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Fresh Start
From New York Times bestselling author Gale Galligan comes a funny and vibrant semi-autobiographical middle-grade graphic novel about friendship and belonging.
Ollie Herisson's dad is a diplomat, which means her family moves around a lot. She has already lived in Singapore, Korea, France, and the United States. When Ollie starts at a new school, she doesn't worry about making a good impression because she knows that when her family inevitably moves again, she'll get a fresh start somewhere else. A complete reset. It doesn't matter if her classmates think she's weird for pretending that she lives in the world of an imagined anime, or if she makes an enemy out of the most popular girl in her class, or if she just does something hugely embarrassing! And it definitely doesn't matter that all her mom wants is for Ollie to be more of a proper Thai daughter.
But after moving from Germany to Virginia and having a mortifying first day at her new school, Ollie is shocked to learn that her parents are going to buy a house so that Ollie and her sister, Cat, can finish grade school in one place. Can Ollie figure out how to both be herself and make real friends when she can't run away from her life?
Ollie Herisson's dad is a diplomat, which means her family moves around a lot. She has already lived in Singapore, Korea, France, and the United States. When Ollie starts at a new school, she doesn't worry about making a good impression because she knows that when her family inevitably moves again, she'll get a fresh start somewhere else. A complete reset. It doesn't matter if her classmates think she's weird for pretending that she lives in the world of an imagined anime, or if she makes an enemy out of the most popular girl in her class, or if she just does something hugely embarrassing! And it definitely doesn't matter that all her mom wants is for Ollie to be more of a proper Thai daughter.
But after moving from Germany to Virginia and having a mortifying first day at her new school, Ollie is shocked to learn that her parents are going to buy a house so that Ollie and her sister, Cat, can finish grade school in one place. Can Ollie figure out how to both be herself and make real friends when she can't run away from her life?
288 pages, Paperback
Published January 7, 2025
167 people are currently reading
600 people want to read
About the author
Gale Galligan
31 books461 followersGale Galligan is a New York Times bestselling cartoonist and shrimp chip enthusiast. They’re known for their four BABY-SITTERS CLUB graphic novel adaptations. You can also spot them in The Claudia Kishi Club, a wonderful short documentary on Netflix.
Gale holds an MFA in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design. When they aren’t making comics, Gale enjoys knitting, reading, and spending time with their roomies: Lemon the leopard gecko, rabbits Dipper and Penny, Patrick the husband, and Robin the child. They live in Rockland County, New York.
Gale holds an MFA in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design. When they aren’t making comics, Gale enjoys knitting, reading, and spending time with their roomies: Lemon the leopard gecko, rabbits Dipper and Penny, Patrick the husband, and Robin the child. They live in Rockland County, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
March 20, 2025
This took me a little longer to finish than usual BUT I did enjoy it. Fresh Start is definitely one of those titles that is for the middle school reader that is a fan of books like Smile and BSC graphic novels. Though it doesn’t necessarily do everything new thematically (we see a lot of common themes in other middle grade graphic novels), I think that Galligan provides insight to Thai culture as well as their experience moving around from place to place, constantly having to start over and make new friends. For someone who has never experienced that, it is eye opening to see how impactful it can be in how a child views themself and others around them. The story was engaging and the illustrations were immaculate as always. I’m looking forward to picking up more by Galligan soon.
September 19, 2025
I miss when my kids had me read comics to them all the time. We had this whole routine where at bedtime we’d alternate between a novel one night and a graphic novel the next. This method meant that we went through a LOT of comics for kids. I always had a pile by the bed, and when we finished one I’d spread out all the possibilities and they’d select the next one that interested them. But while graphic novels for kids retain their popularity, even as other types of literature wax and wane, children grow up. They seek out older fare. And here I am, a librarian with a specialty in children’s books, now watching the hoards of unread kids comics pile up, pile up, pile up on my To be Read shelf. It’s intimidating. In a sea of comics, how do you know which ones to read first? One technique is to find someone tried and true. Someone with a keen sense of humor, an eclectic drawing style, and who does plots in their books that no one else does. Someone who is, essentially, Gale Galligan. They’re the kind of creator who makes comics that fool you into thinking they’re like everybody else, then hit you with key, fantastic, differences. Their latest? The best of the lot. Hands down.
Ollie has it all figured out. Because of her dad’s job as a diplomat, the family is constantly moving around the world. Never settling in one place too long. Never putting down roots. And Ozzie? Ozzie LOVES it. Because when you’re never in one place for all that long, you can escape embarrassment and shameful moments easily. So imagine her surprise when Ollie and fam plop down in Chestnut Falls, Virginia and she is immediately told that they’re here to stay. Potential catastrophe! After all, Ozzie’s an incredibly outgoing and enthusiastic person, but she doesn’t know these kids. When she meets a group of kids that share her love of imagination and comics she realizes she may have found her group. But when something terrible and embarrassing happens, what then?
Like many people I first became aware of the work of Gale Galligan when they took over illustrating the Baby-sitters Club comics after Raina Telgemeier (and how interesting is it that both Gale and Raina have GNs out this year about groups of kids making comics?). Galligan’s style probably has an official term amongst comic academics that I just don’t know. It’s sort of manga-inspired with a lot of the visual tropes in place, yet it is undeniably American to its core. As part of the Scholastic Graphix line, it’s not supposed to surprise you with shifting its style. Yet Galligan, to my surprise, got much more creative with her art here. At certain key points in the narrative, Ollie draws her own comic series, so we need to see a kid-version of what a comic might look like. But even more than that, there’s this level of sophistication to each and every page. Galligan’s manga influences are worked seamlessly into the images, sometimes going almost chibi, often utilizing a fair number of visual motifs and cues. Turn to any two-page spread in this book and just marvel at the way Galligan lays out her panels. We see so many comics published these days (such a start contrast from when I first started working as a children’s librarian) but it isn’t until you read a book like Fresh Start that you begin to appreciate true skill in the medium.
I love a graphic novel for kids that looks all light and fluffy and then hits you with some serious content when you’re not expecting it. Ollie’s struggles with being bi-racial, her feeling that she’s not Thai enough, and her friend drama… those are topics I’ve seen done. They're important, and I'm very glad to see them here too, but I wouldn't say they're singular. Then there are the elements of the book that were a little different. The one that I was particularly interested in was the difference between Ollie’s relationship to her parents and her younger sister’s relationship. Do you know how difficult it is for the favored child in a family to realize that they’re really and truly their parents' favorite? Particularly if they’re the older sibling? Cat and Ollie get along, but their parents hold Cat to standards that are entirely different than Ollie's. As a result, there is a moment at the end of the book where Ollie decides to take the initiative and change things in her family that just struck me as incredible (and a helluva way to end a book too). It’s not that their parents are bad people, but they are uniquely flawed. Their mom, for example, has a tendency to use the silent treatment against them in a particularly immature and damaging way. It’s incredible to see.
Oh. And it’s funny. Galligan is also funny in real life, as it turns out. I’d never seen them in person until this year, when I watched them present in front of a room of 200-300 local educators from the Chicago area. Humor on demand is draining, yet Galligan seemed just buoyed with energy. That translates to the page, and just as the range of art styles is impressive, so too is the range of different ways of being funny. There’s just straight up jokes, of course. Situational humor. And then there’s visual humor, but that’s sort of a blanket term for the myriad ways to do humor visually. Aside from the serious moments in the book (and yes, it has some) the jokes fly fast and furious on almost every single page. I’m the kind of person who thinks that it would probably be fun to chart and graph each joke, noting what kind it is, how it was told, whether it’s visual or verbal, etc. Oh. You can talk about this all SORTS of ways.
Hot Take: Bullies are cheap ways to build emotion into your children’s book plots. They’re easy antagonists. You don’t have to give them justifications or backstories if you don’t want to, and if you do want to then you can feel good about being a writer capable of nuance. But me? I don’t like ‘em. I don’t like reading about them or getting to know them or anything. So when I see a book like Fresh Start I feel like its very existence justifies my anti-bully books stance. This book is bully bereft. Ollie doesn’t come to this new school and then have that classic encounter-the-bully-right-off-the-bat obligatory scene. And really, why insert a bully when the main character is so good at bullying herself instead?
Oh. And there are lots of facts about hedgehogs too. I was really trying to find a way to work that fact in, but couldn’t really slide it into any of these other paragraphs. Hence the teeny tiny paragraph here. Hedgehogs. They’re cool. And the one that Ollie gets as a pet is always rendered incredibly realistically, which makes sense in context, but was clearly a very conscious choice on Galligan’s part.
It's just such a relief to encounter a graphic novel quite as good as this one. It really does strike me as a perfect melding of all the ideal parts of a comic. It’s funny, but handles the serious subject matter (how to take care of a hedgehog, feelings of shame, what to do when you hurt someone, parental drama) with a steady hand. The art is accessible and fun, but also is just as ready to draw its characters in the style of Animal Crossing avatars or as mock manga. And the plot is juggling about seven different themes all at once without ever dropping a single solitary ball. Look, it’s dangerous to go about saying one book or another is perfect, and I’m sure this title has some flaws in it. I just have no possible clue what they might be. It’s the gold standard for contemporary comics for kids. More of this, please. More of this.
Ollie has it all figured out. Because of her dad’s job as a diplomat, the family is constantly moving around the world. Never settling in one place too long. Never putting down roots. And Ozzie? Ozzie LOVES it. Because when you’re never in one place for all that long, you can escape embarrassment and shameful moments easily. So imagine her surprise when Ollie and fam plop down in Chestnut Falls, Virginia and she is immediately told that they’re here to stay. Potential catastrophe! After all, Ozzie’s an incredibly outgoing and enthusiastic person, but she doesn’t know these kids. When she meets a group of kids that share her love of imagination and comics she realizes she may have found her group. But when something terrible and embarrassing happens, what then?
Like many people I first became aware of the work of Gale Galligan when they took over illustrating the Baby-sitters Club comics after Raina Telgemeier (and how interesting is it that both Gale and Raina have GNs out this year about groups of kids making comics?). Galligan’s style probably has an official term amongst comic academics that I just don’t know. It’s sort of manga-inspired with a lot of the visual tropes in place, yet it is undeniably American to its core. As part of the Scholastic Graphix line, it’s not supposed to surprise you with shifting its style. Yet Galligan, to my surprise, got much more creative with her art here. At certain key points in the narrative, Ollie draws her own comic series, so we need to see a kid-version of what a comic might look like. But even more than that, there’s this level of sophistication to each and every page. Galligan’s manga influences are worked seamlessly into the images, sometimes going almost chibi, often utilizing a fair number of visual motifs and cues. Turn to any two-page spread in this book and just marvel at the way Galligan lays out her panels. We see so many comics published these days (such a start contrast from when I first started working as a children’s librarian) but it isn’t until you read a book like Fresh Start that you begin to appreciate true skill in the medium.
I love a graphic novel for kids that looks all light and fluffy and then hits you with some serious content when you’re not expecting it. Ollie’s struggles with being bi-racial, her feeling that she’s not Thai enough, and her friend drama… those are topics I’ve seen done. They're important, and I'm very glad to see them here too, but I wouldn't say they're singular. Then there are the elements of the book that were a little different. The one that I was particularly interested in was the difference between Ollie’s relationship to her parents and her younger sister’s relationship. Do you know how difficult it is for the favored child in a family to realize that they’re really and truly their parents' favorite? Particularly if they’re the older sibling? Cat and Ollie get along, but their parents hold Cat to standards that are entirely different than Ollie's. As a result, there is a moment at the end of the book where Ollie decides to take the initiative and change things in her family that just struck me as incredible (and a helluva way to end a book too). It’s not that their parents are bad people, but they are uniquely flawed. Their mom, for example, has a tendency to use the silent treatment against them in a particularly immature and damaging way. It’s incredible to see.
Oh. And it’s funny. Galligan is also funny in real life, as it turns out. I’d never seen them in person until this year, when I watched them present in front of a room of 200-300 local educators from the Chicago area. Humor on demand is draining, yet Galligan seemed just buoyed with energy. That translates to the page, and just as the range of art styles is impressive, so too is the range of different ways of being funny. There’s just straight up jokes, of course. Situational humor. And then there’s visual humor, but that’s sort of a blanket term for the myriad ways to do humor visually. Aside from the serious moments in the book (and yes, it has some) the jokes fly fast and furious on almost every single page. I’m the kind of person who thinks that it would probably be fun to chart and graph each joke, noting what kind it is, how it was told, whether it’s visual or verbal, etc. Oh. You can talk about this all SORTS of ways.
Hot Take: Bullies are cheap ways to build emotion into your children’s book plots. They’re easy antagonists. You don’t have to give them justifications or backstories if you don’t want to, and if you do want to then you can feel good about being a writer capable of nuance. But me? I don’t like ‘em. I don’t like reading about them or getting to know them or anything. So when I see a book like Fresh Start I feel like its very existence justifies my anti-bully books stance. This book is bully bereft. Ollie doesn’t come to this new school and then have that classic encounter-the-bully-right-off-the-bat obligatory scene. And really, why insert a bully when the main character is so good at bullying herself instead?
Oh. And there are lots of facts about hedgehogs too. I was really trying to find a way to work that fact in, but couldn’t really slide it into any of these other paragraphs. Hence the teeny tiny paragraph here. Hedgehogs. They’re cool. And the one that Ollie gets as a pet is always rendered incredibly realistically, which makes sense in context, but was clearly a very conscious choice on Galligan’s part.
It's just such a relief to encounter a graphic novel quite as good as this one. It really does strike me as a perfect melding of all the ideal parts of a comic. It’s funny, but handles the serious subject matter (how to take care of a hedgehog, feelings of shame, what to do when you hurt someone, parental drama) with a steady hand. The art is accessible and fun, but also is just as ready to draw its characters in the style of Animal Crossing avatars or as mock manga. And the plot is juggling about seven different themes all at once without ever dropping a single solitary ball. Look, it’s dangerous to go about saying one book or another is perfect, and I’m sure this title has some flaws in it. I just have no possible clue what they might be. It’s the gold standard for contemporary comics for kids. More of this, please. More of this.
January 21, 2025
Based on Gale Galligan's own life, young graphic novel fans who enjoy school stories, cosplay, manga/anime or any story that features young artists will want to give this a try. This is a story about how Ollie and her sister Cat adjust to a new school in Virginia after years of moving around from one international school to another. Even though Ollie is not a girly girl and may come across as 'different' to some, she finds herself making friends with other girls at her new school. Will the friendships last? What happens when you know no longer can forget your past by starting over at a new school again? And what about her sister Cat who despite being two years younger acts more like a teen than Ollie? Will the two sisters be able to find anything to bond about?
September 3, 2024
A new MG graphic novel by @robochai partially based their childhood.
🎨
Ollie is used to moving around the world with her family. She’s lived in Singapore, Korea, France, the U.S. and now Germany, but when her dad announces they are moving to Virginia, this time permanently, Ollie must learn to adapt to American culture and what friendship means. As she deals with her gift for drawing manga, new friendships, her religion, culture and identity, it causes her to miss what her little sister, Cat, is going through. Can Ollie figure out how to survive the last fresh start?
🦸🏻♀️
I’m obsessed with this book from @graphixbooks Gale’s artwork is probably some of my favorite of all the graphic novels I read and this story! Setting this novel in a more modern time will help readers connect to it even more. I definitely teared up at the end and can see so many kids connecting with this one when it releases 1/7!
CW: cyberbullying, bullying, abandonment
🎨
Ollie is used to moving around the world with her family. She’s lived in Singapore, Korea, France, the U.S. and now Germany, but when her dad announces they are moving to Virginia, this time permanently, Ollie must learn to adapt to American culture and what friendship means. As she deals with her gift for drawing manga, new friendships, her religion, culture and identity, it causes her to miss what her little sister, Cat, is going through. Can Ollie figure out how to survive the last fresh start?
🦸🏻♀️
I’m obsessed with this book from @graphixbooks Gale’s artwork is probably some of my favorite of all the graphic novels I read and this story! Setting this novel in a more modern time will help readers connect to it even more. I definitely teared up at the end and can see so many kids connecting with this one when it releases 1/7!
CW: cyberbullying, bullying, abandonment
February 4, 2025
I thought the story was okay. Typical middle school drama about finding friends and having a passion for fandom/anime/manga, but it took way too long to get to the “ah ha” moment. It definitely did not need to be over 200 pages. I did like the illustrations, but I would have liked to know more about the Thai culture.
January 9, 2025
Pretty classic middle grade coming of age story. Will certainly be popular, especially with kids who like geeky things!
November 19, 2025
Okay I really like this book, but the parents pissed me off to no end. I love the lesson behind this book and I do think the parents improved a little towards the end of the book. But the parents truly made me rage at work.
February 19, 2025
Gale Galligan has always been an amazing illustrator, and her first graphic novel, Freestyle was so much fun. Fresh Start continues to showcase Galligan's talent. Not only was this a lot of fun and goes into art and friendship, this also depicts kids, who have to move every few years. Ollie appears to be cool about these moves and can go with the flow. Her close relationship with her sister also starts to have growing pains. But, when Ollie realizes that the rough start to school won't soon turn into a fresh start at a new school, is where this starts to shine. She has to make her way through and find her way. Galligan is a force and I can't wait to see wait to see what she does next.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
Staff Pick 3/25
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
Staff Pick 3/25
April 8, 2025
I loved this book.
The day to day life, with the added conventions, and making comics/stories with friends.
The heart ache that comes with miscommunications, and trying to live up to your parents expectations.
And then realizing that sometimes you need to be the bigger person and reach out.
It was wonderful.
The day to day life, with the added conventions, and making comics/stories with friends.
The heart ache that comes with miscommunications, and trying to live up to your parents expectations.
And then realizing that sometimes you need to be the bigger person and reach out.
It was wonderful.
March 25, 2025
I love this book especially because it’s set in my home state Va!😆 This book has great art + I love The author’s other books. I would definitely recommend all the books this author has written!❤️ - Romy age 8
March 28, 2025
Sooo adorable. Love Gale’s work
September 4, 2025
Ollie and her family move every two years, so she had a lot of experience saying goodbye to her old life and having a fresh start somewhere new. This time, her family is leaving Germany and heading to Virginia. Ollie is starting 7th grade at a regular American middle school instead of an international school.
Super cute graphic novel. It’s fun to see Ollie make friends, and make mistakes and learn from them. She also explores her Thai roots which is interesting to see. Highly recommend! (and make sure you read through to epilogue 2!)
Super cute graphic novel. It’s fun to see Ollie make friends, and make mistakes and learn from them. She also explores her Thai roots which is interesting to see. Highly recommend! (and make sure you read through to epilogue 2!)
December 25, 2025
Ollie is a seventh grader who has to make a fresh start whenever moving to a different place because of her dad’s job. She has decided she doesn’t need to try because she’ll be moving anyway. Then she finds out they may actually stay this time. This is a graphic novel about belonging, finding your people, mother-daughter relationships and embracing cultural traditions.
February 7, 2025
I found the pacing to be a little too frenetic, but there is a lot to like here. I really liked the dynamic between the two sisters and kids who like anime will eat this up.
January 20, 2025
New fictionalized graphic novel memoir perfect for middle grade readers. Lots to unpack and discuss: friendships, moving, fresh starts, family dynamics, persevering through difficult situations.
October 10, 2025
Kids in grades 4-6 are likely to rate this one with 4 or 5 stars but I preferred Galligan’s Freestyle and her Babysitter’s Club adaptations. The themes of finding friends, adjusting to change, and making things right when mistakes are made are solid, Galligan’s illustrations are spot on as always, but the kids will likely enjoy all the references to anime and manga and the main characters’ work on zines of their own more than this old, retired librarian!
Ollie, her parents and younger sister have moved often and to places all over the world due to the father’s diplomatic position and Ollie has always found the moves a great way to “reset” and leave mistakes and embarrassing moments behind when starting over in a new place. But she, unlike her sister Cat, has also never tried too hard to develop close friendships. Leaving Germany and a broken friendship behind, the whole family is moving to Virginia and this time, dad’s job will allow the family to stay in one place for a while meaning Ollie is going to have to figure out how to find and keep friends who appreciate the same things he does, namely art, comics, and everything anime and manga…plus his new pet hedgehog. Ollie does meet some like-minded classmates, finds joy in art class and begins to see Chestnut Falls as home, however, this time when he makes a big mistake with a classmate, he needs to figure out how to make things right.
Along with the main threads of friendship and a new home, Ollie finds new ways to explore her Thai heritage, realizes how important her sister is to her and helps their parents begin to communicate with them both a bit better. Excellent examples of conflict resolution are included in an unforced way that stems smoothly from the primary plot and may give readers some ideas of how to solve a few problems of their own.
Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence. Representation: Ollie and Cat are Thai-American as is Ollie’s friend Nina, several Thai festivals are featured as is the food, language and traditional dress of Thailand, and kids throughout are encouraged to be, dress and express themselves in their own unique ways, Ollie may/may not be non-binary, the text is not specific. Note for parents and librarians, Ollie does experience menstruation for the first time and has a bit of embarrassment that mom helps her through.
Thanks for the autographed copy, Gale Galligan and Scholastic, and for providing one to librarians at the 2025 Texas Library Association annual conference.
Ollie, her parents and younger sister have moved often and to places all over the world due to the father’s diplomatic position and Ollie has always found the moves a great way to “reset” and leave mistakes and embarrassing moments behind when starting over in a new place. But she, unlike her sister Cat, has also never tried too hard to develop close friendships. Leaving Germany and a broken friendship behind, the whole family is moving to Virginia and this time, dad’s job will allow the family to stay in one place for a while meaning Ollie is going to have to figure out how to find and keep friends who appreciate the same things he does, namely art, comics, and everything anime and manga…plus his new pet hedgehog. Ollie does meet some like-minded classmates, finds joy in art class and begins to see Chestnut Falls as home, however, this time when he makes a big mistake with a classmate, he needs to figure out how to make things right.
Along with the main threads of friendship and a new home, Ollie finds new ways to explore her Thai heritage, realizes how important her sister is to her and helps their parents begin to communicate with them both a bit better. Excellent examples of conflict resolution are included in an unforced way that stems smoothly from the primary plot and may give readers some ideas of how to solve a few problems of their own.
Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence. Representation: Ollie and Cat are Thai-American as is Ollie’s friend Nina, several Thai festivals are featured as is the food, language and traditional dress of Thailand, and kids throughout are encouraged to be, dress and express themselves in their own unique ways, Ollie may/may not be non-binary, the text is not specific. Note for parents and librarians, Ollie does experience menstruation for the first time and has a bit of embarrassment that mom helps her through.
Thanks for the autographed copy, Gale Galligan and Scholastic, and for providing one to librarians at the 2025 Texas Library Association annual conference.
February 16, 2025
What a lovely all ages graphic novel!
A great book about fitting in, becoming your own. Wonderful growth done with characters - both kids and adults. Really loved this one.
A great book about fitting in, becoming your own. Wonderful growth done with characters - both kids and adults. Really loved this one.
August 19, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Rising seventh grader Ollie is just as glad to be leaving her international school in Frankfurt, Germany, especially after embarassing herself at a year end assembly, and falling out with best friend Rebecca. She and her sister, Cat, who is two years younger, are excited to be moving to Chestnut Falls, Virginia, with their father, who is a diplomat from the US, and their mother, who is originally from Thailand. The two siblings have an imaginary world that figures largely in their play, and Ollie is obsessed with the Quilly anime, and this sometimes causes Ollie to daydream and embarass herself. There are some things that are different in a US school, including the Pledge of Allegiance, state maps, and the English measuring system, and Ollie is on the lookout for possible friends, even drawing a "friend index" and making comments about the likelihood of making friends with various people. Nina is obviously too popular, so Ollie declines her invitation to eat lunch with her friends. Eventually, Zoe Kwon, who wears a lot of cosplay outfits to school, reaches out, and the two hang out together. Zoe's friends are willing to befriend Ollie, even though she thought that they wouldn't want to hang out with her. This includes Nina, whom Ollie discovers (at a sleepover at Zoe's) is part Thai. Their mother's bond, and soon Ollie is taking Thai language classes. After Ollie asks to be allowed to go to Anianicon to meet the group's idol, Sugar Rose, Ollie also finds herself roped into dance classes as well. There is growing tension between the parents and Cat, especially after Ollie is allowed to adopt a hedgehog. The parents don't ask Cat is she would like a pet as well. Ollie also gets a phone, and Ollie starts to feel that her parents aren't treating Cat fairly. The family is planning on staying in Virginia, and are able to visit the father's parents sometimes, but when Ollie makes Nine angry by giving her anime character a backstory different from the one Nina herself envisioned, Ollie starts to wish that she could move again and get another "fresh start". When Cat gets into a situation where her "friends" have created a fake social media account in her name, Ollie is able to see past her own problems to help her sister figure out what to do, and show her parents how they are not treating her sister fairly.
Strengths: This is a fictionalized account of the author's own life, but brought into a more modern time. There are a not too many books about students who attend international schools (MacLeod's Continental Drifter and Matula's The No-So-Uniform Life of Holly Mei are the only two I can think of) and it's something I wish would see more of, along with characters who move a lot because of parents in the military. Ollie's obsession with anime, and her dislike of parental enforced activities, are both absolutely true to life. The typical tween concerns, like art club, sleepovers, and friend drama, have not changed all that much since the 1990s; I'm adding Galligan to the list of authors who could have been my students. (To be fair, the first students I taught are now 48 years old...)
Weaknesses: I shouldn't find the anime style star eyes and over the top emotions as annoying as I do, but Ollie's reactions to rival Misako's in the Bounce Back series. This is something that will probably not irritate actual tweens who are into anime.
What I really think: This is a great choice for fans of this author (Freestyle, The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels), or of graphic novel style fictionalized memoirs like Bermudez's Big Apple Diaries, Cook's Puzzled, Hale's Real Friends, Krosoczka's Sunshine, Martin's MexiKid, Mercado's Chunky, Ogle's Four Eyes. Rodriguez and Bell's Doodles From the Boogie Down, Russo's Why Is Everybody Yelling, Santat's A First Time for Everything, Soontornvat's The Tryout, Todd's Timid, Xu's Alterations, and Yu's Lost & Found.
Rising seventh grader Ollie is just as glad to be leaving her international school in Frankfurt, Germany, especially after embarassing herself at a year end assembly, and falling out with best friend Rebecca. She and her sister, Cat, who is two years younger, are excited to be moving to Chestnut Falls, Virginia, with their father, who is a diplomat from the US, and their mother, who is originally from Thailand. The two siblings have an imaginary world that figures largely in their play, and Ollie is obsessed with the Quilly anime, and this sometimes causes Ollie to daydream and embarass herself. There are some things that are different in a US school, including the Pledge of Allegiance, state maps, and the English measuring system, and Ollie is on the lookout for possible friends, even drawing a "friend index" and making comments about the likelihood of making friends with various people. Nina is obviously too popular, so Ollie declines her invitation to eat lunch with her friends. Eventually, Zoe Kwon, who wears a lot of cosplay outfits to school, reaches out, and the two hang out together. Zoe's friends are willing to befriend Ollie, even though she thought that they wouldn't want to hang out with her. This includes Nina, whom Ollie discovers (at a sleepover at Zoe's) is part Thai. Their mother's bond, and soon Ollie is taking Thai language classes. After Ollie asks to be allowed to go to Anianicon to meet the group's idol, Sugar Rose, Ollie also finds herself roped into dance classes as well. There is growing tension between the parents and Cat, especially after Ollie is allowed to adopt a hedgehog. The parents don't ask Cat is she would like a pet as well. Ollie also gets a phone, and Ollie starts to feel that her parents aren't treating Cat fairly. The family is planning on staying in Virginia, and are able to visit the father's parents sometimes, but when Ollie makes Nine angry by giving her anime character a backstory different from the one Nina herself envisioned, Ollie starts to wish that she could move again and get another "fresh start". When Cat gets into a situation where her "friends" have created a fake social media account in her name, Ollie is able to see past her own problems to help her sister figure out what to do, and show her parents how they are not treating her sister fairly.
Strengths: This is a fictionalized account of the author's own life, but brought into a more modern time. There are a not too many books about students who attend international schools (MacLeod's Continental Drifter and Matula's The No-So-Uniform Life of Holly Mei are the only two I can think of) and it's something I wish would see more of, along with characters who move a lot because of parents in the military. Ollie's obsession with anime, and her dislike of parental enforced activities, are both absolutely true to life. The typical tween concerns, like art club, sleepovers, and friend drama, have not changed all that much since the 1990s; I'm adding Galligan to the list of authors who could have been my students. (To be fair, the first students I taught are now 48 years old...)
Weaknesses: I shouldn't find the anime style star eyes and over the top emotions as annoying as I do, but Ollie's reactions to rival Misako's in the Bounce Back series. This is something that will probably not irritate actual tweens who are into anime.
What I really think: This is a great choice for fans of this author (Freestyle, The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels), or of graphic novel style fictionalized memoirs like Bermudez's Big Apple Diaries, Cook's Puzzled, Hale's Real Friends, Krosoczka's Sunshine, Martin's MexiKid, Mercado's Chunky, Ogle's Four Eyes. Rodriguez and Bell's Doodles From the Boogie Down, Russo's Why Is Everybody Yelling, Santat's A First Time for Everything, Soontornvat's The Tryout, Todd's Timid, Xu's Alterations, and Yu's Lost & Found.
November 16, 2024
As the child of a diplomat, Ollie is used to moving every couple of years, and with each new International School comes a brand new set of friends. This relatively nomadic lifestyle works for Ollie because she can start with a clean slate with frequency in places where nobody remembers mistakes she has made in the past. So, when Ollie’s parents announce that the family will be buying a house in Virginia, Ollie is uncomfortable with the idea of settling in one location for longer than she ever has before. Luckily, shared interests and positive intent help Ollie find a way to plant deeper roots, and her promise to keep her feet planted encourages Ollie to overcome some of the interpersonal challenges she has faced throughout her life.
This coming of age graphic novel is centered around Ollie, a character who presents as non-binary despite being referred to with female pronouns. Throughout the story, Ollie experiences many of the same challenges as other middle school girls, including getting her period at an inopportune time and not having the most positive relationship with her mother. But through it all, Ollie’s interest in Anime, hedgehogs, and art help to propel her past the discomfort and into a place where she begins to feel both comfortable and accepted. As she embraces her Thai heritage in her new American home, Ollie encounters the difficulties of being a “third culture kit” as she adjusts to the many changes that come from residing in one stable location for an extended period of time.
Fans of graphic novels and Anime will appreciate the design and the tone of this book, especially because the illustrations mirror many Anime expressions. Word bubbles, asides, and images work together to recount the narrative in a dynamic way, and even though the font is small, it is clear enough for most readers. In addition to English, Thai language is used with some frequency throughout the book, and German words appear from time to time, as well. This language diversity enhances the depiction of Ollie and her family as a multicultural blend of humans that has lived in many locales around the world. Endearing and accessible, this is an enjoyable coming of age graphic novel that will be particularly appealing to middle grade readers.
This coming of age graphic novel is centered around Ollie, a character who presents as non-binary despite being referred to with female pronouns. Throughout the story, Ollie experiences many of the same challenges as other middle school girls, including getting her period at an inopportune time and not having the most positive relationship with her mother. But through it all, Ollie’s interest in Anime, hedgehogs, and art help to propel her past the discomfort and into a place where she begins to feel both comfortable and accepted. As she embraces her Thai heritage in her new American home, Ollie encounters the difficulties of being a “third culture kit” as she adjusts to the many changes that come from residing in one stable location for an extended period of time.
Fans of graphic novels and Anime will appreciate the design and the tone of this book, especially because the illustrations mirror many Anime expressions. Word bubbles, asides, and images work together to recount the narrative in a dynamic way, and even though the font is small, it is clear enough for most readers. In addition to English, Thai language is used with some frequency throughout the book, and German words appear from time to time, as well. This language diversity enhances the depiction of Ollie and her family as a multicultural blend of humans that has lived in many locales around the world. Endearing and accessible, this is an enjoyable coming of age graphic novel that will be particularly appealing to middle grade readers.
August 1, 2024
FRESH START is a stand-alone graphic novel from the author of FREESTYLE and multiple installments in the BABY-SITTERS CLUB graphic novel series, all of which absolutely fly off the shelves in my elementary school library. FRESH START will definitely be joining my collection upon release.
Anime-obsessed Ollie, who has traveled around the world with her family has never been in one place for long. Ollie is used to saying goodbye to friends and moving far away from anybody who remembers her embarrassing moments or bad first impressions. But now Ollie's family is settling down in Virginia to stay. How will Ollie make the most of her fresh start without an ending in sight?
This semi-autobiographical graphic novel blends anime, friendship, sibling relationships, and Thai culture into a very appealing package for middle-grade readers. It is an absolute must-read. And what a refreshing change to encounter a semi-autobiographical graphic novel set IN THE PRESENT DAY! Shout out to Galligan for translating parts of their childhood into a modern setting, incorporating modern technology. This makes FRESH START even more relevant to young readers.
Additional shout out to colorist K Czap, who also worked on FREESTYLE. They crush it every time. Their work helps bring Galligan's expressive illustrations to even more life AND gives the books an extra boost of shelf appeal.
Thank you to Edelweiss for access to an ARC.
Anime-obsessed Ollie, who has traveled around the world with her family has never been in one place for long. Ollie is used to saying goodbye to friends and moving far away from anybody who remembers her embarrassing moments or bad first impressions. But now Ollie's family is settling down in Virginia to stay. How will Ollie make the most of her fresh start without an ending in sight?
This semi-autobiographical graphic novel blends anime, friendship, sibling relationships, and Thai culture into a very appealing package for middle-grade readers. It is an absolute must-read. And what a refreshing change to encounter a semi-autobiographical graphic novel set IN THE PRESENT DAY! Shout out to Galligan for translating parts of their childhood into a modern setting, incorporating modern technology. This makes FRESH START even more relevant to young readers.
Additional shout out to colorist K Czap, who also worked on FREESTYLE. They crush it every time. Their work helps bring Galligan's expressive illustrations to even more life AND gives the books an extra boost of shelf appeal.
Thank you to Edelweiss for access to an ARC.
August 27, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fresh Start is a stunning graphic novel that completely won me over. The story itself is heartfelt and hopeful—about second chances, self-discovery, and the courage it takes to move forward—but what makes it unforgettable is how beautifully the art and writing work together to tell that journey.
The illustrations are vibrant and expressive, capturing both quiet, emotional beats and lively, funny moments with equal skill. I especially loved how the artwork added layers to the storytelling—you don’t just read the character’s growth, you see it in the details, the colors, and the way the panels shift in tone.
The main character isn’t flawless, and that’s exactly what makes them feel so real. Their stumbles, awkwardness, and small triumphs are deeply relatable, and paired with the warm, supportive cast around them, it creates a story that feels both personal and universal.
By the end, I had that perfect blend of teary eyes and a huge smile. Fresh Start is not just a story—it’s an experience, one I’ll be recommending to anyone who loves character-driven graphic novels with heart.
Fresh Start is a stunning graphic novel that completely won me over. The story itself is heartfelt and hopeful—about second chances, self-discovery, and the courage it takes to move forward—but what makes it unforgettable is how beautifully the art and writing work together to tell that journey.
The illustrations are vibrant and expressive, capturing both quiet, emotional beats and lively, funny moments with equal skill. I especially loved how the artwork added layers to the storytelling—you don’t just read the character’s growth, you see it in the details, the colors, and the way the panels shift in tone.
The main character isn’t flawless, and that’s exactly what makes them feel so real. Their stumbles, awkwardness, and small triumphs are deeply relatable, and paired with the warm, supportive cast around them, it creates a story that feels both personal and universal.
By the end, I had that perfect blend of teary eyes and a huge smile. Fresh Start is not just a story—it’s an experience, one I’ll be recommending to anyone who loves character-driven graphic novels with heart.
September 20, 2025
Moving to a new neighborhood and finding your way toward comfort with a new school, new friends, etc., is a very common elementary and middle-grade fiction trope. And so is being the "different" kid who's also a really talented creative spirit (artist/writer/whatever). But although this book digs right into both of those well-worn grooves, it also throws in enough new twists to keep it, um, well...pretty "Fresh." One of the twists is the main character's bi-racial heritage (half Caucasian and half Thai), which makes fitting in with her peers just a bit more complicated than it may be for other kids. Another is her family's history of frequent international job postings/moves, which have made it easy for the main character to escape, until this point in her life, the hard work of establishing and maintaining long-term friendships. And finally there's her own less-than- "girly" persona, which contrasts sharply with her very girly younger sister and, though it's never discussed directly, is certainly a noticeable point of contrast as the two of them work toward a deeper understanding of each other throughout the story. So, yes, this is generally familiar territory, but at the same time it also avoids feeling hopelessly cliched and it does turn out to be a fun read.
October 15, 2025
Seventh grader, half-German and half-Thai Ollie is used to starting over--her dad's job has moved the family all over the world. This move to Virginia is different though: it's the last one, meaning that Ollie has to make the most of bad first impressions, embarrassing incidents (like getting her first period in the middle of class!), and Mom's pressure to be "the perfect Thai daughter" complete with dresses, Thai school and dance lessons. Ollie is all set to give up having a social life forever and fully immerse herself in drawing and fantasy worlds when she unexpectedly finds a few classmates who share her love of manga--including, most surprisingly, popular Nina, who shares Ollie's mixed-race heritage. But when friendships are complicated and compromised by hurt feelings, will Ollie have find the courage make amends?
As someone who's never gotten into manga and cosplay, I had a little trouble connecting to Ollie and understanding the layers of her imagination. All the same, I found this to be a fun and engaging story with lots to say about the growing pains of family life and middle school friendships.
As someone who's never gotten into manga and cosplay, I had a little trouble connecting to Ollie and understanding the layers of her imagination. All the same, I found this to be a fun and engaging story with lots to say about the growing pains of family life and middle school friendships.
January 11, 2025
A Delightful Coming-of-Age Story with Heart and Humor
Gale Galligan’s Fresh Start is an absolute gem of a graphic novel that captures the bittersweet beauty of new beginnings. With their signature art style and knack for relatable storytelling, Galligan immerses readers in a heartfelt tale that explores themes of change, self-discovery, and resilience.
The protagonist Ollie's journey is refreshingly authentic, filled with moments of vulnerability, triumph, and everything in between. Galligan’s characters are multidimensional, and their relationships feel genuine, reflecting the complexities of friendships, family, and personal growth.
What truly sets Fresh Start apart is its ability to balance lighthearted humor with poignant life lessons. The narrative is engaging and accessible for readers of all ages, making it an inspiring read for anyone navigating their own "fresh start" in life.
Highly recommended for anyone who’s ever faced the challenges of starting over – or just loves a good, heartfelt story!
Gale Galligan’s Fresh Start is an absolute gem of a graphic novel that captures the bittersweet beauty of new beginnings. With their signature art style and knack for relatable storytelling, Galligan immerses readers in a heartfelt tale that explores themes of change, self-discovery, and resilience.
The protagonist Ollie's journey is refreshingly authentic, filled with moments of vulnerability, triumph, and everything in between. Galligan’s characters are multidimensional, and their relationships feel genuine, reflecting the complexities of friendships, family, and personal growth.
What truly sets Fresh Start apart is its ability to balance lighthearted humor with poignant life lessons. The narrative is engaging and accessible for readers of all ages, making it an inspiring read for anyone navigating their own "fresh start" in life.
Highly recommended for anyone who’s ever faced the challenges of starting over – or just loves a good, heartfelt story!
January 7, 2025
Thank you so much to Scholastic for an ARC of Fresh Start in exchange for an honest review! I have loved Gale Galligan's work since I started reading their editions of The Baby-Sitters Club and so I knew I was going to enjoy this book but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did! Fresh Start has everything and more. The first element I noticed were the strong characters with wonderful character development. I loved seeing Ollie's growth as she starts a new life in Virginia. I enjoyed reading about the friendships that Ollie builds which give young readers valuable lessons about friends, boundaries, trust, and love. I appreciated seeing Ollie's family dynamics and the relationships between Ollie and her mom, her dad, and Ollie's sister Cat. I also loved learning about Thai culture, food, and seeing Ollie's feelings of diaspora and some distance from her peers, especially living in a predominantly white community. Gale even touches on the dangers of social media for middle schoolers. While this is a middle grade graphic novel, I think that anyone of any age will find joy in Gale Galligan's wonderful, heartfelt, and inspiring story. Plus the art/illustrations are fantastic! Be sure to pick this up when it releases on January 7th!
April 25, 2025
I loved this! It's loosely based on the author's life. Ollie Herisson and her younger sister have moved around a lot because their dad is a diplomat. Which is fine by Ollie; she gets a fresh start every school year, and can leave all her past embarrassing moments behind. But now her parents have decided to stay in Virginia, and even bought a house! Ollie will have to make friends now. She's super into anime, and while initially she struggles to make friends, she finds a group of like-minded girls and hangs out with them regularly. One of them is Thai, like her, and she and Ollie take Thai classes together. But can Ollie learn how to be a good friend?
There's so much depth to this story, yet it's so fun, too! I really want this to be a series. I see no indication that it will be, but I personally would love to hang out with Ollie again and see where her story takes her, because I don't feel like she's done yet.
There's so much depth to this story, yet it's so fun, too! I really want this to be a series. I see no indication that it will be, but I personally would love to hang out with Ollie again and see where her story takes her, because I don't feel like she's done yet.
January 25, 2025
CW: racism (mentioned), bullying (mentioned)
Didn't know what to expect from this graphic novel, but I enjoyed reading this.
The different illustration formats that Galligan utilized throughout the book helped to enhance the plot execution as well as get inside Ollie's head. Additionally, I thought that the core friend group that Ollie encounters benefits her character development as she learns how to not run away whenever things would get difficult in her friendships as well as finding a group of people she could truly be herself around, such as her and Nina's exploration of their shared Thai heritage.
Fresh Start would be a good book for the young reader in your life that likes new kid stories featuring an obsession for all things manga and anime as well as stories that take time to explore cultural heritage.
Didn't know what to expect from this graphic novel, but I enjoyed reading this.
The different illustration formats that Galligan utilized throughout the book helped to enhance the plot execution as well as get inside Ollie's head. Additionally, I thought that the core friend group that Ollie encounters benefits her character development as she learns how to not run away whenever things would get difficult in her friendships as well as finding a group of people she could truly be herself around, such as her and Nina's exploration of their shared Thai heritage.
Fresh Start would be a good book for the young reader in your life that likes new kid stories featuring an obsession for all things manga and anime as well as stories that take time to explore cultural heritage.
April 7, 2025
Another case of heavily inspired by real-life events (but when it's realistic fiction, isn't it always?) but stopping short of wanting to call it a graphic memoir, Galligan explores, through Ollie, a girl who has lived in multiple international locations due to her father's job. Her younger sister and her constantly get fresh starts because they're never in one place for long which happens when she finishes out her last school with an embarrassing moment accidentally singing in a choir that she didn't below. Fast forward to a state-side school where her first day doesn't go as planned either.
It's a brightly-colored, well-rounded story for a middle grade audience about the pitfalls, successes, and hijinks of life- friends, family, pets (a hedgehog in particular), and using books as an escape tool.
Fun and energetic with expressive characters.
It's a brightly-colored, well-rounded story for a middle grade audience about the pitfalls, successes, and hijinks of life- friends, family, pets (a hedgehog in particular), and using books as an escape tool.
Fun and energetic with expressive characters.
October 18, 2025
Ollie is unique. Her family moves every few years and she's gotten used to leaving friends so she doesn't become too attached....or so she likes to think. Moving from Germany to Virginia she is excited to get a fresh start. She makes assumptions about kids from their looks that prove to be wrong. She gets involved in her favorite topics....anime and art....and finds friends who are totally into those things too. She's feeling a part of something for the first time. Maybe this time is different. As she's growing up and changing she feels an attachment to these friends but doesn't quite know how to deal with it. As she learns more about her new friends and becomes more and more involved she finds she likes it.
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