dynamic felt odd, (probably because the characters are so young)
Beah is just not really a great friend and is actually pretty selfish. But I think readers are supposed to like her and Jay’s friendship anyways? It’s kind of unclear whether she’s supposed to be seen as a good friend or a bad one. The story did feel pretty rushed and random at times, with new characters popping out of nowhere(beats brother in the cafeteria scene). I’m not really sure what the main message of the book would be because Beah doesn’t really evolve as a character in my opinion, she just seems to expect everyone to bend to her life which I wasn’t a fan of. I can see the vision for the story I just think it could’ve gone so much further and instead fell kinda flat. This is making the book sound really bad but I genuinely don’t regret reading it so if the book sounds interesting and you think you might like you should definitely read it. I think this book would definitely be better liked by middle graders or a generally younger audience. I did really like the art style it was gorgeous all the outfits,coloring and general aesthetic/colors of the characters and settings were really cool. Although I didn’t connect to this particular story, I did like the art so will probably read other graphic novels by this author in the future it wasn’t poorly written it just wasn’t fleshed out enough for me.
June 29, 2024
This one was really fun about finding your first best friend! It is about double dutch which is a type of jump roping for those who don’t know. I really like this one and its characters! 🥰 It’s also a very colorful read. Our MC also uses they/them pronouns. 🫶
June 2, 2023
Skip is a cute graphic novel about Jay making friends with a double dutch team and learning their world. The story deals with finding out where you fit in, testing friendships and rivalries.
First off,I wanted to love this story but I just kinda liked it. The art was a little too messy for me, which made it hard to follow sometimes. But it is cute and colorful. I could see kids enjoying it.
I loved the non-binary representation in the form of our main character Jay. They were trying to figure out where they belonged by meeting new people and trying new things. I liked that about them.
Honestly though I don't feel like the conflict between Jay and bestie Beah was handled enough. There was some really toxic and unfair behavior from Beah that I wanted to see discussed more but it was kinda glossed over. Also I feel like we could have spent a little more time with the other friends and how everyone felt about Beah's behavior. I also felt like the double dutch barely factored into the ending. I assumed we would get a little more of that.
I would say this is a quick story, with some surface lessons about friendship and being yourself, that a middle grader can enjoy. But don't look too it to be deep or polished.
Thanks to Netgally for this free arc.
First off,I wanted to love this story but I just kinda liked it. The art was a little too messy for me, which made it hard to follow sometimes. But it is cute and colorful. I could see kids enjoying it.
I loved the non-binary representation in the form of our main character Jay. They were trying to figure out where they belonged by meeting new people and trying new things. I liked that about them.
Honestly though I don't feel like the conflict between Jay and bestie Beah was handled enough. There was some really toxic and unfair behavior from Beah that I wanted to see discussed more but it was kinda glossed over. Also I feel like we could have spent a little more time with the other friends and how everyone felt about Beah's behavior. I also felt like the double dutch barely factored into the ending. I assumed we would get a little more of that.
I would say this is a quick story, with some surface lessons about friendship and being yourself, that a middle grader can enjoy. But don't look too it to be deep or polished.
Thanks to Netgally for this free arc.
May 8, 2023
ARC - 3.5 stars
This was an enjoyable read that I finished in one setting. I like the inclusive characters and the complexity of the relationships depicted in this graphic novel. The artwork was engaging and there was an overall message of acceptance and finding one's voice. I would recommend this to teenagers between 12 and 15 who may be struggling with their identity and fitting in.
This was an enjoyable read that I finished in one setting. I like the inclusive characters and the complexity of the relationships depicted in this graphic novel. The artwork was engaging and there was an overall message of acceptance and finding one's voice. I would recommend this to teenagers between 12 and 15 who may be struggling with their identity and fitting in.
November 27, 2023
What I loved:
- The story is an experience everyone has had - a fight with a friend when it feels like that friend is your whole world - but told through the sport of double dutch, which was new and fresh for me
- This is a story about a sweet non-binary kid - but the book is not about them being non-binary! They just are! Their pronouns are just used properly and them being enby is only mentioned once!
- Skip! is perfectly written for the intended age audience (8-12 years). It normalizes difficulty within great friendships and honors platonic love
What I didn’t love:
- I felt the story ended without the core of the conflict being addressed. That is totally realistic for the age group Burgess wrote about! But the characters might have modeled better conflict resolution if they’d gotten to the heart of the conflict (Beah prioritizing her interest over Jay’s) instead of talking around it (Beah saying it’s ok if Jay doesn’t like double dutch.) I know - spoken like a true educator. But still!
- The story is an experience everyone has had - a fight with a friend when it feels like that friend is your whole world - but told through the sport of double dutch, which was new and fresh for me
- This is a story about a sweet non-binary kid - but the book is not about them being non-binary! They just are! Their pronouns are just used properly and them being enby is only mentioned once!
- Skip! is perfectly written for the intended age audience (8-12 years). It normalizes difficulty within great friendships and honors platonic love
What I didn’t love:
- I felt the story ended without the core of the conflict being addressed. That is totally realistic for the age group Burgess wrote about! But the characters might have modeled better conflict resolution if they’d gotten to the heart of the conflict (Beah prioritizing her interest over Jay’s) instead of talking around it (Beah saying it’s ok if Jay doesn’t like double dutch.) I know - spoken like a true educator. But still!
August 14, 2024
Had to stop reading entirely. Didn’t make sense. The drawing bubbles made it difficult to know where the eye should land. The book SCANTLY mentions Double Dutch history and its connection to black culture, then proceeds to make the 1 unambiguously black main character the villain and a “bad friend.”
I was truly expecting a book that would honor the deep history black women, black girls, and black femmes have contributed to the sport. This author needs some cultural sensitivity training. Rap? Really? Is that how she thinks double Dutch chants are created? Calling the one black girl, strong?
The book is written like the author read about double Dutch then proceeded to write a book that erased 90% of the black history from what she learned.
Skip this read entirely.
I was truly expecting a book that would honor the deep history black women, black girls, and black femmes have contributed to the sport. This author needs some cultural sensitivity training. Rap? Really? Is that how she thinks double Dutch chants are created? Calling the one black girl, strong?
The book is written like the author read about double Dutch then proceeded to write a book that erased 90% of the black history from what she learned.
Skip this read entirely.
May 26, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
I enjoyed the art style and it's always nice to read about non-binary characters where their gender is not the central focus of the story. This was a nice, brief story about friendship, teamwork, and creativity. However, I didn't feel like it brought anything new and exciting to the middle grade graphic novel genre, and it all wrapped up so quickly that I didn't get very invested in the characters. I'd recommend it to kids 8-12 who are looking for a quick and easy read or have a real interest in double dutch!
I enjoyed the art style and it's always nice to read about non-binary characters where their gender is not the central focus of the story. This was a nice, brief story about friendship, teamwork, and creativity. However, I didn't feel like it brought anything new and exciting to the middle grade graphic novel genre, and it all wrapped up so quickly that I didn't get very invested in the characters. I'd recommend it to kids 8-12 who are looking for a quick and easy read or have a real interest in double dutch!
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