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Sylvie
In this graphic memoir, a young artist finds her path apart from the expectations of those around her.
Sylvie lives in a school in France. Her father is the principal, and her home is an apartment at the end of a hallway of classrooms. As a young child, Sylvie and her brother explore this most unusual kingdom, full of small mysteries and quirky surprises. But in middle and high school, life grows more complicated. Sylvie becomes aware of her parents’ conflicts, the complexities of shifting friendships, and what it means to be the only Jewish family in town. She also begins to sense that her perceived “success” relies on the pursuit of math and science—even though she loves art.
Sylvie lives in a school in France. Her father is the principal, and her home is an apartment at the end of a hallway of classrooms. As a young child, Sylvie and her brother explore this most unusual kingdom, full of small mysteries and quirky surprises. But in middle and high school, life grows more complicated. Sylvie becomes aware of her parents’ conflicts, the complexities of shifting friendships, and what it means to be the only Jewish family in town. She also begins to sense that her perceived “success” relies on the pursuit of math and science—even though she loves art.
346 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2021
8 people are currently reading
431 people want to read
About the author
Sylvie Kantorovitz
10 books16 followersSylvie Kantorovitz was born in Casablanca and grew up in France. She is the author-illustrator of many picture books. This is her first graphic novel. She lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with her partner, author-illustrator Barbara Lehman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
April 7, 2021
Twenty years ago the children’s literary landscape was a different place. If children’s books follow certain trends over the years, then 2001 was a time when fantasy novels in the vein of Harry Potter started to proliferate like wildflowers. And, as happens every time there’s an all-encompassing genre eating up our attention, everyone wanted to know what the next big trend might be. Shiny vampires? Post-apocalyptic glimpses of a dire future? Sick lit? 2001 was also a year after the publication of Raina Telgemeier’s graphic memoir Smile. I can remember interviewing her at New York Public Library as part of a panel and afterwards watching a giddy kid reporter interview her. It was the very first time I’d seen a child consumed with that kind of starry-eyed wonder at a cartoonist, Still, I had no clue what Raina hath wrought. It would take a couple more years before we realized that she was at the forefront of the newest big trend and even more years before publishers were able to get anywhere near catching up with the need. The graphic novel memoir for kids still follows Raina’s pattern for the most part. Very few of them are about boys, and most of the authors/subjects are white. Even the art styles can sort of blend together after a while, all seeming very samey samey. Enter Sylvie. Sylvie does not look like the other memoirs. It does not act like them. It is different. It is new. It is . . . . French! In other words, a perfect new addition to every bookshelf looking for something familiar and odd all at once.
Welcome to the world! Now what do you want to do for the rest of your life? Sylvie lives in France at a Boys’ Normal School where her father is the principal. She likes to draw. She likes her family (with the possible except of her demanding mother). What she doesn’t like is the uncertainty around her future. Her mother insists that she marry rich and not become a teacher. Her dad loves teaching and recommends it as a profession. But is there another way to succeed? A way to live your life and do what you love? Only one way to find out!
One thing I came to really respect about the book was its dedication to those weird, abbreviated moments that happen in your life. The story is unafraid to show these off in a multitude of different ways. My personal favorite involves Sylvie’s friend Pascal. She plays with him and then suddenly decides that it’s entirely possible that he’s a thief. After that, bye-bye Pascal! You’re outta the book! It’s strange to include this story, but no stranger than the actual incident that, let’s face it, probably happened exactly like it did in the book. Our whole lives are full of these odd little moments that don’t necessarily connect to other moments in a linear way, but that say something about us as people. The Pascal section comes right out. You don’t need it, but I respect the book all the more for including it because it reminds us that life isn’t a cohesive story sometimes. It has little fits and starts, friendships that go nowhere, people who enter and disappear. By not making sense, it makes a peculiar kind of sense.
I keep a running tally of terrible parents in children’s books each year. And though I never officially write it up, there are different categories. Most Neglectful Parent. Most Idiotic Parent. Most Downright Evil Parent. And then there’s the good old Most Verbally Abusive Parent. Now the mom in Sylvie clearly uses her children as sounding boards for her own perceived slights and miseries. Periodically as I read this book to my nine-year-old she would turn to me and with bafflement in her eyes say, “Why is this mom the WORST?” Interestingly, I started to pair the mom in Sylvie with the mom in a middle grade novel out this year called Starfish by Lisa Fipps. In both cases you’ve got a mom with some serious personal issues, taking stuff out on her kids. And in both cases, I noticed with interest, the dad gets off scot-free. I mean, it makes sense. When a daughter is harangued by her mother on a consistent basis, she is going to side with her dad in all things. With hindsight, however, the dad’s seeming perfections can fade a little. Not in these two books. Though I would argue that Sylvie’s dad is culpable in some of his actions and is by no means the saint the book would have you think him to be, he’s placed in stark opposition to the mom without much criticism. Kids will take this at face value. Adults reading the book will want to know more. And seriously, what was going on with that mom, really?
If you are a children’s librarian and your read a lot of realistic fiction then you get bully burnout pretty quick. Authors love bullies for the simple reason that they provide instant conflict and excitement without a lot of work. Everyone knows what a bully is. You don’t need to set up motivations with them or humanize them in any way. It gets so ubiquitous that after a while you just long for a single, solitary book that’s bully-free. Sylvie is almost that book. That’s not to say there isn’t some bullying in there, but it’s brief. Because Sylvie is Jewish she gets some pretty ignorant questions, but she also gets some teasing because she was born in Morocco. Even so, there isn’t a single all-encompassing bully and these incidents happen once or twice and then disappear. If they’re there at all, it’s simply to establish Sylvie’s desire to fit in with the crowd more than anything else. In fact, I spent a lot of this book worrying that some great big terrible thing might happen to Sylvie and her family, only to discover that it’s just a calm, clear-eyed slice of a person’s life. No huge events. Just living with who you are, where you are.
My daughter, the aforementioned nine-year-old, has her life all mapped out. Literally every aspect of the future has been planned and considered. You cannot tell her that things change or that the future is unknowable because she has "A Plan". For this reason, I occasionally think how happy she would have been to grow up with the school system in parts of Europe. Sylvie’s consideration of her future was a great comfort to my kid. A large chunk of the book concerns Sylvie’s worry about what she’s going to do with the rest of her life. Will she teach? Will she pursue art? What will her parents think? What’s practical and what’s just a dream? The way the pieces fall into place near the end of the book seems so natural, and there’s a true comfort in it. For kids that love that kind of order, particularly in the midst of the messiness of life, Sylvie will be a kind of balm for them.
These days Sylvie Kantorovitz lives in the Hudson Valley. As I read through her book, I kept wondering about the comic influences of her youth. There’s a brief mention of Tintin, but there might have been other references I missed. It made me think about books by people who grew up in France and books translated from France. The thing I love about French comics is how you really can’t lump them all together. The look and feel and tone of each one is individual and unique. So in that sense, Sylvie fits in perfectly. While it technically falls under the purview of middle grade graphic memoirs, you could never mistake it for Telgemeier Lite. Funny and peculiar, I feel so fond of this little title. I often have to field the question of what to buy kids that already love Raina’s books. Slip in the usual stuff, but include Sylvie as well. Early 70s France never looked so good.
For ages 9-12.
Welcome to the world! Now what do you want to do for the rest of your life? Sylvie lives in France at a Boys’ Normal School where her father is the principal. She likes to draw. She likes her family (with the possible except of her demanding mother). What she doesn’t like is the uncertainty around her future. Her mother insists that she marry rich and not become a teacher. Her dad loves teaching and recommends it as a profession. But is there another way to succeed? A way to live your life and do what you love? Only one way to find out!
One thing I came to really respect about the book was its dedication to those weird, abbreviated moments that happen in your life. The story is unafraid to show these off in a multitude of different ways. My personal favorite involves Sylvie’s friend Pascal. She plays with him and then suddenly decides that it’s entirely possible that he’s a thief. After that, bye-bye Pascal! You’re outta the book! It’s strange to include this story, but no stranger than the actual incident that, let’s face it, probably happened exactly like it did in the book. Our whole lives are full of these odd little moments that don’t necessarily connect to other moments in a linear way, but that say something about us as people. The Pascal section comes right out. You don’t need it, but I respect the book all the more for including it because it reminds us that life isn’t a cohesive story sometimes. It has little fits and starts, friendships that go nowhere, people who enter and disappear. By not making sense, it makes a peculiar kind of sense.
I keep a running tally of terrible parents in children’s books each year. And though I never officially write it up, there are different categories. Most Neglectful Parent. Most Idiotic Parent. Most Downright Evil Parent. And then there’s the good old Most Verbally Abusive Parent. Now the mom in Sylvie clearly uses her children as sounding boards for her own perceived slights and miseries. Periodically as I read this book to my nine-year-old she would turn to me and with bafflement in her eyes say, “Why is this mom the WORST?” Interestingly, I started to pair the mom in Sylvie with the mom in a middle grade novel out this year called Starfish by Lisa Fipps. In both cases you’ve got a mom with some serious personal issues, taking stuff out on her kids. And in both cases, I noticed with interest, the dad gets off scot-free. I mean, it makes sense. When a daughter is harangued by her mother on a consistent basis, she is going to side with her dad in all things. With hindsight, however, the dad’s seeming perfections can fade a little. Not in these two books. Though I would argue that Sylvie’s dad is culpable in some of his actions and is by no means the saint the book would have you think him to be, he’s placed in stark opposition to the mom without much criticism. Kids will take this at face value. Adults reading the book will want to know more. And seriously, what was going on with that mom, really?
If you are a children’s librarian and your read a lot of realistic fiction then you get bully burnout pretty quick. Authors love bullies for the simple reason that they provide instant conflict and excitement without a lot of work. Everyone knows what a bully is. You don’t need to set up motivations with them or humanize them in any way. It gets so ubiquitous that after a while you just long for a single, solitary book that’s bully-free. Sylvie is almost that book. That’s not to say there isn’t some bullying in there, but it’s brief. Because Sylvie is Jewish she gets some pretty ignorant questions, but she also gets some teasing because she was born in Morocco. Even so, there isn’t a single all-encompassing bully and these incidents happen once or twice and then disappear. If they’re there at all, it’s simply to establish Sylvie’s desire to fit in with the crowd more than anything else. In fact, I spent a lot of this book worrying that some great big terrible thing might happen to Sylvie and her family, only to discover that it’s just a calm, clear-eyed slice of a person’s life. No huge events. Just living with who you are, where you are.
My daughter, the aforementioned nine-year-old, has her life all mapped out. Literally every aspect of the future has been planned and considered. You cannot tell her that things change or that the future is unknowable because she has "A Plan". For this reason, I occasionally think how happy she would have been to grow up with the school system in parts of Europe. Sylvie’s consideration of her future was a great comfort to my kid. A large chunk of the book concerns Sylvie’s worry about what she’s going to do with the rest of her life. Will she teach? Will she pursue art? What will her parents think? What’s practical and what’s just a dream? The way the pieces fall into place near the end of the book seems so natural, and there’s a true comfort in it. For kids that love that kind of order, particularly in the midst of the messiness of life, Sylvie will be a kind of balm for them.
These days Sylvie Kantorovitz lives in the Hudson Valley. As I read through her book, I kept wondering about the comic influences of her youth. There’s a brief mention of Tintin, but there might have been other references I missed. It made me think about books by people who grew up in France and books translated from France. The thing I love about French comics is how you really can’t lump them all together. The look and feel and tone of each one is individual and unique. So in that sense, Sylvie fits in perfectly. While it technically falls under the purview of middle grade graphic memoirs, you could never mistake it for Telgemeier Lite. Funny and peculiar, I feel so fond of this little title. I often have to field the question of what to buy kids that already love Raina’s books. Slip in the usual stuff, but include Sylvie as well. Early 70s France never looked so good.
For ages 9-12.
June 15, 2020
Sylvie is a graphic autobiography of the author's younger years, when her father was the principal of her school, and her family literally lived at the school.
It's a sweet slice-of-life story, with a lot of attention to details of her day to day life. She loves drawing, she loves her siblings, she hates maths and physics, and her mother couldn't be more different than her - a regular source of conflict. The art borders on the naive, and works great for telling this particular story.
Overall the story can feel a bit directionless, and why do these memoirs always end at the point they get most interesting..? (I have no idea if Kantorovitz has drawn any sequels.)
(Kindly received an ARC from Candlewick Press through NetGalley)
It's a sweet slice-of-life story, with a lot of attention to details of her day to day life. She loves drawing, she loves her siblings, she hates maths and physics, and her mother couldn't be more different than her - a regular source of conflict. The art borders on the naive, and works great for telling this particular story.
Overall the story can feel a bit directionless, and why do these memoirs always end at the point they get most interesting..? (I have no idea if Kantorovitz has drawn any sequels.)
(Kindly received an ARC from Candlewick Press through NetGalley)
February 3, 2021
I loved this graphic novel autobiographical account of an artistic girl growing up in France in the sixties/seventies. There wasn't much dramatic action involved, but it was lovely and soothing to see her playing with her friends, trying to make sense of her family, and discovering that she wants to be an artist. I would have loved to have been friends with her!
June 2, 2020
While I enjoyed this memoir of the author's life growing up in a house on the school property where her father was principal, I felt that there was stuff left out. The ending seems abrupt.
The insights were interesting, however, as were her observations about how her mother and her father thought.
We see her trying to become an artist, against her parents wishes. The one thing she is passionate about, they want her to give up.
It is disheartening to see it.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
The insights were interesting, however, as were her observations about how her mother and her father thought.
We see her trying to become an artist, against her parents wishes. The one thing she is passionate about, they want her to give up.
It is disheartening to see it.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
March 29, 2022
There's nothing really wrong with this book, but as I flipped through its 340 pages (!) of gentle and heartfelt family anecdotes, I just did not find any hook to convince me that it was particularly original or worthwhile. The nuggets that might have been worth refining are washed away in a river of the ordinary.
April 13, 2022
I picked this up at the library because I found the cover simple yet whimsical. This is a graphic memoir divided into sections of the young Kantorovitz's life. The young Sylvie grew up in France, but was born in Moracco. This, along with being Jewish, make her feel outside of her classmates.
Sylvie finds her place among the papers and pens in her dad's office. She loves drawing and finds peace when she is creating art.
I found the simple drawings peaceful and easy on the eye. The text coupled with the images make this easy to follow.
I liked the various vignettes in Kantorovitz's life from her childhood into what direction she'd like to go in her studies when matriculating. The ending alludes to a second (possibly a third) volume.
Sylvie finds her place among the papers and pens in her dad's office. She loves drawing and finds peace when she is creating art.
I found the simple drawings peaceful and easy on the eye. The text coupled with the images make this easy to follow.
I liked the various vignettes in Kantorovitz's life from her childhood into what direction she'd like to go in her studies when matriculating. The ending alludes to a second (possibly a third) volume.
June 3, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy of this comic in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this. I thought it was interesting that the author wrote a memoir about herself in the form of a comic. I loved that idea so I decided request this and luckily I got requested.
I thought the story was very fun and relatable. I myself had some trouble thinking about what I wanted to do in life and I know for a fact that many of my friends around me had this same problem in high school when the time came to pick the courses you wanted to do your final exam in. I thought this comic perfectly described it and in such a way that it was enjoyable to read about. Very nice.
The Art in this comic is very simple yet very clear. It's very pleasing to the eye and doesn't require much thought when it comes to the story and what you're supposed to take away from this. I loved it.
Definitely would recommend this comic to many people who are interested I think it's very fun :D
I really enjoyed this. I thought it was interesting that the author wrote a memoir about herself in the form of a comic. I loved that idea so I decided request this and luckily I got requested.
I thought the story was very fun and relatable. I myself had some trouble thinking about what I wanted to do in life and I know for a fact that many of my friends around me had this same problem in high school when the time came to pick the courses you wanted to do your final exam in. I thought this comic perfectly described it and in such a way that it was enjoyable to read about. Very nice.
The Art in this comic is very simple yet very clear. It's very pleasing to the eye and doesn't require much thought when it comes to the story and what you're supposed to take away from this. I loved it.
Definitely would recommend this comic to many people who are interested I think it's very fun :D
September 15, 2021
3.5 rounded up. An agreeably readable account of growing up with the usual sorts of conflicts (family, friendships, school work, etc), made a little more interesting by being French, and set in the school where the author's family lived while her father was principal. The quirky drawing style and Sylvie's growing interest in art also made the book appealing. Not a big time commitment -- it only took about an hour to read.
April 26, 2021
Wonderfully written and illustrated memoir of the artist as a young girl. Sylvie Kantorovitz's illustrations are immensely charming, with spare lines, muted colors, and minute details. Her economy of language is impressive. The story is low on drama and high on insight. Impressive all around.
January 22, 2022
I love graphic novel memoirs and this one was charming! I enjoyed learning more about Morocco and France through her childhood experiences.
July 19, 2020
I thought that this graphic novel memoir sounded interesting, but it took me a long time to get through it, because it is very slow-moving. Even though this book is 352 pages long, it does not have a plot or a character arc, and is just a series of anecdotes and reflections strung together in chronological order. Even though I love slice-of-life stories, this didn't work for me, because there wasn't enough going on, and there was never any sense of structure.
Despite its flaws as a story, this book does have several appealing elements. Sylvie's father is the principal of a French school, and when she is a child, she and her family live in the school. That was unique and interesting, and because the family is Jewish, the memoir also incorporates details related to their background. I liked this aspect, but even though the author explores her mother's mixed messages about their Jewish heritage and her own sense of social awkwardness about not sharing her peers' holidays and other traditions as a child, the story never delves into any of these topics in a deep or meaningful way.
This book also addresses different issues in Sylvie's home, such as her frustrations with her mother and her parents' martial conflict. Again, these are interesting topics, but the book only explores them in a very surface-level way. This book skims along the surface of years and years of Sylvie's life without any depth or deeply engaging content, and even though children with similar family dynamics may find it helpful to see their experiences reflected here, the book does not provide any particular insight about these problems or how to deal with them. These are just snapshots of life, with no particular meaning or message to derive from them.
Sylvie's interest in art plays a significant role in the story, but because this is a just a loose collection of anecdotes, her artistic aspirations are yet another slice-of-life detail, not a driving force in a plot. I never felt any sense of suspense or urgency for the character, even when she was dealing with her mother's dismissive comments about her interests, because the story was too shallow, random, and meandering to evoke any real pathos or interest in how things worked out for her.
I am not sure who this book is best suited for. As a child, I definitely would have found it boring, and I don't know if I would have even finished it. The primary things that I enjoyed about it, such as the cultural and historical elements, primarily appealed to me from an adult perspective, but because this book only engages with issues in a very shallow, surface-level way, it does not have the sophistication or depth to appeal to an adult audience overall.
Also, this book ends very abruptly, just when it appears that the story is about to take an interesting turn. It is possible that the author plans to produce a sequel and continue the story, but if not, this was a very unsatisfying ending. I know that it would be very difficult to end this book in another way, since there is no central plot or character arc to draw to a meaningful, satisfying conclusion, but I wish that there had been some kind of conclusion. I just went on to the next page in my ebook, and was shocked to see that there was no more.
Ultimately, this book could have been much better than it was, and even though I don't regret spending my time on it, since I learned interesting things and enjoyed the historic and cultural elements, I would not recommend it to children or adults unless they had a particularly strong interest in France, Jewish culture, or stories of aspiring artists.
I received a temporary digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Despite its flaws as a story, this book does have several appealing elements. Sylvie's father is the principal of a French school, and when she is a child, she and her family live in the school. That was unique and interesting, and because the family is Jewish, the memoir also incorporates details related to their background. I liked this aspect, but even though the author explores her mother's mixed messages about their Jewish heritage and her own sense of social awkwardness about not sharing her peers' holidays and other traditions as a child, the story never delves into any of these topics in a deep or meaningful way.
This book also addresses different issues in Sylvie's home, such as her frustrations with her mother and her parents' martial conflict. Again, these are interesting topics, but the book only explores them in a very surface-level way. This book skims along the surface of years and years of Sylvie's life without any depth or deeply engaging content, and even though children with similar family dynamics may find it helpful to see their experiences reflected here, the book does not provide any particular insight about these problems or how to deal with them. These are just snapshots of life, with no particular meaning or message to derive from them.
Sylvie's interest in art plays a significant role in the story, but because this is a just a loose collection of anecdotes, her artistic aspirations are yet another slice-of-life detail, not a driving force in a plot. I never felt any sense of suspense or urgency for the character, even when she was dealing with her mother's dismissive comments about her interests, because the story was too shallow, random, and meandering to evoke any real pathos or interest in how things worked out for her.
I am not sure who this book is best suited for. As a child, I definitely would have found it boring, and I don't know if I would have even finished it. The primary things that I enjoyed about it, such as the cultural and historical elements, primarily appealed to me from an adult perspective, but because this book only engages with issues in a very shallow, surface-level way, it does not have the sophistication or depth to appeal to an adult audience overall.
Also, this book ends very abruptly, just when it appears that the story is about to take an interesting turn. It is possible that the author plans to produce a sequel and continue the story, but if not, this was a very unsatisfying ending. I know that it would be very difficult to end this book in another way, since there is no central plot or character arc to draw to a meaningful, satisfying conclusion, but I wish that there had been some kind of conclusion. I just went on to the next page in my ebook, and was shocked to see that there was no more.
Ultimately, this book could have been much better than it was, and even though I don't regret spending my time on it, since I learned interesting things and enjoyed the historic and cultural elements, I would not recommend it to children or adults unless they had a particularly strong interest in France, Jewish culture, or stories of aspiring artists.
I received a temporary digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2020
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This is a beautiful comic style book about Sylvie Kantorovutz and her younger years growing up. It covers her struggles, highs, lows, family dynamics, relationships, friendships, interests, schooling and studies within this book and I loved the different way of writing an autobiography in pictures with text.
This book is suitable for adults and children and is definitely worth a read. I was pulled into this autobiography and really enjoyed every page!
This is a beautiful comic style book about Sylvie Kantorovutz and her younger years growing up. It covers her struggles, highs, lows, family dynamics, relationships, friendships, interests, schooling and studies within this book and I loved the different way of writing an autobiography in pictures with text.
This book is suitable for adults and children and is definitely worth a read. I was pulled into this autobiography and really enjoyed every page!
March 19, 2021
Somehow...reading about how this author/illustrator grew up in France was extremely relatable. I have never been to France, but Sylvie struggles with her relationship with her mother (boy could I relate!), not fitting in, and finding herself.
I love how the narrative flows. The reader isn’t whisked away but rather we float through the events of Sylvie’s child/teen hood at the perfect pace. Just enough details (both through illustrations and words) to keep turning the pages.
Excellent graphic novel.
I love how the narrative flows. The reader isn’t whisked away but rather we float through the events of Sylvie’s child/teen hood at the perfect pace. Just enough details (both through illustrations and words) to keep turning the pages.
Excellent graphic novel.
September 19, 2020
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the gifted copy, all thoughts are my own
I'm not sure where to start with this review. This comic started out innocent enough just kids being kids, it did grow exceptionally dark (at least to me). Covering topics like racism, what I would consider verbal abuse (I'm sorry, but it's not okay to call your child a "lazy, stupid girl").
This comic also covers religious discrimination and how some people can be extremely hateful towards other that are different from themselves. I found the writing to be a bit chopping as well.
I honestly wasn't prepared. But I'm sure some people would really enjoy it.
⭐⭐
I'm not sure where to start with this review. This comic started out innocent enough just kids being kids, it did grow exceptionally dark (at least to me). Covering topics like racism, what I would consider verbal abuse (I'm sorry, but it's not okay to call your child a "lazy, stupid girl").
This comic also covers religious discrimination and how some people can be extremely hateful towards other that are different from themselves. I found the writing to be a bit chopping as well.
I honestly wasn't prepared. But I'm sure some people would really enjoy it.
⭐⭐
January 29, 2021
Sylvie is a coming of age memoir in graphic novel format. It tells the story of author Sylvie Kantorovitz's life growing up in France as the daughter of a school principal. Sylvie is the oldest of 4 kids and has is a good student with a talent for drawing. She stresses about her parents arguing but has plenty of fun with her siblings and friends.
This book is perfect for middle grade readers. It is a sweet story about everyday family life and figuring out who you want to be when you grow up. It is made all the more approachable by the colorful artwork.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
This book is perfect for middle grade readers. It is a sweet story about everyday family life and figuring out who you want to be when you grow up. It is made all the more approachable by the colorful artwork.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
January 29, 2021
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
So this one sounded really nice and I was looking forward to reading it… I have to say it was a struggle to read. Which may have to do with how incomplete and chaotic it felt.
The biggest issue is how incomplete it is. Yes, this is an ARC. But let me tell you I reviewed hundreds of ARCs in the 6 years I have had my blog… and only a handful of them were incomplete. This one had textbubbles with the text very ugly put in (you could clearly see it was a rectangle of text that at times also went over the illustrations), there were handwritten parts that were blurry/not readable, the art felt very unfinished we begin with colour art and just a few pages later everything is sketches and without colour, but confusingly at times we get some pretty art and sometimes even colour art between things as well…. So confusing. It is just a shame as it really put me off from reading. It took me two days to read this one. Two days. That is long for me.
The story was OK, it is an autobiographical story about the artist. About her youth, about her siblings (how she had a better relationship with the youngest kids than with her brother), about her parents, the clashes between her parents, but also the clashes between her mom and the kids, we see how she loves drawing and loses her time in it. We see her go to art clubs, get good grades for art, though her parents are still not always approving of it, which I found a shame. If my kid had a talent I would make sure he can develop it. Of course, also having to do other school stuff as those are important as well, but definitely making sure that my kid could grow in what they love. I loved seeing France and Paris and all the surrounding areas. It was definitely interesting to read her go through her options, to rebel against her parents, and I love that she could talk to her dad about her choices. Her mum was all you need to do x study and y study, but her dad just wanted her to be happy and feel OK.
I also really liked that she found someone to love and I loved that they made long distance work. I kind of would have liked to see if they had gotten married as this book ends after she makes her decision on becoming a teacher. It just felt a bit abrupt and I would have liked some more to this book.
But yeah, the incompleteness and the chaoticness of the book really put me off so I cannot rate the book that high. A shame. The story was pretty good and I liked Sylvie.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
So this one sounded really nice and I was looking forward to reading it… I have to say it was a struggle to read. Which may have to do with how incomplete and chaotic it felt.
The biggest issue is how incomplete it is. Yes, this is an ARC. But let me tell you I reviewed hundreds of ARCs in the 6 years I have had my blog… and only a handful of them were incomplete. This one had textbubbles with the text very ugly put in (you could clearly see it was a rectangle of text that at times also went over the illustrations), there were handwritten parts that were blurry/not readable, the art felt very unfinished we begin with colour art and just a few pages later everything is sketches and without colour, but confusingly at times we get some pretty art and sometimes even colour art between things as well…. So confusing. It is just a shame as it really put me off from reading. It took me two days to read this one. Two days. That is long for me.
The story was OK, it is an autobiographical story about the artist. About her youth, about her siblings (how she had a better relationship with the youngest kids than with her brother), about her parents, the clashes between her parents, but also the clashes between her mom and the kids, we see how she loves drawing and loses her time in it. We see her go to art clubs, get good grades for art, though her parents are still not always approving of it, which I found a shame. If my kid had a talent I would make sure he can develop it. Of course, also having to do other school stuff as those are important as well, but definitely making sure that my kid could grow in what they love. I loved seeing France and Paris and all the surrounding areas. It was definitely interesting to read her go through her options, to rebel against her parents, and I love that she could talk to her dad about her choices. Her mum was all you need to do x study and y study, but her dad just wanted her to be happy and feel OK.
I also really liked that she found someone to love and I loved that they made long distance work. I kind of would have liked to see if they had gotten married as this book ends after she makes her decision on becoming a teacher. It just felt a bit abrupt and I would have liked some more to this book.
But yeah, the incompleteness and the chaoticness of the book really put me off so I cannot rate the book that high. A shame. The story was pretty good and I liked Sylvie.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
June 8, 2021
this is an autobiographical graphic novel about the author/illustrator’s life and on the road to adulthood.
there are different random stories from school to relationships to family - it seems like there are a lot of stories the author would like to share but just felt like it causes the narratives to be disjointed at some parts and the story was quite flat throughout the book.
this is targeted to children but im not too sure if they would enjoy this one a lot as its quite lengthy and the art might not appeal to some readers even though personally i find it cute!! it also covers huge themes like racism/religious discrimination which is good but i hope there was more elaboration in explaining clearly what is right/wrong. this is only sylvie’s first book and theres still a lot of potential though - will definitely keep a look out to her future works. 🙆♀️
there are different random stories from school to relationships to family - it seems like there are a lot of stories the author would like to share but just felt like it causes the narratives to be disjointed at some parts and the story was quite flat throughout the book.
this is targeted to children but im not too sure if they would enjoy this one a lot as its quite lengthy and the art might not appeal to some readers even though personally i find it cute!! it also covers huge themes like racism/religious discrimination which is good but i hope there was more elaboration in explaining clearly what is right/wrong. this is only sylvie’s first book and theres still a lot of potential though - will definitely keep a look out to her future works. 🙆♀️
May 16, 2021
I adore these autobiographical, coming-of-age graphic novels. Sylvie's journey is growing up as the daughter of a headmaster and living in the school, but with a complicated relationship with her mother and the stress of not knowing what she will do with her life. The story chronicles from childhood to her start at university, so even though I thought at first it would work for elementary students, it definitely feels more applicable to middle and high bc of what Sylvie is thinking and going through on her journey. Not that it's inappropriate for elementary at all, but I feel it would resonate more with older kids. Art remains Sylvie's constant companion and passion throughout her life, and I loved how she grew as an artist throughout. Sweet book.
October 3, 2020
I found this book to be delightful.
It was well written and the images and illustrations were just lovely.
The book has all the thoughts we have growing up plus a few more regarding religious when you feel as though you are an outsider and are not sure where your life will take you.
I thought it was lovely and read it in one sitting this evening – it is 5 stars from me!!
Very highly recommended!
It was well written and the images and illustrations were just lovely.
The book has all the thoughts we have growing up plus a few more regarding religious when you feel as though you are an outsider and are not sure where your life will take you.
I thought it was lovely and read it in one sitting this evening – it is 5 stars from me!!
Very highly recommended!
January 10, 2021
3.5 stars
The cover of Sylvie conveys much of what is found throughout - a clear, direct, simple but not simplistic memoir of an artist’s early life. On the one hand, there is a sense of not much that is memorable. On the other, the story is so identifiable that many youngsters will be able to recognize themselves and their feelings. Despite the fact that the events take place in Morocco and France, the Bildungsroman transcends any specific culture. Family life, questions of identity, first feelings of romance, and the angst surrounding career choices are experienced by adolescents around the globe. Kantorovitz’s artistry is whimsical and appealing. It moves the narrative smoothly at a pace that makes sense for a young adult reader. Overall, a solid offering.
Thank you to Sylvie Kantorovitz, Walker Books, and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
The cover of Sylvie conveys much of what is found throughout - a clear, direct, simple but not simplistic memoir of an artist’s early life. On the one hand, there is a sense of not much that is memorable. On the other, the story is so identifiable that many youngsters will be able to recognize themselves and their feelings. Despite the fact that the events take place in Morocco and France, the Bildungsroman transcends any specific culture. Family life, questions of identity, first feelings of romance, and the angst surrounding career choices are experienced by adolescents around the globe. Kantorovitz’s artistry is whimsical and appealing. It moves the narrative smoothly at a pace that makes sense for a young adult reader. Overall, a solid offering.
Thank you to Sylvie Kantorovitz, Walker Books, and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 25, 2021
Artist Sylvie Kantorovitz shares memories from her childhood in France where she grew up. Prior to receiving her bac (equivalent to high school diploma) Sylvie lived with her family in an apartment within one of the school buildings where her father worked (principal). For a time she even had her own attic room. She always loved art - especially drawing - but her parents (her mother in particular) didn't support her choosing art as a career and pushed her to study more "practical" things. Sylvie also enjoyed children and teaching, so she eventually chose to train as a teacher (first) before going on to study art. This memoir is a charming slice-of-life offering that shares scenes from Sylvie's family life, her friendships, school, and artistic dreams. I loved it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2022
CW- Emotional maternal abuse
I really hope there’s a follow-up at some point! I would love to hear about her adult experiences in art and discovering her queerness since it wasn’t mentioned at all in this one.
Also, Sylvie’s mom sounds soo familiar in so many ways to a lot of parents I know (unfortunately), but it’s validating to read nonetheless.
I really hope there’s a follow-up at some point! I would love to hear about her adult experiences in art and discovering her queerness since it wasn’t mentioned at all in this one.
Also, Sylvie’s mom sounds soo familiar in so many ways to a lot of parents I know (unfortunately), but it’s validating to read nonetheless.
March 14, 2021
A graphic memoir, looking at Sylvie Kantorovitz’s growing up in France and living in a school for training prospective teachers. It looks at her struggle between wanting to draw and read, and the pressure from her mother to do homework, help around the house and with siblings, and to be feminine.
July 7, 2020
Red'd an ARC from publisher on Edelweiss...
This was cute, but set in 60s/70s France so not sure how wide the appeal will be for it.
This was cute, but set in 60s/70s France so not sure how wide the appeal will be for it.
February 11, 2021
Page turning read but only one chapter really speaks to my intentions in my "Jewish graphic novels" course, "I Don't Want to Be Different," although other chapters may mention Judaism tangentially.
February 27, 2022
Charming in every way!
March 6, 2022
Quick, easy, enjoyable memoir in graphic novel form.
October 15, 2022
I could really relate to Sylvie in many ways. I enjoyed the quirky, funny illustrations, laughing out loud at some of them and with Sylvie. I would love to know/read about her college and teaching experiences! Did she apply to the arts school, get in and what happened there?
Read
June 10, 2025Oh my gosh i looooooved this. What a perfect little book. Please write many sequels, Sylvette!!
June 11, 2020
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable graphic memoir of a little girl growing up with her family in France. The stories shared about her life with her parents, her friends and her love of art were adorable. I found the art style and colouring to suit the tone of the book and it is something that I would share with my daughter.
This was an enjoyable graphic memoir of a little girl growing up with her family in France. The stories shared about her life with her parents, her friends and her love of art were adorable. I found the art style and colouring to suit the tone of the book and it is something that I would share with my daughter.
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