7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up: A Graphic Novel

by Jimmy Gownley

The kids at prestigious Greycliff Academy are in for a surprise when their hero, Kirby Finn, turns out to be something he's not.

To his friends at Greycliff Academy, Kirby seems to have it all: charm, brains, and a lucky streak that won't quit. He's also the notorious hero creating the snarky videos "7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up," which expose just how dumb adults can be. Why would any kid want to become one of them? But there's also a mystery about Kirby. And when his best friend, Raja, finds out his secret, Kirby, Raja, and their friends have to grow up fast and face the world head-on.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Friendship, Fiction, Childrens, Romance, Adventure

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2020

About the author

Jimmy Gownley is the author and illustrator of the Amelia Rules! series of graphic novels, as well as the memoir The Dumbest Idea Ever!.

He has been nominated for 13 Eisner awards and 6 Harvey awards. His book Superheroes won the 2006 Cybil Award for best graphic novel for kids 12 and under.

He lives in Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Niyousha · Rating 1 out of 5]

جفنگ!

[Katie Fitzgerald]

I was so excited to see that Jimmy Gownley has a new book coming out. His Amelia Rules series is one of the most entertaining and sensitive sets of middle grade graphic novels I have ever read, and I have been waiting for him to do something new for years! Unfortunately, I have made the decision to abandon the digital ARC (which I downloaded from Edelweiss+) at the 40% mark. I have never read a middle grade book that was so cynical and negative about everything. The kids in this book are completely disrespectful toward adults, way too concerned with grown-up issues, and they speak in a snarky, almost angry tone that feels really uncomfortable and unpleasant. The change in tone from Amelia Rules to this book is really jarring, and I ultimately just couldn't stick with a book it felt like a chore to read.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gownley is trying for a madcap and quirky Ferris Bueller tone in this story about kids trying to change the world one good deed at a time, but the end result is a cluttered and overlong jumble that left me caring little about any of the characters or their actions. Meh.

[Mathew · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this graphic novel so much - it had Breakfast Club vibes about it but for a slightly younger audience: John Hughes-esque. But there was so much going on, an imbalance between entertainment, pathos and story that I felt that nothing worked through well in the end and whilst I usually enjoy stories that leave us with questions, there were so many in this book that I couldn't get a grasp on the narrative at all.

Why is it that the Headmaster and Raj speak to sock puppets? Why was 'Kirby' content with going to find his father after years of neglect and abuse and what assurances are there that his father would even want him? How come Kelly Rose, who Kirby had taken so painfully long to woo, was quick to move on to Raj merely because Kirby had hidden something deeply private from her?

Some of the stylistic choices were good. The 'GuessiPedia' moments, use of mobile phones and letters all had potential but they were sometimes convoluted devices within a convoluted story. I also felt that Scholatic made the book itself an inch too long in format so that big white gaps at the top and bottom of the pages meant the story didn't feel as immersive as it could have.

I think that if more time had been spent on building character (with less characters in it perhaps) then this story had real potential.

[Lost in Book Land · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, hi, how are we all doing?

The past few days have been rough (I feel like that is even an understatement) on top of the election, I have had a really rough week with some of my assignments for my graduate classes and I am just ready to fall into a comfortable spot and read (without my phone) for maybe days at this point and then vacation on my animal crossing island where I need to finish making my library. So last night (when I was having the worst time because this paper for my class will haunt me) I decided to take some time away and finish reading 7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up and try to clear my mind.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Kirby Finn is a legend at his school. Everyone loves him, all the kids want to be friends with him, and the girls crush hard on him. While everyone aside from the Principal that is who, thinks Kirby is the bane of his existence. Kirby and his group are the resistors are going to expose why being an adult is in fact not always awesome. However, while they are trying to expose the truth about being an adult the principal is trying to get Kirby kicked out. One member of Kirby’s resistance group is his best friend Raj, and as they work on their plans Raj, realizes that he does not know a lot about his best friend Kirby and that their maybe something more to this whole thing then anyone knows about.

I really enjoyed my time with this graphic novel. I always love picking up graphic novels but I think last night especially this one helped to get my mind away from everything and keep my hands off my phone (because I was doom scrolling like a lot). At first, I really enjoyed how fun and cute this story was but as things progressed I got really interested in the story of Kirby and by the end I was hooked and wanted to know what was happening. (I will not be saying too much more about the plot because I do not want to give anything away). Overall, I really enjoyed the story of Kirby Finn and the resistors and would love to spend some time again with them in another story perhaps! (I mean there was a small cliff hanger)!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

**Thank you so much to the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an eARC courtesy of Edelweiss & Graphix in exchange for my honest review.

What starts off as a mad-cap, over-the-top story, abruptly shifts to some deeper storylines. I didn't know what to think about this book when I began: having a character called Finkenboner will do that to a person. The adventures of The Resistance and the legendary Kirby Finn were nothing short of hilarious and random.

Interspersed throughout was the countdown of the 7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up & these too seemed quite random. Where the first half of this graphic seemed like a force for chaotic good, the second half began this journey into sadness. And this shift gave me whiplash.

Was this book bad? Not by any means.

Would I read it again? Probably not.

Will your kids read it? Oh yeah, the cover is a huge selling point. But I do question it's age group. While the target age appears on the lower end (Grades 4-6), I don't know how much of it they will really "get".

Should you get it for your library? If you have a demand for realistic, humorous graphics then it might serve you well. But if you are short on time and space then invest in Gownley's "Amelia Rules" series or his book "The Dumbest Idea Ever" instead.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raj's best friend is Kirby Finn, a legend at Greycliff Academy, who calls in favors to help his fellow classmates, while also reminding them all the reasons they should never grow up. While this seemed like a silly kind of school-age Robin Hood at first, Gownley explores a lot of deeper ideas, such as finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, dealing with loss, and finding your own family. It ended up being really lovely, and I would totally read more by Gownley.

[Kristin DeGarmo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really impressed with this middle grade graphic novel. It didn’t enthrall me as much as I hoped it would. It was just kind of lackluster. Kids might like it but I didn’t. Not bad just not interesting to me.

[Leslie Marley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disapointed the lettering was also oddly smal and the kid characters seemed extra intolerant.

[Brenda Kahn]

This was a miss for me. Transitions were abrupt. I kept thinking I missed a page. There was some humor and the art was interesting, but it was SO CYNICAL and the kids were SO MEAN! I bought it for my school library collection b/c of the author's memoir and his Amelia books. I will leave it there, of course, and would be interested to hear what my students think.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very weird book. It’s disjointed and the tone is weird and the flow is all … weird. Also the lettering makes it really hard to read IMO. My ten year old asked me to read it, he said he’d tried three times and finally finished/understood it.

[Piper Peters]

this book made me really sad

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for the art and silly humor
3 stars for the story, especially after the big reveal

Maybe I’m thinking about it too hard, but I couldn’t make sense of it. I mean, how did he live? Where did he get money? How did he go for more than one school year without being enrolled or anyone looking for his parents?

I was still glad to discover there was a Jimmy Gownley book I hadn’t read yet, and I enjoyed most of it.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gotta love a graphic novel. Funny to see reasons why you shouldn’t grow up. I think my kids will enjoy this - some funny moments in this and some great messages about family and being kind. Another recommendation from a friend that was a great call.

[Arden Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at my local bookstore and couldn’t put it down!! I read it in just one sitting. Gownley wrote a captivating story of uniquely diverse characters, fun subplots, and captured the beauty of being a kid. As a now as a kid (Younger teen), I’m aware teachers are multifaceted beings and aren’t inherently terrible (actually, my Mom’s even a teacher) but wow, there are some ones out there that just REALLY make you question ever thinking that. I think in the age of zoom burnout and distance learning, I get the appeal of making the teachers the convenient bad guys. Kids will get the portrayal is exaggerated for comedic purposes, so I don’t really see it as a big issue. In my opinion, I think Kelly Rose was kind of a lame and flaky love interest. Like (spoiler alert) she finally goes out with Kirby/ Kevin, breaks up with him because he lied, then kissed Raj who she never previously expressed any interest in? Alllrighty, okay then.. I loved the idea of a Resistance, and it definitely seems like a plausible idea kids would come up with. It did (spoiler alert) take a sad twist at the end with Kirby being a runaway foster kid which, well, did it make sense logistically? Nope. Did it need to? Nope. Unexpected, as I thought it was going to be light and fluffy reading, but not entirely disappointed. The ending felt slightly rushed, and I would love too see more stories in the setting with the same characters! Personally, I related too the character of Kirby Finn/Kevin the most, and overall LOVED everything about the book. 4.5/5 stars, would read again! Long live the after school resistance!!
- Arden C.

[LordTBR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Scholastic Graphix for an ARC of 7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

This was my first middle grade graphic novel and probably won't be my last, but it wasn't a truly amazing start. While the cover and catchy title drew me in, and the panels provided vivid color and some eye-catching artwork, the overall story was a bit "tale of two-halves". The first half of the story reminded me of cartoons I used to watch growing up where kids always knew better, grown-ups were all crazy (especially teachers and principals - I.E. The Fairly Oddparents), and the thought of growing up had appeal but was also one of the scariest things you can imagine. There is plenty of humor to go around, and some really fun hijinks which I assumed would continue throughout the rest of the book.
But the second half became muddied, with certain focal characters making a 180 in decision making and a dark overtone looming ominously over the rest of the arc.

While I can see the appeal for kids, I would take a hesitant approach as a parent due to some of the subject matter, total disregard for adults, and an age range that I feel appeals to more of the 8-9th grades instead of 4-6th as I don't know that those kids would "get it", which is maybe the point?

I've seen that some of Gownley's earlier works were much more appealing, so I may take a stab at those or suggest you look there instead.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll chalk it up to sheer coincidence that the last two graphic novels that I read were super similar. Both featured middle school aged kids grappling with one kid who was extorting facts and gossip in exchange for favors. The difference is that the kid in Shirley and Jamila was doing it for evil purposes, and the kid in this book was sort of a super hero about it. Is this a common theme in kids’ books these days? And in both cases I thought that the scenarios seemed more suited for high school. Just my opinion tho.

At any rate, this one has less controlled art and dialogue than S&J’s more Raina Telgameier -type book; it was quite manic and undisciplined. A bit Archie comicky, actually. But also very funny and even dark and poignant at times, and it did have an interesting albeit conveniently packaged resolution. So, yeah, this one’s unique for sure.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kirby Finn is the spotlight that the other kids rotate around. They are better than, and know more than, the tired, depressing adults, and the kids try to right wrongs.
This book was disjointed, trying to do too many things. Was it a feel good book? An examination action of growing up?
I loved The Dumbest Idea Ever, but not this one.

[Aaron Dettmann · Rating 1 out of 5]

My 4th grade niece loved this book and asked me to read it. Even though I hated this book, I'm glad I read it so I could discuss the problematic elements of it with my niece.

The first reason it gives not to grow up (#7) is male-pattern blandness, where he makes fun of how an adult (Phil) looks. I discussed with my niece how you should never make fun of how people look.

Another reason is that Kirby justifies scaring people and doing pranks as teaching people a lesson, and that it will be good for them when they grow up into adults. This kind of reminds me how when I was student teaching my 6th grade supervising teacher said she wasn't a fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, even though I loved those books, because the main character is a bully, and you're supposed to laugh at the things he does to bully other people. So, maybe I'm at the age where I hate fun :)

Then under the BS of Plan B's, he says having a job is bad, and soulless, and essentially makes fun of people that have jobs.

Later on, he says that TPing a house is a harmless prank, but I assure you if the resident has anxiety, it is not harmless at all.

Just, in general making every adult in the book look terrible was annoying to read. It is fast paced and switches from one event to another very quickly, so that probably keeps kid's attention.

One part that did make me smile was when one of the characters got pooped on by a bird - I asked my niece if she's ever had that happen to her (she hasn't). I told her it's happened to me twice in my life - both times while I was in high school (once walking home from school, the other time when I was on a choir trip overseas and eating lunch under a tree).

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've probably forgotten a few tags, but a lot of the things I could add are only minor aspects of the story, so I'm going with what's there.

I have mixed feelings about the story, which almost lost me in the middle, between the main character (Raja, who is the "main" character in that it's told mostly from his point-of-view) getting thoroughly lost in the fray, as it were, to the main character (Kirby, who is the main character by screen time); the fact Kirby, on the face of things, just seems to be stirring up trouble for no reason (some of the other characters even protest his actions, since they value the school for its prestigiousness toward getting into college); and just a number of little things that rubbed me the wrong way when reading it.

Also, the art style is hit AND miss: sometimes it's great, sometimes it's... kind of freaky.

When I got toward the end, though, I started to like the story again, particularly when they solved the mystery of Kirby Finn. It's a good ending, though I'm not sure I'd sit through a re-read. I'm also not sure what the moral is, if any: I'm sure most people would have preferred to never grow up, but it's not really something we can choose.

I do think it's worth a read, despite my misgivings, particularly for anyone going through a hard time in school. The message of friendship is pretty strong, even if their methods are questionable.

Edit: I remembered the "Ugly Truths" chapter... great stuff! "And sorry, but you already do use one hundred percent of your brain." :D (I really hated that myth; why would our bodies bother to make so much brain matter if we didn't use it all?)

[Kayla Zabcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

70%

Okay, the storyline was kind of whatever and had plot holes and unexplained parts, but the 7 reasons not to grow up were spot-on, so I'm gonna include them here:

7.) Male-Pattern Blandness: you risk becoming a corned beef sandwich (you are a hunk of human meat chasing 'bread'/money)
6.) The BS of Planned Bs: the land where dreams go to die/"plan B is what you're stuck with when you bet against yourself"
5.) The Buck Stops: "money, too much or too little, makes grown-ups miserable"/"the only reason a dollar bill is worth a dollar is because all the adults agree to pretend it does"
4.) It All Depends: "aging! if you do it long enough you end up back in diapers"
3.) The Ugly Truth: "you discover that pretty much everything anyone ever told you is a lie" (ie you can't see the Great Wall of China from space)
2.) Regret: "most of my life was spent worrying that I might do something I'd regret, to the point that I barely did anything at all"
1.) Death: "the day the 'responsible adult' takes over and the kid in you dies"


Basically, stay young at heart, don't take things too seriously, be open-minded, and do your damned best to be the you that little kid you would've been proud of.

[Kim Tyo-Dickerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Digital Review Copy (DRC) provided by Edelweiss+ and Scholastic Graphix in exchange for an honest review.

Look at this amazing cover! A colorful middle school crew and catchy title, I eagerly downloaded this graphic novel as a huge fan of middle grade titles and the format in general. I loved the welcoming, shelf appeal, the bright, primary color panels, multiple genders and races, and engaging pop culture premise, eager to see where this realistic story about a social media phenomenon trying to keep up the vibe and appearances at school while hiding a big personal secret would take me.

Started strong. And then midway through a promising start, I lost the connections to the large cast of characters. The humor disappeared. Solid characters behaved in inconsistent, disappointing ways. There were illogical, out-of-character decisions made that were in sharp contrast to the character arcs at the beginning of the story. My son put it like this, "It was so good until it wasn't." This needed way more editing and development of the main characters to match the truly dynamic structure of the comic.

[D.T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this. It has such a Sunday morning comics feel, y’know. This also has to be Gownley’s most racially-diverse series too. There’s some real heart here, and the dialogue’s witty. kudos, for subverting the reader. I was just counting down the pages until Kirby died (morbid I know), but he didn’t! A lot of the story’s events are farfetched like… how’d Kirby manage to keep up his identity as a viral youtuber(?). surely, some kid would’ve known him. Where was he living at? In another foster home? , but kids will love it.

Again, this is a story made for kids in mind. All the teachers are literally super-villain evil haha, so that’s going to appeal more to a kid angry at teach for too many Zoom assignments more so than an adult who knows teachers can be multifaceted (tho there are some seriously miserable teachers).

Still, I liked reading this for the most part. There are also multiple plot points with Kelly's letters to Mimi, Raj's subplot, Kirby Finn shenanigans, and the countdown of reasons not to grow up.

3.5

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Because what’s the point of doing something well ... if you don’t do something good.”

Kirby Finn is the leader of the after school resistance. “Me and the Resistance are on the front lines of the fight against the Cudgels of the world.” And though Kirby’s videos are what have made him a celebrity, the real work of the resistance it helping other kids with their problems. Maybe it’s someone being bullied, maybe it’s someone’s parents losing their business. Kirby always manages to find a way to help. But who is Kirby Finn, really?

With his supporting cast of Raja, 3-D, Kelly, Posey and Mita, the kids of Greycliff Academy try to navigate the now and also the future. Should they develop a Plan B about their future? Is being an adult all about the money you make? Who can you trust in the world? What happens when some kids are forced to grow faster than they should?

The beginning is a little confusing, but once the story gets rolling, interesting things happen.

[Wordsworn · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the heck. I know it's not the main focus of the story (which is, I guess, "don't be a jerk when you grow up"?), but the romance aspect was particularly--and story-ruiningly, for me--disappointing. Kelly Rose likes "Kirby" for basically the whole book, and really doesn't have any interest in Rajah at all, turning him down for dates and such; but when it's revealed that "Kirby" was lying about who he was because he was a runaway who was tired of being in the foster system, she dumps Kirby/Kevin immediately while he's in the hospital because "he lied to her". And then she almost immediately turns around and kisses Rajah, who she has shown zero interest in up until that point.

Just...why? Thanks for making the main female character pretty mean and super unsympathetic. =\

[Ardin Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to older Middle Readers (around 12) to early teens. It was funny, and filled with charming illustrations. I also thought the characters were hilarious.
I found some parts of the story had a few plot holes, but I thought perhaps this was because there was a sequel? If this graphic novel does have a sequel I kind of wish the big reveal came then, versus in book one. Overall it was entertaining, and Kirby and the rest of the cast were really great. I'm hoping they will have more adventures.
One thing that I will note is that some of the language used in the book, might not fly with some folks, which is why I think it'd be more suitable for the older half of the 9-12 age group.
I think this would be a great book for anyone in the 8th grade for sure.

[Donne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit that this book started out slow for me ... It took me to Reason 2 to get into it. I can't wait for my 11-year-old to read it. He will love the creative, yet non-physical practical jokes in the book. He will love the creative thought-out anti-bully persona of Kirby. My son is the anti-bully kid in his grade. He stands up to them all the time for other kiddos - even getting talked to about it by teachers who wish he would ask for their help more.

This is also amazing story about true friendship. I think a lot of kids don't know what a true friend is until they get a little older than this. I hope the message translates well for my kids from this book because it is really well written and accurate.

[Megan Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

“So I felt I fell really far, and I landed really hard. But you know what? I survived. And maybe that’s the silver lining in having to grow up too fast. It gave me the courage to make the leap, but it also gave me the strength to survive the fall.”

I liked this. I thought it was cute. It didn’t really get me until the middle, but I enjoyed finding out why Kirby Finn, or Kevin Finnegan, was always so mysterious. I liked the idea that he didn’t want to grow up and become one of the adults that had always seemed to let him down and that he did so much for others because no one had really done anything for him. I thought it was cute.

[Eleah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did, but boy am I really glad I took the time to read it. I loved the fact that I was getting old school comic vibes; like Calvin & Hobbes, Denice the Menace, Peanuts and Ginger Meggs. Beautiful! Not only the artwork but the writing made me feel like there was something for any age that reads this. I'd even go so far as to say the older you are the more you might enjoy some of the jokes in this. They certainly had me laughing. Even beyond the jokes though, the serious "grown up" stuff contains some really great messages for all ages to hear as well.

[•°☆ Annabelle ☆°• · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't 100% sure what was going at any point during this book, but it was an alright book. Its target audience is obviously not me so I don't think my personal opinion on this novel is very valid. My favourite thing about it was that it wasn't just a graphic novel full of nothing, this had content and morals and I would recommend it to those who enjoy this kind of thing. This graphic novel presented real topics/issues on self identity and childhood. I didn't particularly love it but I know that a lot of people would absolutely adore this. (Quite an easy read, I might add, didn't take me long to finish)