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Stepping Up: A Graphic Memoir
A timely and vibrant teen graphic novel memoir about community, friendship, and self-discovery told through the eyes of a high school freshman Kiara, one of the few Black students at her predominantly white boarding school—perfect for fans of Almost American Girl and Brownstone!
Kiara is a long way from Washington Heights. She’s at Phillips Academy Andover—the prestigious school of her dreams. But her bulky financial aid laptop in a room full of brand-new Macs, her classmates’ endless chatter about overseas vacations, and everyone’s pristine North Face jackets have her feeling like she’ll never fit in.
Then she discovers the all-star step team, SLAM. Kiara will gladly endure long practices, sore muscles, and chafed palms to finally find her place on campus. That is, until tragedy strikes and those closest to her are hurt, and she realizes exactly what it means to be an Andover student.
Because at a school where her wealthy white classmates can get away with almost anything and students like her are made to feel lucky to even be at the academy to begin with, is belonging really what Kiara wants? And is she brave enough to step up—for herself and her friends?
Kiara is a long way from Washington Heights. She’s at Phillips Academy Andover—the prestigious school of her dreams. But her bulky financial aid laptop in a room full of brand-new Macs, her classmates’ endless chatter about overseas vacations, and everyone’s pristine North Face jackets have her feeling like she’ll never fit in.
Then she discovers the all-star step team, SLAM. Kiara will gladly endure long practices, sore muscles, and chafed palms to finally find her place on campus. That is, until tragedy strikes and those closest to her are hurt, and she realizes exactly what it means to be an Andover student.
Because at a school where her wealthy white classmates can get away with almost anything and students like her are made to feel lucky to even be at the academy to begin with, is belonging really what Kiara wants? And is she brave enough to step up—for herself and her friends?
240 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2026
About the author
Kiara Valdez
19 books24 followersKiara Valdez is an Afro-Dominican writer and an editor at First Second. She was born and raised in New York City (shout out to Washington Heights) and has been an avid comics reader all her life. She graduated from Williams College with a double major in English Literature and Japanese, and spends her free time reading, writing, and enjoying a long list of other hobbies she can't keep up with.
She is currently working on writing original graphic novels and picture books, and is also interested in writing more storybooks and shorter kids books.
She is currently working on writing original graphic novels and picture books, and is also interested in writing more storybooks and shorter kids books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 2, 2026
Andover was an opportunity Valdez couldn't pass up—an excellent education, a bit of breathing room from a sometimes complicated home life, the promise of future opportunities. It was also a place where she did not fit the mold, and where students who did fit the mold kept reminding her of that...and a place where, eventually, she found her people.
There are relatively few boarding school memoirs out there (though plenty of fiction!), and even fewer written by people who were minority students. For Valdez, Andover represented a certain amount of culture shock—her family and friends did not have the money to go to Broadway shows, or buy the new iPhone, or take fancy vacations; Andover was also way Whiter than she was used to. (Wikipedia says that Andover is more racially diverse than Massachusetts generally, but still very different from Valdez's New York.)
For the most part, Valdez writes Andover as something that was for her a good experience—she made close friends and tried things she wouldn't otherwise have had the opportunity to do. (And, well, my own boarding school was very different from the prep school environment of Andover, but boarding school is an experience that is really like none other.) There are few big dramas here, and certainly not any involving Valdez directly. This isn't always exciting as far as book plots go, but I can't object because 1) that's certainly better for Valdez! and 2) honestly, I'm still looking for a boarding school book that echoes my own experience, and while this isn't it (for myriad reasons, most of which I knew going in), this does feel like much more a reflection of, well, a normal experience of boarding school. What Valdez did experience, over and over again, were microaggressions—sometimes unthinking ones and sometimes, ah, they were not unthinking. (And not so micro.) I can imagine this being a really valuable book for a teenager who is changing environments in the way that Valdez did, not necessarily to boarding school but...things along those lines.
As an aside, I loved the inclusion of step here—it's something I haven't seen performed in a very long while, and it was so lovely to see as an important part of Valdez's experience at Andover. I don't know that much about step, so I'd have loved a bit more history here, but it's a nice plot point. A bit more about Valdez's family also would have been interesting, though that may not have been somewhere she wanted to go for any number of reasons, which is of course entirely fair.
3.5 stars; this is one I'd like to see in a lot of high school libraries.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
There are relatively few boarding school memoirs out there (though plenty of fiction!), and even fewer written by people who were minority students. For Valdez, Andover represented a certain amount of culture shock—her family and friends did not have the money to go to Broadway shows, or buy the new iPhone, or take fancy vacations; Andover was also way Whiter than she was used to. (Wikipedia says that Andover is more racially diverse than Massachusetts generally, but still very different from Valdez's New York.)
For the most part, Valdez writes Andover as something that was for her a good experience—she made close friends and tried things she wouldn't otherwise have had the opportunity to do. (And, well, my own boarding school was very different from the prep school environment of Andover, but boarding school is an experience that is really like none other.) There are few big dramas here, and certainly not any involving Valdez directly. This isn't always exciting as far as book plots go, but I can't object because 1) that's certainly better for Valdez! and 2) honestly, I'm still looking for a boarding school book that echoes my own experience, and while this isn't it (for myriad reasons, most of which I knew going in), this does feel like much more a reflection of, well, a normal experience of boarding school. What Valdez did experience, over and over again, were microaggressions—sometimes unthinking ones and sometimes, ah, they were not unthinking. (And not so micro.) I can imagine this being a really valuable book for a teenager who is changing environments in the way that Valdez did, not necessarily to boarding school but...things along those lines.
As an aside, I loved the inclusion of step here—it's something I haven't seen performed in a very long while, and it was so lovely to see as an important part of Valdez's experience at Andover. I don't know that much about step, so I'd have loved a bit more history here, but it's a nice plot point. A bit more about Valdez's family also would have been interesting, though that may not have been somewhere she wanted to go for any number of reasons, which is of course entirely fair.
3.5 stars; this is one I'd like to see in a lot of high school libraries.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
September 21, 2026
This one didn't really work for me. It's a memoir about a girl from New York City who went to private school in Andover, MA on a scholorship for high school. The story covers her freshman year. The story feels very surface level though. The title comes from her joining a step group at her school. It doesn't happen until halfway through the book and feels like a minor part of the book. This is probably where a TV show or movie would have worked better because the illustrations certainly weren't doing it and you needed to see and hear it to get the impact. All of the panels just blended together. Some of the book delves into being a minority at a school full of rich white kids but again, it never delves deep enough to make me care. There's very little feeling or emotion to it. It's just, oh that was something that happened.
October 2, 2026
A fun coming of age YA memoir with colorful illustrations that explores how the author found community in unexpected places.
August 30, 2026
I don't like giving memoirs ratings, so I usually just give them 5 stars.
This was a graphic memoir of Kiara Valdez's time in a predominantly white boarding school. As an Afro-Dominican, she finds it hard to relate to her overly wealthy and outright racist classmates. As a scholarship student, she is treated differently--of course being a person of color just adds to the treatment. However, she finds herself in SLAM, her school's step team. Kiara sees how different her friends are treated over the wealthy white students.
Sadly, this book is relatable. From the insensitive comments and the micro racism, but also in the sense of finding yourself in tough environments.
This was a graphic memoir of Kiara Valdez's time in a predominantly white boarding school. As an Afro-Dominican, she finds it hard to relate to her overly wealthy and outright racist classmates. As a scholarship student, she is treated differently--of course being a person of color just adds to the treatment. However, she finds herself in SLAM, her school's step team. Kiara sees how different her friends are treated over the wealthy white students.
Sadly, this book is relatable. From the insensitive comments and the micro racism, but also in the sense of finding yourself in tough environments.
May 24, 2026
I really enjoyed Stepping Up by Kiara Valdez. How cool that this Graphic Novel is a memoir. I think that is so unique and special. I think illustrations are very effective for memoirs. These illustrations were INCREDIBLE. I loved the style. The movement. And especially the colors chosen. The storyline was great. I liked that the memoir focused on a tough experience in college. This is a very relatable story. I just think for the audience, it could have gone into greater detail and length.
Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
(Review copy courtesy of HarperAlley, Kiara Valdez, Diana Tsai Santos, and NetGalley.)
2⭐
Man, this was disappointing.
The art ranges from distractingly bad to functional enough for the day-to-day material, but it’s never particularly attractive. Its greatest strength is how well Kiara’s face conveys her enthusiasm. You never fail to feel her exuberance.
What it does fail? Capturing the excitement (!), m-o~v-e~m-e~n-t (!), sound (!), and ENERGY (!) of step. Even though it’s been almost twenty years since I sat in the audience, I still remember the absolute POWER of a step performance. I can still feel the vibrations going through my body as the dancers’ movements shook the rafters.
I got NONE of that from the illustrations, and that’s a damn shame.
The story, too, failed to give stepping its dues. The narrative surrounding the team was equally underwhelming.
However, the book’s biggest sin is the execution of the discussions and depictions of racism and microaggressions. These are incredibly important subjects that deserve weight and genuine integration into the material. Here they often felt awkwardly inserted, more like soapbox moments than natural story beats. At the same time, the treatment remained surface-level when the subject deserved deeper exploration.
The pacing was also all over the place. Sometimes the story rushed through important moments; elsewhere, it dragged on and on.
Finally, the ending. The story went out with the whimperest of whimpers, stopping at a point that felt like setup for a continuation even though no sequel has been announced.
📌 TL;DR: This kind of story is my jam when executed well. I love reading about different life experiences, and I’m a big fan of step as an art form, but the narrative stumbles in almost every respect, leaving it flat on its face.
2⭐
Man, this was disappointing.
The art ranges from distractingly bad to functional enough for the day-to-day material, but it’s never particularly attractive. Its greatest strength is how well Kiara’s face conveys her enthusiasm. You never fail to feel her exuberance.
What it does fail? Capturing the excitement (!), m-o~v-e~m-e~n-t (!), sound (!), and ENERGY (!) of step. Even though it’s been almost twenty years since I sat in the audience, I still remember the absolute POWER of a step performance. I can still feel the vibrations going through my body as the dancers’ movements shook the rafters.
I got NONE of that from the illustrations, and that’s a damn shame.
The story, too, failed to give stepping its dues. The narrative surrounding the team was equally underwhelming.
Those step kids are so cool.That’s obviously reductive, but not by as much as I wish it were.
Everyone thinks so.
I wish I were cool and did step too.
Now I’m on the step team, and it kind of worked and kind of didn’t.
However, the book’s biggest sin is the execution of the discussions and depictions of racism and microaggressions. These are incredibly important subjects that deserve weight and genuine integration into the material. Here they often felt awkwardly inserted, more like soapbox moments than natural story beats. At the same time, the treatment remained surface-level when the subject deserved deeper exploration.
The pacing was also all over the place. Sometimes the story rushed through important moments; elsewhere, it dragged on and on.
Finally, the ending. The story went out with the whimperest of whimpers, stopping at a point that felt like setup for a continuation even though no sequel has been announced.
📌 TL;DR: This kind of story is my jam when executed well. I love reading about different life experiences, and I’m a big fan of step as an art form, but the narrative stumbles in almost every respect, leaving it flat on its face.
May 3, 2026
Stepping Up is a graphic novel memoir that follows Kiara’s freshman year at the mostly-white Andover boarding school. She quite quickly forms strong friendships with her floormates and decides to try out for the step dance team. For a YA story that tackled themes of racism and female friendships, I found it a little too surface level for my personal tastes. I don't think that it needed to be “heavier”, but more emotionally fleshed out and maybe longer to really develop character relationships. It's tricky because it's a memoir, but as a story it carried too many characters that ultimately resulted in this more surface-level narrative.
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars
I love a graphic novel memoir, especially with a YA audience in mind, and Valdez has a great one here. As soon as I finished this, I made immediate notes to talk about it with my students in tomorrow's class. It's a strong work overall, but there are some motifs that Valdez covers far better than most writers. Fans of the genre are likely to be pleased.
Kiara (the character) is off to a fancy boarding school on scholarship, and she is immediately struck by the different socioeconomic and racial stratifications she notices across campus. I had to laugh at salmon colored shorts and boat shoes in a later chapter! While this book centers on Kiara's experiences with making friends, finding her way in a new environment, and navigating the pressures of making a life for yourself at a young age, all of these things happen for Kiara squarely in, of course, Kiara's various identities. She cannot (and should not) separate her experiences from WHO she is and how she is treated as a result. I absolutely loved the way Valdez handled so many of these related scenes, where Kiara independently and with friends thinks through the various distinctions between how Black and Brown kids are treated versus how white and Asian kids operate in these spaces. The instances are varied and realistic, and there are some solid examples of micro- and macroaggressions that will be fodder for great discussions among readers AND some excellent windows/mirrors insights.
My one complaint? I wanted more. And let's be real; that's really a compliment. I'd have loved to get a little more info about Kiara's family, Maybe a summer and a part of a subsequent year... I just wanted more time with this character and her pals.
I enjoyed this very much and will have a blast recommending it to students immediately. I'll also look forward to more from this author!
*Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I love a graphic novel memoir, especially with a YA audience in mind, and Valdez has a great one here. As soon as I finished this, I made immediate notes to talk about it with my students in tomorrow's class. It's a strong work overall, but there are some motifs that Valdez covers far better than most writers. Fans of the genre are likely to be pleased.
Kiara (the character) is off to a fancy boarding school on scholarship, and she is immediately struck by the different socioeconomic and racial stratifications she notices across campus. I had to laugh at salmon colored shorts and boat shoes in a later chapter! While this book centers on Kiara's experiences with making friends, finding her way in a new environment, and navigating the pressures of making a life for yourself at a young age, all of these things happen for Kiara squarely in, of course, Kiara's various identities. She cannot (and should not) separate her experiences from WHO she is and how she is treated as a result. I absolutely loved the way Valdez handled so many of these related scenes, where Kiara independently and with friends thinks through the various distinctions between how Black and Brown kids are treated versus how white and Asian kids operate in these spaces. The instances are varied and realistic, and there are some solid examples of micro- and macroaggressions that will be fodder for great discussions among readers AND some excellent windows/mirrors insights.
My one complaint? I wanted more. And let's be real; that's really a compliment. I'd have loved to get a little more info about Kiara's family, Maybe a summer and a part of a subsequent year... I just wanted more time with this character and her pals.
I enjoyed this very much and will have a blast recommending it to students immediately. I'll also look forward to more from this author!
*Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This memoir is based upon the author’s experiences at a high school boarding school in New England. For the story, it takes place at the very exclusive Philips Academy Andover. Those students who are accepted either had their parents “buy” their way in or are on full scholarship. Kiara fits into the latter category. She receives a modest stipend and is given a Dell laptop. You can tell those students who are on scholarship because they all have the Dell laptops while all the other wealthier students have Macs. What also separates Kiara from most of the student body is not just her socioeconomic background but also her ethnic background. She is a POC, a brown Dominican girl. There are only a handful of students who are brown or black; most are white or Asian. Finding it difficult to fit in with the white or Asian crowd, she feels more comfortable hanging out with blacks and latinos and they become her circle.
As time marches on, it is clear that POC are not treated the same as the white or Asians. For example, in the library a table of white guys are goofing it up and making quite a rumpus. The librarian comes to the table of POC and angrily tells them to keep it quiet, automatically assuming they were the troublemakers. Kiara decides that she will tolerate the discrimination and racial boundaries as much as she can because she cannot bear the thought of being back home where her mother and stepfather are constantly screaming and at each other’s throats. Kiara tries her best to step up, joining the SLAM (step and dance) team and the Japanese anime club. However, she cannot do the same with her crush who is Chinese/Caucasian. There go those racial boundaries again.
I read through this graphic novel way too quickly because I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the story, the art and illustrations were so realistic, and my heart ached for Kiara. POC and non-POC will acknowledge the tensions between the social classes and races. The only thing I would have preferred was to omit the foul language which I felt tainted some of the characters. I hope to read more graphic novels by this author.
Warning: foul language
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
As time marches on, it is clear that POC are not treated the same as the white or Asians. For example, in the library a table of white guys are goofing it up and making quite a rumpus. The librarian comes to the table of POC and angrily tells them to keep it quiet, automatically assuming they were the troublemakers. Kiara decides that she will tolerate the discrimination and racial boundaries as much as she can because she cannot bear the thought of being back home where her mother and stepfather are constantly screaming and at each other’s throats. Kiara tries her best to step up, joining the SLAM (step and dance) team and the Japanese anime club. However, she cannot do the same with her crush who is Chinese/Caucasian. There go those racial boundaries again.
I read through this graphic novel way too quickly because I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the story, the art and illustrations were so realistic, and my heart ached for Kiara. POC and non-POC will acknowledge the tensions between the social classes and races. The only thing I would have preferred was to omit the foul language which I felt tainted some of the characters. I hope to read more graphic novels by this author.
Warning: foul language
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
They say the grass is always greener on the other side, until you're standing on it wondering if you're even supposed to be there. That's exactly where Kiara finds herself after leaving Washington Heights for the prestigious Phillips Academy Andover.As Kiara gets settled into her new academy, she has a hard time fitting in due the economic disparity and backgrounds between her and her classmates.They talk about all of their financial situations of going on vacations all the while she has to use the school’s laptop.She struggles to fit in due to the campus's image of valuing wealth and social status above all else.Throughout the memoir, Kiara gradually gains confidence by building meaningful friendships and becoming involved in various campus clubs especially SLAM (the school’s step team), allowing her to develop a stronger sense of belonging and more comfortable in her environment.I enjoyed how the memoir highlighted the many different aspects of being at an academy, including academics, sports, dorm life, crushes, and adjusting to a new environment, while also addressing more complex issues such as race and class disparities.Together, these experiences showcase Kiara's personal growth and demonstrate how she learned to navigate the academy, while becoming more confident and self-assured.I also really enjoyed the illustrations and overall art style of the book. The artwork added personality and emotion to the story, making Kiara's experiences feel even more engaging and relatable. I especially liked the characters' facial expressions.Their expressive features helped convey humor, awkwardness, and emotion in a way that complemented the memoir's storytelling and made the characters feel lively and authentic.I had a good time reading and connecting to Kiara’s experience and hopefully this book can resonate with so many other readers as well.Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Children Book for the eARC.
August 26, 2026
I have found that graphic memoirs are one of my new favorite genres and this book is no exception. The story is based on the author’s real experiences as a new student at Philips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, an elite private school. Kiara faces many struggles as a Dominican American teen and one of the few scholarship kids in this very prestigious high school. At times some of the wealthy white students are outright racist in their interactions with Kiara and the other students of color. She is also treated differently because everyone is aware that she is there on a scholarship and they don’t let her forget it. The story captures one entire school year and how Kiara navigates the boarding school setting and strives to make connections and new friends. At first Kiara gravitates toward the other students of color and the Asian kids. Things start to get very exciting when she decides to try out for the step team called SLAM. Along with her roommates, the students on the team become her closest confidantes. I found this part of the story especially enjoyable because the school where I teach also has a step team, which I am fascinated by. Her bravery is tested on a number of occasions as she finds herself in a position where she has to decide if she is willing to stand up for herself and her friends.
The gorgeous illustrations in this book really added to my enjoyment. Plus I loved that there was such an amazingly diverse cast of characters. Each of these character’s diverse voices is important to the telling of the story. As a librarian in a 6-8 school, I appreciate that this book could be classified as upper middle grade or young adult. I find books that appeal to the higher grades in middle school (7th-8th) hard to come by. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
The gorgeous illustrations in this book really added to my enjoyment. Plus I loved that there was such an amazingly diverse cast of characters. Each of these character’s diverse voices is important to the telling of the story. As a librarian in a 6-8 school, I appreciate that this book could be classified as upper middle grade or young adult. I find books that appeal to the higher grades in middle school (7th-8th) hard to come by. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.2 stars!
Thank you to Harper Collins, Kiara Valdez, and Netgalley for the ARC!!
I started this a few hours ago, and then I got hooked into it and couldn't help but finish it!
This was honestly a very eye-opening graphic novel. It shows what a young Dominican girl goes through at a predominantly white school - and experiencing life differently than those with privilege. The school and the people in it treat her and her friends differently than they would white people, and the only way to get their attention would be to do something cool, hence SLAM. I thought SLAM was cool in itself; it makes itself known and is its own kind of art form. I loved seeing the different types of friend groups that show different pieces of the author - anime, a more culturally/ethnically close group, and others. It shows how hard it is to be truly yourself with people, and not have to split yourself to feel whole
I honestly loved what the book conveyed, the story is real and authentic and I found it to be so fun to read!
Thank you to Harper Collins, Kiara Valdez, and Netgalley for the ARC!!
I started this a few hours ago, and then I got hooked into it and couldn't help but finish it!
This was honestly a very eye-opening graphic novel. It shows what a young Dominican girl goes through at a predominantly white school - and experiencing life differently than those with privilege. The school and the people in it treat her and her friends differently than they would white people, and the only way to get their attention would be to do something cool, hence SLAM. I thought SLAM was cool in itself; it makes itself known and is its own kind of art form. I loved seeing the different types of friend groups that show different pieces of the author - anime, a more culturally/ethnically close group, and others. It shows how hard it is to be truly yourself with people, and not have to split yourself to feel whole
I honestly loved what the book conveyed, the story is real and authentic and I found it to be so fun to read!
July 12, 2026
“Stepping Up” is a tribute to embracing who you are and having faith that you will find your place and your people. It depicts the ups and downs of the author’s experience as a scholarship student at an elite boarding high school.
I wish that we could have learned about the rest of the author’s years at Andover but I understand why she focused on her “junior” (Andover’s term for freshman) year. The first year of high school is always a tumultuous experience and the author sharing her story is a testament to “it gets better”.
As a reader, you feel mentally transported back to those years trying to find the activities that fit you best and the friends who accept you as you are. You also can feel the author’s desire to break away from her upbringing and embrace the freedoms she now has.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s books/HarperAlley for the opportunity to read and review.
I wish that we could have learned about the rest of the author’s years at Andover but I understand why she focused on her “junior” (Andover’s term for freshman) year. The first year of high school is always a tumultuous experience and the author sharing her story is a testament to “it gets better”.
As a reader, you feel mentally transported back to those years trying to find the activities that fit you best and the friends who accept you as you are. You also can feel the author’s desire to break away from her upbringing and embrace the freedoms she now has.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s books/HarperAlley for the opportunity to read and review.
May 30, 2026
Stepping Up by Kiara Valdez is a graphic memoir about a girl who is enrolled at a prestigious academy for high school. Kiara is black and most kids at this prestigious school are white. In this book Kiara is trying to navigate her life at this school, family back home, and try to fit into this foreign world. I really enjoyed seeing Kiara strive for better for her and her friends. It definitely hit on areas that I have endured in my life as a black woman. I think this book is a great read as it reminds us that sometimes we all go through some of the same things. The illustrations are also very beautiful. Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved this coming of age graphic novel by Kiara Valdez! An autobiographical feat, this story features Kiara's experience as a Dominican New Yorker in her first year at a mostly white boarding school called Andover. It's a book about belonging & finding your people while simultaneously navigating through the painful reality of racism as a young person. The book does a great job of articulating oppression & injustice through Kiara's lived examples - specifically around class & race.
And yet, this book is so JOYFUL. I loved the emphasis on not only finding her friends & community - but also finding her place in the SLAM team (a cross between cheer/step). The coloring & illustration really emphasize the JOY in these experiences.
I loved it. Highly recommended.
September 25, 2026
Graphic memoir covering the author's first year at a boarding school. Because this covers her entire first year, and because Valdez wanted to cover a lot, this is more slice of life than a coherent narrative. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that a lot of the themes and subplots don't get a lot of time to breathe. This is most obvious when it comes to the step team. From the publisher summary, it sounds like this should be a huge part of her story. It really isn't. She doesn't try out for the team until about halfway through the book, and even then there's only a handful lof scenes that feature step at all. I still enjoyed reading it, and I think a lot of the target audience will, too. I just wish it had either been longer or more focused.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Stepping Up was the first graphic memoir I’ve read, and I really enjoyed it. Stepping Up depicts Kiara’s experience at a predominately white boarding school. Kiara struggles to find her place initially, but she finds a solid group of friends and eventually joins the Step team. While at this school, Kiara and her friends experience racism and inequality.
I think this book would best resonate with teens about to go off to college, but I still had a great time reading Kiara’s story and learning more about Step. The art style was also really fun. I do wish that there had been a little bit more focus on Step, though.
#netgalleyarc #graphicmemoir #steppingup
I think this book would best resonate with teens about to go off to college, but I still had a great time reading Kiara’s story and learning more about Step. The art style was also really fun. I do wish that there had been a little bit more focus on Step, though.
#netgalleyarc #graphicmemoir #steppingup
August 7, 2026
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting and fast graphic memoir about our author's life in school. I enjoyed getting to know her and being in school, in her dorm alongside her. I liked getting to know her friends and seeing her struggles, her pains. I also liked all the SLAM scenes and the team. It was all interesting and I couldn't stop reading. I did think it was a bit surface level at times and I wish they'd gone deeper. But I really liked it overall and I also really liked the illustrations and I just wanted more and more. A really good read. I hope those this author and illustrator collaborate again.
This was an interesting and fast graphic memoir about our author's life in school. I enjoyed getting to know her and being in school, in her dorm alongside her. I liked getting to know her friends and seeing her struggles, her pains. I also liked all the SLAM scenes and the team. It was all interesting and I couldn't stop reading. I did think it was a bit surface level at times and I wish they'd gone deeper. But I really liked it overall and I also really liked the illustrations and I just wanted more and more. A really good read. I hope those this author and illustrator collaborate again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Stepping Up was a really inspiring graphic novel that made me want to go accomplish my goals and work hard for what I believe in. I really liked the main character because they never gave up, even when things got difficult. The story also made me think about standing up for people who are being picked on and treating others with kindness. I liked how the book showed courage, determination, and friendship in a realistic way. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy meaningful coming of age stories with strong characters and important messages.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"Stepping Up" tracks Kiara's first year of college at her dream school. Exploring positive surprises and unexpected downfalls, there's nuanced commentary on racism and wealth inequality amidst benchmark college experiences. What works so well about Kiara's story is how its specificity makes it extremely relatable on a wider scale. Her experiences are unique, but the emotions they bring up are universal. The art style is so lively and engaging that I wish the graphic novel was longer!
Thanks to HarperAlley and NetGalley for the arc!
Thanks to HarperAlley and NetGalley for the arc!
August 7, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley for the free arc! This is a great graphic novel that explores Kiara's first year at Phillips Academy Andover as a a person of color at a school with a majority of white students. In addition, she is a scholarship student. The author examines her first year at the school, what it feels like to fit in or not, and how she found her friends and her place at the school. Based on the author's own experiences at this school, it was interesting to get a glimpse into life at a prestigious New England boarding school.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Very interesting look at life at the Phillips Andover boarding school in 2008. A little more YA due to language and situations, but interesting if you have high school students considering boarding schools.
I suspect the number of people who WOULD feel comfortable at Andover is really, really small.
Very interesting look at life at the Phillips Andover boarding school in 2008. A little more YA due to language and situations, but interesting if you have high school students considering boarding schools.
I suspect the number of people who WOULD feel comfortable at Andover is really, really small.
May 2, 2026
I really enjoyed Stepping Up, a graphic memoir about a young woman’s experience at a prestigious boarding school. Our FMC is struggling with feeling like she doesn’t belong. She shows how micro aggressions, macro aggressions, and consistent racist remarks from classmates and the administration impacted her. 4⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Stepping Up.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Stepping Up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Absolutely gorgeous graphic memoir! I love the art, and Kiara's story is great for people to realize what it's like to be in her shoes. The racism and microaggressions she experienced don't weigh her down. She embraces her full self at the Academy and celebrates with her friends.
Thank you to HarperAlley for the opportunity to read and review.
Thank you to HarperAlley for the opportunity to read and review.
August 13, 2026
Graphic memoir about the author's experience at a prestigious boarding school. This is a great story from the perspective of a scholarship kid, who endures the slings of the wealthy and privileged kids who attend, and quietly overlooks the many racist microaggressions. Until she doesn't. Watching Kiara find her people, her place, and her voice is a joy. The art is gorgeous.
Review of advance copy
This is a great graphic novel memoir that a lot of my students will enjoy. I can't wait to see the full color version (the print ARC I received is in black and white). It's almost set up for a sequel, so it would be nice to see a continuation--maybe one book for each year of school?
August 18, 2026
This graphic novel was outstanding. Black teens in a prestigious high school with a predominantly white student body, bond with one another while navigating dorm life. Their friendships protect one another, as they meet prejudices and other challenges head on.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A nice story about female friendships, and how being a minority at a mostly-white private school brought the author together with other POC girls.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed this, but it wasn't one of my favorite reads. I always love reading about other people's experiences because it gives me more perspectives about life.
July 9, 2026
3.5 stars
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