T.S. Hullabaloo: A Graphic Novel Based on a (Mostly) True Story

by Zack Rosenberg, Victor Fusté, Sarah K. Turner (illustrator)

A mysterious creature called a Hullabaloo has attached itself to a sixth grader named Jack in this beautifully illustrated and humorous graphic novel that celebrates our differences and life's changes. Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Disney*Pixar's Inside Out.



Jack Daring has always been just a typical kid. But his life becomes anything but typical when a mischievous cat-like creature called a Hullabaloo attaches itself to him, causing chaos in his life. Now Jack must not only navigate the tumultuous middle school hallways, but also learn how to live with his newfound companion. He'll have to use the help of his classmates and their varied Hullabaloos to learn how to adapt to—and thrive within—this new normal. This original graphic novel—with a dyslexia friendly font—will have readers laughing and cringing at the hijinx of Jack and TS.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Comics

176 pages, Paperback

Published October 7, 2025

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Metaphor about living with neurodivergence, in a middle grade graphic novel. I like the message of accepting and even embracing your own neurodivergence, and I thought the hullabaloos were a pretty good metaphor in concept. I'm less convinced by the execution. TS, standing in for Tourette's Syndrome, is so overtly obnoxious that I feel like the message is muddled if not entirely lost. I'm also not sure that TS's behavior really is a good representation of Tourette's. TS is intentionally spiteful, hurtful, and destructive, and Tourette's is involuntary. And TS is still intentionally destructive at the end of the book, after his human Jack has embraced him. It kind of felt like the author was accidentally saying that your neurodivergence is an awful thing you're stuck with and you just have to accept there's going to be a constant level of suckiness as a result. But maybe I only saw it that way because I absolutely hated TS.

[Rachel Matsuoka · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5. I was almost moved to tears reading this! Funny, heartfelt, and informative--this may be the best depiction of neurodivergence I've seen in fiction thus far. Jack is a middle-schooler with big dreams--when a "hullabaloo" named T.S. (for Tourette's Syndrome) upends his life at school. In this book, hullabaloos are kind of like animal familiars--all different shapes and sizes, with their own set of quirks and special skills. It's such an ingenious and resonant way of introducing neurodivergence to young readers. Just like pets, they can be wildly inconvenient and feel like an impossible responsibility, but in the end, they are special because they are uniquely yours, and you're kind of lucky--they can help you, too! I was worried I wouldn't like this book, because at first T.S. was depicted as such a nasty, abhorrent creature, but... that was kind of the point. In the beginning, Jack was only ever embarrassed by T.S. But with support from others who have experience living with, managing, and collaborating with their hullabaloos, he learns to understand and appreciate T.S. for his sense of humor, courage, and even charisma. If you liked the Pixar movie Turning Red, you'll love T.S. Hullaballoo!

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
What a great concept. Hullabaloos appear when you least expect and want. Yes, this one creates mayhem, and it will take a journey for him to accept it as part of himself. I wonder what kind mine is and what they look like? I relate to the main character a lot, so I know mine would be triggered a lot with anger. Jabberwocky is a great rainbow one. Dani wears it as a hat ahah.

 They are not imaginary; everyone can see them, and some are pretty cool.

 This is fun, brings a lot of angst to the main character, but… he manages it slowly with his journey. Acceptance is the key.

Middle grade school theme dealing with preteen anxieties and uncontrolled emotions. Fun.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting metaphor for living with Tourette syndrome. I thought the concept of a syndrome such as Tourette’s as a hullabaloo creature was creative and helpful to those who don’t understand what it’s like to live with an issue.

[Robin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I get that the author is using "hullabaloos" as a metaphor for neurodivergency, which could open a new way for the greater understanding in the community, but the execution was poor. I found the story opening foggy and confusing. The characters aren't likeable, mostly they're annoying.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Review to come closer to publication date

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really cute read. Funny in parts but serious in others.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of the metaphor, but T.S. was so destructive and cruel that I didn't think the execution of this really worked and I mostly cringed my way through it.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kudos to the authors for the concept of this book. Idk it felt flat for me. I was disappointed to see how TS was depicted… overall it’s an ok book. Good for conversation starter on neurodivergence!