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Following the overwhelming success of AWKWARD and BRAVE, Svetlana Chmakova's award winning Berrybrook Middle School series continues with its next installment - CRUSH!
Jorge seems to have it all together. He's big enough that nobody really messes with him, but he's also a genuinely sweet guy with a solid, reliable group of friends. The only time he ever really feels off his game is when he crosses paths with a certain girl... But when the group dynamic among the boys starts to shift, will Jorge be able to balance what his friends expect of him versus what he actually wants?
Jorge seems to have it all together. He's big enough that nobody really messes with him, but he's also a genuinely sweet guy with a solid, reliable group of friends. The only time he ever really feels off his game is when he crosses paths with a certain girl... But when the group dynamic among the boys starts to shift, will Jorge be able to balance what his friends expect of him versus what he actually wants?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 30, 2018
995 people are currently reading
6433 people want to read
About the author
Svetlana Chmakova
38 books1,615 followersSvetlana Chmakova (Russian: Светлана Шмакова) (born 1979 in Russia) is a comic creator. She is best known for Dramacon, an original English-language (OEL) manga spanning three volumes and published in North America by Tokyopop. Her other work includes the 2-page The Adventures of CG for CosmoGIRL! magazine and the webcomic Chasing Rainbows for Girlamatic. Though born in Russia, she immigrated to Canada, where she graduated from the Sheridan College Classical Animation program, in 2002. She then began to publish her manga on the Internet, where her works were found by CosmoGirl! magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,069 reviews
September 19, 2022
Berrybrook Middle School is back with a graphic novel starring Jorge Ruiz. This series continues to be outstanding in the issues that are introduced. In this installment, Jorge deal with a crush and a false accusation. You can't help but root for him as he works to maintain a positive presence in the midst of his classmates. Love the artwork, problem-solving and characters themselves. A high quality series.
November 28, 2018
3.5★
“If you can’t use your sports skills to win and have to resort to verbal abuse and insults on my field, GET OFF MY FIELD!”
Middle school is hard. Being a new teenager is hard. But this is easy. An easy-to-read, easy-to-understand graphic novel that covers a lot of issues. Boys, girls, non-binary (one mention); extroverts and shy kids; sports jocks and bookish nerds; big guys and little kids; popular kids and loners; pale, medium, dark kids; blondes, brunettes, redheads, headscarf.
And names from around the globe: Jorge Ruiz (our hero), Olivia (Liv – Jorge’s best friend), Jazmine Duong (shy, quiet, and Jorge’s first crush), Zeke, Garrett, James, and a host of others, including Mrs. Rashad. Mrs Rashad is also the sports coach and the one who made the earlier remark about GET OFF MY FIELD.
Kids bounce around the hallways, open lockers, eat lunch together or alone, and most importantly, occasionally bully each other. Jorge is a big kid, and he doesn’t like bullying. When he calls it out, the kids call him the Sheriff. It’s a joke, but his interventions work.
When he meets Jazmine, he is surprised to find himself tongue-tied and blushing. You can guess where the story goes. It’s a long book, so I’ll just copy a few excerpts here to give you an idea. I’m not spoiling anything by saying it has a happy ending, but you probably figured as much, eh? 😊
Thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press for the preview copy from which I’ve pinched the pictures.
Jorge, “the Sheriff”, breaks up boys ganging up on a smaller boy.
Jorge shoots hoops and says that sports is simpler than middle school.
Coach (Mrs) Rashad reads the kids the riot act about verbal abuse.
Jorge realises he’s got a crush and gets so flustered he misses a passed ball.
Garrett explains to Jorge he hangs out with another guy so he can be part of the in crowd.
Mrs. Rashad makes sure the kids understand that they are in charge of their bodies.
Jorge is upset because someone hacked his social media account and made nasty remarks about friends.
“If you can’t use your sports skills to win and have to resort to verbal abuse and insults on my field, GET OFF MY FIELD!”
Middle school is hard. Being a new teenager is hard. But this is easy. An easy-to-read, easy-to-understand graphic novel that covers a lot of issues. Boys, girls, non-binary (one mention); extroverts and shy kids; sports jocks and bookish nerds; big guys and little kids; popular kids and loners; pale, medium, dark kids; blondes, brunettes, redheads, headscarf.
And names from around the globe: Jorge Ruiz (our hero), Olivia (Liv – Jorge’s best friend), Jazmine Duong (shy, quiet, and Jorge’s first crush), Zeke, Garrett, James, and a host of others, including Mrs. Rashad. Mrs Rashad is also the sports coach and the one who made the earlier remark about GET OFF MY FIELD.
Kids bounce around the hallways, open lockers, eat lunch together or alone, and most importantly, occasionally bully each other. Jorge is a big kid, and he doesn’t like bullying. When he calls it out, the kids call him the Sheriff. It’s a joke, but his interventions work.
When he meets Jazmine, he is surprised to find himself tongue-tied and blushing. You can guess where the story goes. It’s a long book, so I’ll just copy a few excerpts here to give you an idea. I’m not spoiling anything by saying it has a happy ending, but you probably figured as much, eh? 😊
Thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press for the preview copy from which I’ve pinched the pictures.
Jorge, “the Sheriff”, breaks up boys ganging up on a smaller boy.
Jorge shoots hoops and says that sports is simpler than middle school.
Coach (Mrs) Rashad reads the kids the riot act about verbal abuse.
Jorge realises he’s got a crush and gets so flustered he misses a passed ball.
Garrett explains to Jorge he hangs out with another guy so he can be part of the in crowd.
Mrs. Rashad makes sure the kids understand that they are in charge of their bodies.
Jorge is upset because someone hacked his social media account and made nasty remarks about friends.
January 24, 2019
Breaking my no star rule for this one:
I absolutely loved this one just like I LOVED the other two (all following deprecate characters and this are standalone novels).
I whizzed through it and I blushed and felt all the cute feels!!
This really feels an awful lot like a middle grade Degrassi!!! The best parts of Degrassi, but for middle school kids so it not not reach the boiling point or go THERE....haha but it definitely hits the spot!
I absolutely loved this one just like I LOVED the other two (all following deprecate characters and this are standalone novels).
I whizzed through it and I blushed and felt all the cute feels!!
This really feels an awful lot like a middle grade Degrassi!!! The best parts of Degrassi, but for middle school kids so it not not reach the boiling point or go THERE....haha but it definitely hits the spot!
November 1, 2018
This is third in a series that is only very lightly related. None of them rely on any of the others so they can easily be read in any order. I do highly recommend reading them all, in whatever order you choose.
Chmakova knocked this one out of the park, too. Which is no surprise. Again, the characters fairly leap off the page and the story is so well-told that it takes you back to those middle school years and the rapid-fire changes and drama and pain and joy inherent in them. As with any great storyteller, she does so in a way that evokes that age with sympathy and honesty. I really enjoyed the layers to this story and seeing Jorge struggle with being a good person even in the face of bad events. I liked his quiet calm that masked his occasional panic and I liked his willingness to find the best in others when he could.
And I think I'll leave it with that. As the title implies, the story is largely about Jorge's crush on a girl. And Chmakova does such a fine job with that as the lead while exploring other aspects of friendship as well. And again, her art just blows me away with its evocative fine detail adding that extra meaning to a story already well-told.
Chmakova knocked this one out of the park, too. Which is no surprise. Again, the characters fairly leap off the page and the story is so well-told that it takes you back to those middle school years and the rapid-fire changes and drama and pain and joy inherent in them. As with any great storyteller, she does so in a way that evokes that age with sympathy and honesty. I really enjoyed the layers to this story and seeing Jorge struggle with being a good person even in the face of bad events. I liked his quiet calm that masked his occasional panic and I liked his willingness to find the best in others when he could.
And I think I'll leave it with that. As the title implies, the story is largely about Jorge's crush on a girl. And Chmakova does such a fine job with that as the lead while exploring other aspects of friendship as well. And again, her art just blows me away with its evocative fine detail adding that extra meaning to a story already well-told.
December 25, 2025
جورجيه طالب في الثالثة عشر من عمره، شديد المسالمة والوداعة رغم مظهره الذي قد يُعطي انطباعاً مختلفاً. يخدمه مظهره هذا-كولد قوي ضخم الجثة-في
إبعاد كل مؤذي أو متنمر ممن تمتلئ بهم أي مدرسة. يوصيه والده بأن قوته تلك هى منحة يجب أن توهب لمن حُرم منها، فيُبقى عينه على ضعفاء المدرسة من الطلاب لحمايتهم من غيرهم من الطلبة المستقوين "البلطجية" يعني.
جورجيه صديق للجميع، لم يمر بعد بمشاعر الحب التي تُرافق تلك المرحلة من العمر كما هو الحال مع باقي زملائه، والذين ينظر إلى "حُمّى" الحب التي تُغرقهم بعين السخرية واللامبالاة. يجد نفسه فجأة بين يوم وليلة مصاباً بتلك "الحُمّى" دون ان يدري عندما "يُعجَب" أو "يكّراش بلغة العيال بتوع اليومين دول" بفتاة في صفه، ويمنعه خجله الشديد من مصارحتها بمشاعره.
تمتد مساحة القصة وتتخطى الخط الرومانسي إلى مناقشة مفاهيم أخرى كالصداقة، وما هو المدى الذي نمضي فيه لحماية ذلك الصديق من نفسه، وهل يمكننا أن نغفر لأصدقاءنا زلّاتهم واخطاءهم؟
أيضا تناقش القصة "ضغط الأقران" أو مشكلة بعض الطلاب الذين لا يتمتعون بقدر كاف من الثقة بأنفسهم، فيسعون وراء كسب صداقة الطلبة من ذوي الشعبية الكبيرة ومحاولة نيل رضاءهم لإبقاء تلك الصداقة، حتى لو كان ذلك على حساب كرامتهم ومبادئهم الشخصية.
ترسم كاتبة تلك السلسلة "سفيتلانا تشماكوفا" شخصيات مُحببة وقربية من القلب، وخاصة الشخصيات الذكورية من طلاب مدرسة "بيري ميدل الإعدادية" الذين نراهم في صورة أكثر رقةً وعمقاً عن ما أراها في باقي سلاسل كتب الكوميكس الأخرى.
وعلى الرغم من حبي لتلك الجزء من السلسلة، إلا إنه لم يكن بنفس جودة الجزء السابق
brave
فالأحداث كانت رتيبة إلى درجة ما في منتصف القصة، ولم تعد القصة لبريقها إلا في النهاية.
December 1, 2022
Like books 1 and 2, this felt like being back in Middle School. But like, a slightly improved junior high experience where at least a few people stand up for others and there are good friends.
For some reason this installment reminded me more stressfully of how much I hated middle school. I could practically smell the hormone sweat. Grateful I didn't have a crush at this age.
For some reason this installment reminded me more stressfully of how much I hated middle school. I could practically smell the hormone sweat. Grateful I didn't have a crush at this age.
September 8, 2018
Having a crush is so hard, and is is doubly hard for Jorge, especially since the girl he has the crush on has a boyfriend.
We "met" Jorge in earlier books in this series, but it is not necessary to read the other books, as each of them are self contained. Awkward and Brave build on each other, but you can pick any of the three books up and have a wonderful time seeing the drama that is middle school.
There are the mean boys, rather than mean girls, in this story, which is a refreshing change. But the mean boys really are just as bad as any mean girls, and the things they do to Jorge as a revenge are very mean spirited.
The dialogue is fun. The feelings are very raw and real, and the characters are typical middle grade kids, who like to play video games, instead of studying, and who forget their homework, and other charms of going to school.
Below are some sample panels of Jorge not knowing what to do or say when he is by his crush.
Love this series, and can hardly wait for me to get a physical copy of this book, and then, hopefully await the next book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest reveiw.
We "met" Jorge in earlier books in this series, but it is not necessary to read the other books, as each of them are self contained. Awkward and Brave build on each other, but you can pick any of the three books up and have a wonderful time seeing the drama that is middle school.
There are the mean boys, rather than mean girls, in this story, which is a refreshing change. But the mean boys really are just as bad as any mean girls, and the things they do to Jorge as a revenge are very mean spirited.
The dialogue is fun. The feelings are very raw and real, and the characters are typical middle grade kids, who like to play video games, instead of studying, and who forget their homework, and other charms of going to school.
Below are some sample panels of Jorge not knowing what to do or say when he is by his crush.
Love this series, and can hardly wait for me to get a physical copy of this book, and then, hopefully await the next book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest reveiw.
October 11, 2018
I SO needed this as a palate cleanse after the last two horrific 1 star graphic novels I just read.
This book is cute and sweet and everything I needed right now. I read the teaser handed out at ALA Annual 2018 and knew that I had to get my hands on the entire thing. I was right, it was so awesome! I didn't realize this was the third in a series, so now I have two other books to look forward to, yay!!
This is a contemporary story from the POV of Jorge, a large middle schooler with two BFFs, Olivia and Russell. It is their story of how they dealt with middle school, classes, teachers, fellow students, gossip, crushes, etc.
Jorge and Olivia were my favs, though the gym teacher was AWESOME. Russell was a bit of an idiot and I didn't like him, but he was true to a less self-assured pre-teen in middle school, so I can't hate on him. Just hate his initial behavior. He does grow and learn, so all is not lost.
This book would be great for the middle school years and maybe a younger, precocious reader and upwards. Highly recommended. 5, shiny, love Jorge and Olivia, stars!
My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press/JY for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
This book is cute and sweet and everything I needed right now. I read the teaser handed out at ALA Annual 2018 and knew that I had to get my hands on the entire thing. I was right, it was so awesome! I didn't realize this was the third in a series, so now I have two other books to look forward to, yay!!
This is a contemporary story from the POV of Jorge, a large middle schooler with two BFFs, Olivia and Russell. It is their story of how they dealt with middle school, classes, teachers, fellow students, gossip, crushes, etc.
Jorge and Olivia were my favs, though the gym teacher was AWESOME. Russell was a bit of an idiot and I didn't like him, but he was true to a less self-assured pre-teen in middle school, so I can't hate on him. Just hate his initial behavior. He does grow and learn, so all is not lost.
This book would be great for the middle school years and maybe a younger, precocious reader and upwards. Highly recommended. 5, shiny, love Jorge and Olivia, stars!
My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press/JY for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
January 28, 2021
Svetlana Chmakova does it again! She perfectly captures the events and emotions that fill our middle school days. In this volume, she tackles the issues of love and bullying. The main story is one of a crush developing into an healthy budding romance. However, there are other relationships that are shown as well that are not healthy ones. This contrast between healthy and unhealthy relationships gives readers a lot of investment in the relationship of the main characters.
The secondary theme is bullying, with a particular focus on cyberbullying. I felt this issue was handled very well. It shows how people can get caught up in it unwillingly, and how reconciliation can be made afterwards.
Overall, Chmakova is really good at writing characters. The personalities of the characters, even the minor characters, are quite distinct. This combines with her ability to draw subtle expressions, some even without words, to create deep and interesting characters. This is well worth a read.
The secondary theme is bullying, with a particular focus on cyberbullying. I felt this issue was handled very well. It shows how people can get caught up in it unwillingly, and how reconciliation can be made afterwards.
Overall, Chmakova is really good at writing characters. The personalities of the characters, even the minor characters, are quite distinct. This combines with her ability to draw subtle expressions, some even without words, to create deep and interesting characters. This is well worth a read.
November 2, 2018
I ordered this months ago and then forgot about it until I got the notice that it had shipped. Though I love all of Svetlana Chmakova's work, my interest pales beside that of my daughter, whose mild reading disability translates to her being more comfortable with audiobooks and graphic novels. So I left it on her computer and texted her at work to say she had a surprise...and her reaction was gratifying.
This series is brilliant in how it captures the middle school experience. When I read Awkward, I initially thought the attitudes and relationships were too mature for middle schoolers. And then I started remembering my own middle school experience. I'd blocked it out for being a traumatic period of confusion, growing awareness of boys, being bullied, and basically not knowing who I was or what I wanted to be. And Chmakova gets that.
In Crush, the story is about Jorge's crush on Jazmine, but it goes so much further than that into issues of body autonomy and going along with the crowd and the horrors of gossip. And all of it is done in a way that avoids being a lecture--which would kill the story dead. It's also a story about friendship and forgiveness. Jorge is eminently lovable, not just for being big and conscious of using his size to protect others, but because he has a clear grasp of right and wrong and never fails to act accordingly. If this was a didactic story, I'd say he's the perfect role model, but it's not, and Jorge is simply the person he is...who happens to be someone any kid struggling to find his place in the world might look up to.
I continue to look forward to more volumes in this delightful series.
This series is brilliant in how it captures the middle school experience. When I read Awkward, I initially thought the attitudes and relationships were too mature for middle schoolers. And then I started remembering my own middle school experience. I'd blocked it out for being a traumatic period of confusion, growing awareness of boys, being bullied, and basically not knowing who I was or what I wanted to be. And Chmakova gets that.
In Crush, the story is about Jorge's crush on Jazmine, but it goes so much further than that into issues of body autonomy and going along with the crowd and the horrors of gossip. And all of it is done in a way that avoids being a lecture--which would kill the story dead. It's also a story about friendship and forgiveness. Jorge is eminently lovable, not just for being big and conscious of using his size to protect others, but because he has a clear grasp of right and wrong and never fails to act accordingly. If this was a didactic story, I'd say he's the perfect role model, but it's not, and Jorge is simply the person he is...who happens to be someone any kid struggling to find his place in the world might look up to.
I continue to look forward to more volumes in this delightful series.
January 2, 2019
I just re-read my review of Awkward and many of the same sentiments abound with this, the third in the series. The artwork is outstanding, the charming story is relatable, and had my eleven-year-old not swiped this from me before I read it, I’d have known she would love it.
This is middle school done well. Everything is accounted for: cliques, athletics, clubs, the obligatory school dance, bullies, shy kids, kids longing to be in the it crowd, loyal friends, bad decisions, gossip, drama, and of course, crushes. The addition of strong female characters who stand up for themselves and others, texting, intentional misrepresentation of others online, and body autonomy make current this timeless story. Add in a lovable main character with the gift of charity and forgiveness, and this is a winner amongst current middle schoolers.
The last few pages give a peek inside the long process of creating a single panel for a graphic novel, a labor of love for which this talented author is quite suited. She offers kids a vision of how she does what she does in a way that is positive and exudes enthusiasm and respect for the craft. Congratulations to the author on the birth of her baby. 4.5 stars
This is middle school done well. Everything is accounted for: cliques, athletics, clubs, the obligatory school dance, bullies, shy kids, kids longing to be in the it crowd, loyal friends, bad decisions, gossip, drama, and of course, crushes. The addition of strong female characters who stand up for themselves and others, texting, intentional misrepresentation of others online, and body autonomy make current this timeless story. Add in a lovable main character with the gift of charity and forgiveness, and this is a winner amongst current middle schoolers.
The last few pages give a peek inside the long process of creating a single panel for a graphic novel, a labor of love for which this talented author is quite suited. She offers kids a vision of how she does what she does in a way that is positive and exudes enthusiasm and respect for the craft. Congratulations to the author on the birth of her baby. 4.5 stars
November 12, 2018
I love this series and want to gift it to every kid I know starting/in middle school. /end review
No but seriously. I love the story lines, the artwork is SUPERB. I just really love Chmakova's illustrations and the way each panel just goes with each other. She says so much without saying a word (case in the point the cover in which everyone is faded out except Jorge staring at his crush. How true to life is that?!?!?!). I still think Brave is my favorite of this series so far (I just love Jensen and his storyline!) but I really liked this one as well. Jorge is a quiet guy, one who doesn't say much but he really has a strong sense of self and strong foundation for what is right and what isn't which is hard to have in middle school. His friendship with Olivia and Garret was probably my favorite part of this, it is done so well!
This is a standalone novel, you see some of the characters from the previous books in the background of the panels but since Jorge and his friends hang out with a totally different group than the others this is a book that can be picked up and read without reading any of the previous books. They all simply go to the same (big) Middle School but they don't all know each other. And I liked that. Also it makes recommending this series to the kids that come to the library so much easier since they don't have to start at book 1.
No but seriously. I love the story lines, the artwork is SUPERB. I just really love Chmakova's illustrations and the way each panel just goes with each other. She says so much without saying a word (case in the point the cover in which everyone is faded out except Jorge staring at his crush. How true to life is that?!?!?!). I still think Brave is my favorite of this series so far (I just love Jensen and his storyline!) but I really liked this one as well. Jorge is a quiet guy, one who doesn't say much but he really has a strong sense of self and strong foundation for what is right and what isn't which is hard to have in middle school. His friendship with Olivia and Garret was probably my favorite part of this, it is done so well!
This is a standalone novel, you see some of the characters from the previous books in the background of the panels but since Jorge and his friends hang out with a totally different group than the others this is a book that can be picked up and read without reading any of the previous books. They all simply go to the same (big) Middle School but they don't all know each other. And I liked that. Also it makes recommending this series to the kids that come to the library so much easier since they don't have to start at book 1.
November 29, 2018
My favorite in the series so far. I heart Jorge!
February 19, 2023
liv is my spirit animal
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
February 14, 2019
Why EVERYONE needs to read this series:
1. It's non-sequential, with each book following a different character. There's no need to read them in order—pick up any book and start there!
2. Each main character is super relatable as they battle the hell hole that is middle school. Each of the three deal with something completely different, but the stories are all tangentially tied together with the idea of finding your people and doing what is right—not necessarily what the popular kids are doing.
3. The illustrations are manga-like. Each panel is impactful, and Chmakova captures emotions so well.
4. The representation is off the charts! Coach Rashad remains one of my most favorite middle grade book adults of all time because (a) she's amazing and can probably bench press a bus (b) she's inclusive AF and (c) she takes NO GRIEF FROM ANYONE.
Speaking of the representation—we've got Latinx rep, Muslim rep, Vietnamese and Asian rep, the mention of nonbinary characters, and LGBTQ+ characters (and in the staff too!!). And best of all is that none of it is ever remarked upon—the characters just exist. Just like in real life. And that is so fucking important.
So, for this particular installation, we follow my absolute favorite little cinnamon ball of a giant, Jorge as he navigates his first crush (terrifying), his reputation as sheriff of the school, and his friendships with Liv and Garrett, the latter of whom is obsessed with being in the "in" crowd with the football team.
Bullying comes up pretty frequently in this one, along with the concept of body autonomy and women's rights, particularly the idea that women and girls get to decide what to do with their bodies, and that if they want to change something about themselves, they don't need approval from a man (unless it's a parent and they are a child, obviously) to do so. Also talked about is what consent means—and how to appropriately help someone if their consent is being violated. And, since this is middle school, the backlash of gossiping and derogatory speech is also a theme.
In a way, privilege also comes up—Jorge recognizes that his larger size puts him at a physical advantage with the other boys. Instead of using his advantage to cow people into submission, he treats his size as a personal mission to make school not suck for everyone else. And of course, his ninja best friend Liv also helps—and she packs a nasty wrist lock.
So, to recap:
-Parental units: get your children copies of this series. Library, ebook, physical copy, don't care.
-Younger folks: read this stuff! Get your friends to read it too!
1. It's non-sequential, with each book following a different character. There's no need to read them in order—pick up any book and start there!
2. Each main character is super relatable as they battle the hell hole that is middle school. Each of the three deal with something completely different, but the stories are all tangentially tied together with the idea of finding your people and doing what is right—not necessarily what the popular kids are doing.
3. The illustrations are manga-like. Each panel is impactful, and Chmakova captures emotions so well.
4. The representation is off the charts! Coach Rashad remains one of my most favorite middle grade book adults of all time because (a) she's amazing and can probably bench press a bus (b) she's inclusive AF and (c) she takes NO GRIEF FROM ANYONE.
Speaking of the representation—we've got Latinx rep, Muslim rep, Vietnamese and Asian rep, the mention of nonbinary characters, and LGBTQ+ characters (and in the staff too!!). And best of all is that none of it is ever remarked upon—the characters just exist. Just like in real life. And that is so fucking important.
So, for this particular installation, we follow my absolute favorite little cinnamon ball of a giant, Jorge as he navigates his first crush (terrifying), his reputation as sheriff of the school, and his friendships with Liv and Garrett, the latter of whom is obsessed with being in the "in" crowd with the football team.
Bullying comes up pretty frequently in this one, along with the concept of body autonomy and women's rights, particularly the idea that women and girls get to decide what to do with their bodies, and that if they want to change something about themselves, they don't need approval from a man (unless it's a parent and they are a child, obviously) to do so. Also talked about is what consent means—and how to appropriately help someone if their consent is being violated. And, since this is middle school, the backlash of gossiping and derogatory speech is also a theme.
In a way, privilege also comes up—Jorge recognizes that his larger size puts him at a physical advantage with the other boys. Instead of using his advantage to cow people into submission, he treats his size as a personal mission to make school not suck for everyone else. And of course, his ninja best friend Liv also helps—and she packs a nasty wrist lock.
So, to recap:
-Parental units: get your children copies of this series. Library, ebook, physical copy, don't care.
-Younger folks: read this stuff! Get your friends to read it too!
January 16, 2019
This series is SO great. The books deal with so many issues that kids face without feeling forced or preachy. The characters model good responses even in the face of some bad people and situations. And so much normalized inclusivity! Crush also specifically tackles bodily autonomy and agency, online bullying, and even smacks down some "nice guy" nonsense. And the stories are always cohesive and keep your interest, which isn't too common with a lot of novels about middle school experiences. MORE OF THESE FOREVER FOR EVERYONE, PLEASE.
February 27, 2022
A very sweet continuation of the Berrybrook Middle School comic series. In this installment, Jorge thinks he is above the wave of crushes, dating, and breakups that are sweeping through his junior high class. Until he realizes that the way he blushes and freezes up around Jazmine from the drama club means that- in fact- he likes her! Jorge is a tall, athletically gifted student but he isn't a jock. He's a quiet, shy guy who intentionally uses his size and glare to break up instances of bullying or teasing he sees around campus. He mostly keeps to himself except for his two close friends, social butterfly Liv and football team wannabe Garrett. When he learns that Jazmine, the girl he likes, already has a boyfriend, he prepares to keep his feels secret forever. But junior high is full of drama, and the social landscape around Jorge shifts so fast he can hardly keep up. I've been a fan of Svetlana Chmakova's artwork ever since I spotted it in "Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics" edited by Christopher Hart when I myself was in junior high. I love the gentleness and simplicity of this world, and the diversity of the character designs. I'm glad there's already another book out in this series for me to read!
August 13, 2020
This middle school book was about a typical crush that a boy has on a girl. Jorge is a rather large boy that everyone likes. He tries to help others and keep peace in the school. He doesn’t particularly want to have a girlfriend but there is one girl that he seems to really like. He never knows what to say to Jazmine,but he finally gets up the courage to ask her to a dance. Easy to read.
August 26, 2020
I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH - ALL I WANT IS MORE OF THESE!
October 13, 2018
Book Reaction: https://nildivision.blogspot.com/2018...
Rating: 5 Stars - absolutely perfect
Rating: 5 Stars - absolutely perfect
March 1, 2019
Jorge is such a good male role model. Both masculine and a feminist, strong and respectful... Props to Svetlana Chmakova.
May 14, 2019
I thought this was a very cute and good book, seeing the main character, a tough-looking guy, actually be very soft and has major feelings for a certain girl in his school. No matter how hard he tries, he can never quite form words around this girl. This book definitely captures what it is like to be in a young teenager in middle school and this book always kept me wanting to read more, making me not want to put it down. I would definitely recommend this if you like love stories and graphic novels.
November 17, 2018
3.5 Stars This story involves more than just a "crush", but is about friendships in general while in middle school.
April 9, 2019
I seriously love this series! Awkward, Brave and now Crush are great graphic novels about kids in middle school and their real life struggles.
November 4, 2018
I love this series so much :o if there is a fourth book i can't wait :D
December 23, 2018
Crush is a cute book. I think this series is still a little too agenda driven and preachy but that’s to be expected. I enjoyed this a lot more than Brave. I liked Jorge though Liv and Garrette were both a little annoying. Jaz was cute and I liked the romance between Jorge and Jaz. James was super villain-y and wasn’t that interesting of a character. Overall, I had a fun time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2021
Now, this; THIS was what I came here for! (Or read it for? Anyways...)
This was amazing! Jorge has always been a stalwart force. He knows he's taller than most of the other kids his age, so rather than using it to intimidate others to do things for him, he'd rather intimidate bullies, and stop them in their tracks. He finds himself drawn to a girl in the drama club, who he's never had the chance to speak to before, but luckily happened to be friends with Liv, one of three friends in his group of friends (along with Garrett).
Trying to sort his feelings out, navigating a minefield of schoolwork and politics, and still trying to maintain his sensibilities in the face of opposing forces... things get tough on Jorge - but of course, he overcomes. :)
What is fabulous with this book is its theme about body autonomy; respecting someone else's private spaces, and their right to do things or otherwise. It's an idea that permeates through the entire book, and a lot of the issues (and consequences) that arise are incredibly believable.
Further, as was the case with the last three books, is that there is a lovely sense of multiculturalism - all the teachers and students aren't just cookie-cutter white folk. There are women wearing hijabs, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese names (and faces!) - and that made me so incredibly happy to see it being presented as a norm rather than the exception.
It is definitely a fantastic series of books that I will be recommending to lovers of graphic novels, and students - definitely !
This was amazing! Jorge has always been a stalwart force. He knows he's taller than most of the other kids his age, so rather than using it to intimidate others to do things for him, he'd rather intimidate bullies, and stop them in their tracks. He finds himself drawn to a girl in the drama club, who he's never had the chance to speak to before, but luckily happened to be friends with Liv, one of three friends in his group of friends (along with Garrett).
Trying to sort his feelings out, navigating a minefield of schoolwork and politics, and still trying to maintain his sensibilities in the face of opposing forces... things get tough on Jorge - but of course, he overcomes. :)
What is fabulous with this book is its theme about body autonomy; respecting someone else's private spaces, and their right to do things or otherwise. It's an idea that permeates through the entire book, and a lot of the issues (and consequences) that arise are incredibly believable.
Further, as was the case with the last three books, is that there is a lovely sense of multiculturalism - all the teachers and students aren't just cookie-cutter white folk. There are women wearing hijabs, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese names (and faces!) - and that made me so incredibly happy to see it being presented as a norm rather than the exception.
It is definitely a fantastic series of books that I will be recommending to lovers of graphic novels, and students - definitely !
September 21, 2021
okay, maybe in this one scenario i can say that i love a jock.
this graphic novel is incredibly adorable, and i loved every moment of it. the art style is one of my favorites (not to mention the cute little mr. raccoon cameos in the panels!) the characters were lovable (or, in the case of james and zeke, despicable), and there was not one, but two, scenarios that jorge had to conquer to get the girl.
i also have to say that the last time i’ve remembered having a huge, worldstopping crush, was in middle school, so it was the perfect topic to tackle featuring characters in middle school!
this graphic novel is incredibly adorable, and i loved every moment of it. the art style is one of my favorites (not to mention the cute little mr. raccoon cameos in the panels!) the characters were lovable (or, in the case of james and zeke, despicable), and there was not one, but two, scenarios that jorge had to conquer to get the girl.
i also have to say that the last time i’ve remembered having a huge, worldstopping crush, was in middle school, so it was the perfect topic to tackle featuring characters in middle school!
December 4, 2018
I really adored this. Jorge is a great character, one I think a lot of kids will identify with. Once again Chmakova makes all the tumult and chaos of middle school into a narrative that is real, funny and super emotional.
The parts about consent and body autonomy are A+ and exactly how we should be talking to kids about these issues in middle school.
But the parts of Jorge being an awkward and confused middle schooler while staying true to himself are A+++++++
Highly, highly recommend.
The parts about consent and body autonomy are A+ and exactly how we should be talking to kids about these issues in middle school.
But the parts of Jorge being an awkward and confused middle schooler while staying true to himself are A+++++++
Highly, highly recommend.
February 7, 2019
Svetlana Chmakova's graphic novels are so charming, heartfelt and realistic - she really brings middle school to life. I love this series, and Crush is just as delightful as her others! (8+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
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