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Kyle's Little Sister
My name is Grace, not "Kyle's little sister!"
Having a good-looking, friendly, outgoing older brother sucks—especially when you're the total opposite, someone who likes staying home and playing video games. Your parents like him better (even if they deny it!), and everyone calls you "Kyle's little sister" while looking disappointed that you're not more like him. I was really hoping I'd get to go to a different middle school, but no such luck. At least I have my friends...until he finds a way to ruin that, too...! Argh! What do I have to do to get out of his shadow?!
Having a good-looking, friendly, outgoing older brother sucks—especially when you're the total opposite, someone who likes staying home and playing video games. Your parents like him better (even if they deny it!), and everyone calls you "Kyle's little sister" while looking disappointed that you're not more like him. I was really hoping I'd get to go to a different middle school, but no such luck. At least I have my friends...until he finds a way to ruin that, too...! Argh! What do I have to do to get out of his shadow?!
208 pages, Paperback
Published June 22, 2021
13 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
April 2, 2024
This was a cute, but somewhat intense middle grade read. It tackles all the hallmarks of the middle grade experience while also adding the element of perceived sibling rivalry. It was both enjoyable and heartbreaking and I was happy to see the friendship between the three girls come full circle. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the artwork, I think this is one to add to the list of graphic works for middle grade readers.
April 21, 2021
*3.5💎
i wanna say thank you to netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
this was such a sweet graphic novel about friendship, siblings and forgiveness with a bit of a mean girls spice ;)
i do recommend it if u want a heart warming and quick read!
also, if u have a sibling, u've got to read this - it's highly relatable 😂
i wanna say thank you to netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
this was such a sweet graphic novel about friendship, siblings and forgiveness with a bit of a mean girls spice ;)
i do recommend it if u want a heart warming and quick read!
also, if u have a sibling, u've got to read this - it's highly relatable 😂
July 21, 2021
I really enjoyed this one. This fits square in the strong group of YA graphic novels that treat school transitions, finding your place and self, and family dynamics as serious and important topics. Because they are, especially for kids in middle school! Both Grace and Kyle are interesting, sympathetic characters that make mistakes, learn, and try to do good. Their friend groups are also well created and the sibling dynamics feel all too familiar. There are almost no one sided or purely evil characters in the book, although the queen bee characters do not come off well as they are teaching a good lesson about being aware of manipulators. Grace does well to navigate the challenges and to have a resolution that, while on the happy ending side of things, still feels realistic and possible. Jeong's art is engaging and colorful and the writing is stellar. Looking forward to more!
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 16, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. The style reminded me of one of my favorites, Crush by Svetlana Chmakova. I really liked the artwork and the storyline was very true to middle school drama. Age appropriate, though be warned, there is bullying.
I have a younger sibling, so it was interesting seeing what they went through being portrayed. It is very close to what they experienced in school following in my footsteps. I sympathized with Kyle, it's not his fault he came first and colored everyone's expectations of his younger sibling!
I wasn't overly fond of Grace not speaking up for her former friend being bullied by her new friend, but that is also, unfortunately, true to life. It's hard to speak up to stop an injustice from happening, especially at that age. But it's not impossible, as others did speak up for the former friend and for her when she was the one being bullied.
4.5 stars, rounded down to 4. Really good book and highly recommended, especially for those who have dealt with bullying and both older and younger siblings.
My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press/JY for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
I have a younger sibling, so it was interesting seeing what they went through being portrayed. It is very close to what they experienced in school following in my footsteps. I sympathized with Kyle, it's not his fault he came first and colored everyone's expectations of his younger sibling!
I wasn't overly fond of Grace not speaking up for her former friend being bullied by her new friend, but that is also, unfortunately, true to life. It's hard to speak up to stop an injustice from happening, especially at that age. But it's not impossible, as others did speak up for the former friend and for her when she was the one being bullied.
4.5 stars, rounded down to 4. Really good book and highly recommended, especially for those who have dealt with bullying and both older and younger siblings.
My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press/JY for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2022
Hand this debut graphic novel with its quirky manga-infused style and a full-scale dive into the growing pains of sixth grade and middle school to readers who love Berrybrook Middle School series (Awkward, Brave, Crush) by Svetlana Chmakova, the Friends series (Real Friends, Best Friends, Friends Forever) by Shannon Hale, and the Nat Enough series (Nat Enough, Forget Me Nat: A Graphic Novel, Absolutely Nat: A Graphic Novel, Nat for Nothing: A Graphic Novel) by Maria Scrivan.
June 18, 2021
I really enjoyed this one! This graphic novels follows Grace, as she enters her first year on middle school in the shadow of her popular older brother. I think that this is a really great book for middle grade readers, and it does a good job depicting issues that one might face at that age, starting a new school, arguing with friends, etc. As someone who is the younger sibling, I could also relate to Grace in some ways, because I know that people had expectations about me because of my sister, so while the specific circumstances differed, I think I also felt a stronger connection to the book because of that. I really felt so much for Grace as she tried navigating middle school and all the ups and downs that go with it. And I really loved the focus on friends and family in this story. The art was also so good, and I felt like it really was a great depiction of the story being told. Definitely recommend to graphic novel readers and to those who read middle grade novels.
Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2022
Kyle's Little Sister by BonHyung Jeong is an excellent middle grade graphic novel. Having taught (and raised) middle schoolers, this book rings true. The author handles the trials of friendship and crushes and siblings for middle-school-age students so well that it's painful at times, but ultimately uplifting and satisfying.
- Reviewed by Amy H.
- Reviewed by Amy H.
April 13, 2021
**Disclaimer: I received a free electronic ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
The art style worked really well with the story. The story itself was a good representation of middle school life, as friendships can become complex and fragile over the smallest things. Heck, I still see some of this nonsensical drama at work.
I like Grace as a character. She handled herself in the situation she was put in quite well. Do I agree with every action, not really, but I'm sure most people would've done the same thing. I'm glad she was able to realize what was wrong and was able to mend and value her friendships. Also, her brother wasn't annoying or anything, just a typical brother character who happened to be popular.
Overall, this was a nice quick read.
Overall rating: 3.5/5
The art style worked really well with the story. The story itself was a good representation of middle school life, as friendships can become complex and fragile over the smallest things. Heck, I still see some of this nonsensical drama at work.
I like Grace as a character. She handled herself in the situation she was put in quite well. Do I agree with every action, not really, but I'm sure most people would've done the same thing. I'm glad she was able to realize what was wrong and was able to mend and value her friendships. Also, her brother wasn't annoying or anything, just a typical brother character who happened to be popular.
Overall, this was a nice quick read.
Overall rating: 3.5/5
December 4, 2021
I randomly requested this graphic novel from NetGalley because the title and cover looked cute. I had no idea what this graphic novel was about going in, but I had predicted the story would follow Kyle and his little sister as they played sports. I imagined the story would be told from Kyle's perspective based on the title.
Well, I was entirely wrong on all of my predictions. This story is told in Grace's perspective, who is, in fact, Kyle's little sister. While the story does focus on Kyle and Grace's relationship at times, it's more of a story about Grace navigating middle school and figuring out who she is as the younger sister of super popular Kyle. I know a lot of sibling relationships are difficult to navigate, especially in middle school, but I found myself thinking that Grace and Kyle really had a challenging relationship and didn't do much to try and make it better. I wanted their mom to step in more and help them work through their challenges.
There are plenty of middle grade stories and even graphic novels that deal with the challenges of arriving to middle school and figuring out how to navigate new friendships, bullies, and crushes on older boys. This graphic novel didn't tell this story particularly well and I felt there were a lot of storylines that were rushed or left out entirely. For example, where is Grace & Kyle's father? He shows up for one phone call and then is never mentioned again. While this graphic novel didn't work for me, I can see where it might be better enjoyed by readers in upper elementary or middle school.
TW: bullying
**Thank you to NetGalley and Yen Press for an advanced reader's copy of this graphic novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
Well, I was entirely wrong on all of my predictions. This story is told in Grace's perspective, who is, in fact, Kyle's little sister. While the story does focus on Kyle and Grace's relationship at times, it's more of a story about Grace navigating middle school and figuring out who she is as the younger sister of super popular Kyle. I know a lot of sibling relationships are difficult to navigate, especially in middle school, but I found myself thinking that Grace and Kyle really had a challenging relationship and didn't do much to try and make it better. I wanted their mom to step in more and help them work through their challenges.
There are plenty of middle grade stories and even graphic novels that deal with the challenges of arriving to middle school and figuring out how to navigate new friendships, bullies, and crushes on older boys. This graphic novel didn't tell this story particularly well and I felt there were a lot of storylines that were rushed or left out entirely. For example, where is Grace & Kyle's father? He shows up for one phone call and then is never mentioned again. While this graphic novel didn't work for me, I can see where it might be better enjoyed by readers in upper elementary or middle school.
TW: bullying
**Thank you to NetGalley and Yen Press for an advanced reader's copy of this graphic novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 30, 2022
Middle school friendship … a complex issue, indeed. Nice story with clear (to reader) examples of MEAN behavior - mean is mean. Character development is delightful!!
June 21, 2021
6/18/2021 Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
6/21/2021 Oh, man, I remember being middle school-aged and what an absolute mess my friends and I could be, falling out with each other over things that seemed insurmountable back then but are such trifles in retrospect, and preferring to jump to (usually depressing, dramatic) conclusions instead of actually communicating with one another. I do not miss those days at all, and have probably sublimated more than I recall, but oh how memories of that time came roaring back to me while reading this sharply observed graphic novel of a 12 year-old trying to get out from under her popular big brother's shadow. Thank goodness I was at least the eldest, and didn't have to suffer that indignity on top of all the rest of the drama!
Grace Bailey is two years younger than her older brother, handsome, athletic, popular Kyle. All her life, she feels like she's been playing second fiddle to him. Even her parents have a mostly unconscious bias toward their gregarious, sunny older child. Grace is an introvert who mostly likes playing video games and hanging out with her two best friends, Jay and Amy. Amy is the little sister of Andrew, one of Kyle's best friends, and is obsessed with KPop bands. Jay, the quietest member of their trio, loves board games. She's also nurtured a huge crush on Kyle for years, and Amy is super enthusiastic about finally pushing the two of them together now that they're all in middle school. Grace is significantly more lukewarm to the idea, mostly because she thinks her brother sucks and doesn't deserve sweet, reserved Jay.
A sleepover of both Baileys' friend groups at Amy and Andrew's house ends in a huge fight between the girls. Things are spoken that can't be unsaid. The girls stop spending time together, leaving Grace especially feeling lonely and bereft. But when Grace is adopted by a popular older classmate, Cam, she thinks things are starting to look up for her social prospects. She even winds up confiding in Cam how she and Amy fell out, leading Cam to engage in several questionable mean girl tactics against Amy. Grace is too relieved to have a new friend to say anything, even tho she knows that what Cam is doing isn't right. But what will she do when she discovers Cam's real motivations for befriending her?
Kyle's Little Sister unerringly captures the turmoil of young adolescence, and how relationships form and fall apart and come back together. I loved how it showed so clearly the pettiness but also the deep feeling involved in all these kerfuffles. I also enjoyed how this depiction of middle schoolers wasn't at all cliched or simplistic. The art is well suited to its story, tho I did have a bit of trouble telling the difference between the guys at first. The girls, tho, are all easy to distinguish from one another, with an expressiveness that makes each girl both relatable and indelible. The only thing I wish this book had done differently was put in more Asian characters than just the KPop group members. It seemed a little weird that none of the actual cast was Asian, given that the author is.
This graphic novel is the perfect read for any kid trying to navigate the social wilderness of middle school, or for any adult who wants to reflect vicariously on those days. It certainly made me think about things that haven't crossed my mind in a good, long time, but that's for the better overall, I think.
Kyle's Little Sister by BonHyung Jeong will be published tomorrow June 22 2021 by JY and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
6/21/2021 Oh, man, I remember being middle school-aged and what an absolute mess my friends and I could be, falling out with each other over things that seemed insurmountable back then but are such trifles in retrospect, and preferring to jump to (usually depressing, dramatic) conclusions instead of actually communicating with one another. I do not miss those days at all, and have probably sublimated more than I recall, but oh how memories of that time came roaring back to me while reading this sharply observed graphic novel of a 12 year-old trying to get out from under her popular big brother's shadow. Thank goodness I was at least the eldest, and didn't have to suffer that indignity on top of all the rest of the drama!
Grace Bailey is two years younger than her older brother, handsome, athletic, popular Kyle. All her life, she feels like she's been playing second fiddle to him. Even her parents have a mostly unconscious bias toward their gregarious, sunny older child. Grace is an introvert who mostly likes playing video games and hanging out with her two best friends, Jay and Amy. Amy is the little sister of Andrew, one of Kyle's best friends, and is obsessed with KPop bands. Jay, the quietest member of their trio, loves board games. She's also nurtured a huge crush on Kyle for years, and Amy is super enthusiastic about finally pushing the two of them together now that they're all in middle school. Grace is significantly more lukewarm to the idea, mostly because she thinks her brother sucks and doesn't deserve sweet, reserved Jay.
A sleepover of both Baileys' friend groups at Amy and Andrew's house ends in a huge fight between the girls. Things are spoken that can't be unsaid. The girls stop spending time together, leaving Grace especially feeling lonely and bereft. But when Grace is adopted by a popular older classmate, Cam, she thinks things are starting to look up for her social prospects. She even winds up confiding in Cam how she and Amy fell out, leading Cam to engage in several questionable mean girl tactics against Amy. Grace is too relieved to have a new friend to say anything, even tho she knows that what Cam is doing isn't right. But what will she do when she discovers Cam's real motivations for befriending her?
Kyle's Little Sister unerringly captures the turmoil of young adolescence, and how relationships form and fall apart and come back together. I loved how it showed so clearly the pettiness but also the deep feeling involved in all these kerfuffles. I also enjoyed how this depiction of middle schoolers wasn't at all cliched or simplistic. The art is well suited to its story, tho I did have a bit of trouble telling the difference between the guys at first. The girls, tho, are all easy to distinguish from one another, with an expressiveness that makes each girl both relatable and indelible. The only thing I wish this book had done differently was put in more Asian characters than just the KPop group members. It seemed a little weird that none of the actual cast was Asian, given that the author is.
This graphic novel is the perfect read for any kid trying to navigate the social wilderness of middle school, or for any adult who wants to reflect vicariously on those days. It certainly made me think about things that haven't crossed my mind in a good, long time, but that's for the better overall, I think.
Kyle's Little Sister by BonHyung Jeong will be published tomorrow June 22 2021 by JY and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
June 24, 2021
This graphic novel follows Grace as she begins middle school in the shadow of her older brother Kyle. Grace and her friends have an argument, and Grace blames Kyle for getting involved. She worries that her new friends only like her because it gets them closer to Kyle, one of the most popular boys in school. How can Grace repair her friendships and make her own mark as her own person when Kyle is always getting in the way?
I loved how complex the characters are in this book! Grace is navigating some very awkward situations and there is a lot of tension among the characters. They all have such vivid personalities and different ways of approaching problems. Kyle is outgoing and sporty, while Grace is quiet and good at video games. I loved seeing how the dynamics between characters played out and how they each grow and change through the story.
The artwork is excellent! Every page is brightly colored, and the character designs are distinct and memorable. I just love the cute expressions on the characters' faces. They are so emotional!
The writing and the dialogue really pull you into the story! I was hooked from the first page.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
I loved how complex the characters are in this book! Grace is navigating some very awkward situations and there is a lot of tension among the characters. They all have such vivid personalities and different ways of approaching problems. Kyle is outgoing and sporty, while Grace is quiet and good at video games. I loved seeing how the dynamics between characters played out and how they each grow and change through the story.
The artwork is excellent! Every page is brightly colored, and the character designs are distinct and memorable. I just love the cute expressions on the characters' faces. They are so emotional!
The writing and the dialogue really pull you into the story! I was hooked from the first page.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
September 17, 2021
The illustration style was more manga-like and it led to some character confusion at times for me with the friend groups for both Kyle and Grace, so I had to spend a little more time on figuring out who everyone was.
Otherwise, it's the quintessential middle grade graphic novel with friendship issues and added to that, Grace's inability to get out from under the shadow of Kyle, her older brother, since every girl wants to date him and every boy wants to be him. She's often frustrated by relationships because they're inauthentic and then general troubles that the friends needed to work through.
It's fun and even with the seriousness of some of the elements, still is entertaining and hopeful.
Otherwise, it's the quintessential middle grade graphic novel with friendship issues and added to that, Grace's inability to get out from under the shadow of Kyle, her older brother, since every girl wants to date him and every boy wants to be him. She's often frustrated by relationships because they're inauthentic and then general troubles that the friends needed to work through.
It's fun and even with the seriousness of some of the elements, still is entertaining and hopeful.
May 11, 2021
This title was a great look at how a younger sibling can feel, and how an older sibling may think they are helping, but they make it harder.
I honestly felt a lot for Grace, as I have an older brother about 2 years older than me. Living in his shadow could be frustrating, and it is because we are different kinds of people.
I honestly think this is a great age appropriate title.
I honestly felt a lot for Grace, as I have an older brother about 2 years older than me. Living in his shadow could be frustrating, and it is because we are different kinds of people.
I honestly think this is a great age appropriate title.
May 10, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley for this review copy.
I saw this in a Yen Press webinar and thought it sounded cute. It was! Very sweet on friendship and siblingship. Will definitely recommend this to kids.
I saw this in a Yen Press webinar and thought it sounded cute. It was! Very sweet on friendship and siblingship. Will definitely recommend this to kids.
July 11, 2021
I had MUCH more popular older siblings growing up and loved how well this conveyed that frustration! The illustrations feel a tad Manga-ish in a really great way and this would be a great one to recommend to kids who already love that style of comic.
April 16, 2024
Fun and engaging and good for helping kids navigate friendships and family dynamics
November 4, 2022
3.5 stars 🌟 This was a good graphic novel. In some ways I relate to the main character, Grace, aka Kyle’s little sister. But, the story was entertaining and interesting and the pictures were well drawn.
The story was also funny too, and there was also a lot of drama, which of course, I enjoyed as well 😆
Anyways, this book was very good.
The story was also funny too, and there was also a lot of drama, which of course, I enjoyed as well 😆
Anyways, this book was very good.
October 19, 2021
Grace is just starting 6th grade with her best friends at the same school where her older brother, Kyle, goes too. Grace and her friends often hang out with Kyle and his friends are they are not the only siblings in their group of friends. However, things become tense among Grace and her friends and Kyle can't help but worry about his little sister.
This is such an heart-warming graphic novel, and any siblings can reflect into Kyle and Grace's relationship. It reminded on how my sister and I used to argue when we were little and I would complain about it to my friends, but if anybody other than myself said a bad things about her, I would get angry because she was my little sister and nobody (but me) could talk bad about her. This graphic novel also cover aspects of bullying in school.
This is such an heart-warming graphic novel, and any siblings can reflect into Kyle and Grace's relationship. It reminded on how my sister and I used to argue when we were little and I would complain about it to my friends, but if anybody other than myself said a bad things about her, I would get angry because she was my little sister and nobody (but me) could talk bad about her. This graphic novel also cover aspects of bullying in school.
August 4, 2021
What a fun middle grade graphic novel! I’m sure anyone with siblings can relate to Grace and Kyle’s story. This book takes on sibling rivalry, and middle school friendships that are sometimes shallow and not at all what they seem. There are the kids who only want to be your friend because you have a cute big brother. Finding your own identity is tough, but it can be even harder when you are forced to live in the shadow of your older sibling. I think fans of Raina Telgemeier are going to enjoy this book. I really liked the artwork and thought the characters were fresh and original.
July 12, 2021
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.)
Grace Bailey is everything her older brother Kyle is not: quiet, shy, and more than a little nerdy - not that there's anything wrong with that! Except, of course, for the way Kyle (and his reputation and fan base) seem to overshadow her at every turn. (I felt the chicken parm dustup deep in my bones, sister!)
Now that Grace - and her BFFs, Amy and Jay - are starting sixth grade at Elington, things are about to go from meh to downright awful as she crashes into Kyle's educational orbit. Enter: teachers who expect Grace to be a carbon copy of her older brother, classmates who are potentially using Grace to get to Kyle, and perpetually clueless parents.
As if that's not bad enough, Kyle's mere existence causes a rift where Grace least expected it: her delightfully geeky friend group. When a more popular girl named Cam swoops in to take full advantage of Grace's pain, will she have the courage and wisdom to make things right with the her old gang - and her older brother?
KYLE'S LITTLE SISTER is a sweet, mostly-gentle middle grade graphic novel about friendship, bullying, and sibling rivalry. At 43, I think I'm well beyond the book's target audience, but I still found some things to relate to. (I'm an oldest sister who was perpetually upset that my parents seemed to favor / go easier on my younger three siblings.)
Grace can sometimes be a brat, as other reviewers have noted, but Kyle hardly makes her life easy. Relatedly, I've seen some comments expressing disbelief that friends would just stop talking to each other like that, but I witnessed similar blowups in my MG and HS friend groups. It felt fairly authentic and true to life for me.
The artwork is cute, if not entirely my style; the powdery white faces threw me off, as did the occasional blank faces. To be fair, the skin tone might very well be a characteristic of manhwa, while the faces devoid of eyes and mouths sometimes seemed intentional, e.g. to convey Grace's wonder at what her friends might be thinking. Mostly, though, it just left me wondering if the ARC I was reading wasn't yet complete.
Grace Bailey is everything her older brother Kyle is not: quiet, shy, and more than a little nerdy - not that there's anything wrong with that! Except, of course, for the way Kyle (and his reputation and fan base) seem to overshadow her at every turn. (I felt the chicken parm dustup deep in my bones, sister!)
Now that Grace - and her BFFs, Amy and Jay - are starting sixth grade at Elington, things are about to go from meh to downright awful as she crashes into Kyle's educational orbit. Enter: teachers who expect Grace to be a carbon copy of her older brother, classmates who are potentially using Grace to get to Kyle, and perpetually clueless parents.
As if that's not bad enough, Kyle's mere existence causes a rift where Grace least expected it: her delightfully geeky friend group. When a more popular girl named Cam swoops in to take full advantage of Grace's pain, will she have the courage and wisdom to make things right with the her old gang - and her older brother?
KYLE'S LITTLE SISTER is a sweet, mostly-gentle middle grade graphic novel about friendship, bullying, and sibling rivalry. At 43, I think I'm well beyond the book's target audience, but I still found some things to relate to. (I'm an oldest sister who was perpetually upset that my parents seemed to favor / go easier on my younger three siblings.)
Grace can sometimes be a brat, as other reviewers have noted, but Kyle hardly makes her life easy. Relatedly, I've seen some comments expressing disbelief that friends would just stop talking to each other like that, but I witnessed similar blowups in my MG and HS friend groups. It felt fairly authentic and true to life for me.
The artwork is cute, if not entirely my style; the powdery white faces threw me off, as did the occasional blank faces. To be fair, the skin tone might very well be a characteristic of manhwa, while the faces devoid of eyes and mouths sometimes seemed intentional, e.g. to convey Grace's wonder at what her friends might be thinking. Mostly, though, it just left me wondering if the ARC I was reading wasn't yet complete.
September 12, 2021
As an oldest child, I never knew what it was like to be compared to a sibling in the same way Kyle and Grace are compared, but I definitely empathize with Grace’s feelings of being compared to a more successful sibling! Although many reviews said Grace seemed like a brat, I didn’t see it like that. I saw it as someone who just truly wants her own identity and to be valued for what she is not what she isn’t (Kyle). This is tough in middle school in general much less when you feel overshadowed by someone else. It definitely made me think about how I react when I teach a sibling of a past student!
I found the crushes and friendship drama all very realistic to middle school, especially 6th grade as kids figure out who they are as adolescents. I also enjoyed that the book did not show middle school as this daunting thing you should fear–Grace was excited to start middle school! Too often just the starting of middle school is blamed for drama, but this book focused more on friends who may be a bit different figuring out how to remain friends despite the differences.
This is a graphic novel that will find love with fans of Raina Telgemeier, Svetlana Chmakova, and Terri Libenson, so it is definitely worth adding to your collection. However, I do want to share that there was one real part that I hope kids reflect on instead of do what Grace does: When she stops being friends with Amy, her new “friend” starts ohysiclly and mentally bullying her, and Grace does nothing. I think Jeong did a good job showing why she did nothing, but I also hope that watching this bullying will make readers want to stand up to a bully the next time they see one!
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=2...
I found the crushes and friendship drama all very realistic to middle school, especially 6th grade as kids figure out who they are as adolescents. I also enjoyed that the book did not show middle school as this daunting thing you should fear–Grace was excited to start middle school! Too often just the starting of middle school is blamed for drama, but this book focused more on friends who may be a bit different figuring out how to remain friends despite the differences.
This is a graphic novel that will find love with fans of Raina Telgemeier, Svetlana Chmakova, and Terri Libenson, so it is definitely worth adding to your collection. However, I do want to share that there was one real part that I hope kids reflect on instead of do what Grace does: When she stops being friends with Amy, her new “friend” starts ohysiclly and mentally bullying her, and Grace does nothing. I think Jeong did a good job showing why she did nothing, but I also hope that watching this bullying will make readers want to stand up to a bully the next time they see one!
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=2...
June 21, 2021
Sixth grader Grace Bailey is very excited to finally be a middle grader. Well, except for one thing - older brother Kyle is an eight grader in the same school. Grace and Kyle may be siblings, but they couldn't be more different. Kyle is outgoing, good-looking and popular, especially among the girls, and likes to game with his two best friends, Liam and Andrew. Grace is a quiet, shy girl who prefers staying home and gaming with her two best friends, Jay, who is Black and has a big crush on Kyle, and Amy, Andrew's younger sister.
When Amy finds out that Andrew is having a game night with Kyle and Liam at her house, she convinces her mother to let her have an overnight with Jay and Grace at the same time. Everything is going relatively well until Amy starts pushing Jay to let Kyle know how she feels, something Jay does not want to do. When Jay finally tells Amy to stop pushing it, that she's taking Jay's feelings too lightly, Amy explodes. Hurtful words are said, feelings are hurt, Jay goes home, and Amy tells Grace she is only her friend because of their brothers.
The following Monday, after not receiving any text messages all weekend from Jay or Amy, Grace finds herself alone in school, with no one to hang out with or sit with at lunch. But soon a popular, outgoing girl with blond curly hair named Cam invites her to sit at her table at lunch after finding out Grace's last name is Bailey. It's fun for a while, but when Cam and her other friends start bullying Amy, Grace begins to feel badly for her old friend. Things really come to a head when Grace discovers Cam's ulterior motive for being so friendly to her. Things are so bad that even Kyle begins to notice something's wrong.
Will Kyle finally help his sister out? Will Grace, Jay, and Amy ever be able to patch things up and become besties again? And who is Audrey and is she friend or just another girl with a Kyle crush?
Kyle's Little Sister is a debut graphic novel for BonHyung Jeong and she has really hit it out of the park, capturing all the big and small happenings and nuances that can only happen in middle school. Her characters are so spot on and so very today even if the story is as old as...middle school. Jeong's has managed to take a handful of characters and give them all distinct personalities. There is nothing ambiguous in the storyline, and motives are clear and uncomplicated, and there is even a nod to the very popular K-Pop phenomena.
Jeong's art is also uncomplicated, and I love the way she indicates things like the noisy school hallways, and the mutterings and asides of the characters by using a smaller font and not encasing them in a speech bubbles. Her illustrations are done in a soft pastel palette of colors, and her characters are given a variety of facial expressions reflecting their feelings and emotions, and red mouths when they are speaking.
I'm a big fan of graphic novels and this one about living in the shadow of an older popular sibling is totally relatable and I know this from my own experience. I got really tired of people, especially teachers, saying to me "Aren't you Ginny's little sister? You're nothing like her." I suspect there are many of us out there who can relate to Kyle's Little Sister.
Art and storyline make this a unique graphic novel about school relationships, sibling rivalry, forgiveness, maturing, and real friendships to share with your young readers.
Meet the Author/Illustrator
BonHyung Jeong (Bon) studied Cartooning at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Kyle's Little Sister is her debut graphic novel, made possible with the help of numerous people. She hopes to make connections with others through relatable stories. Currently living in Korea, she's always busy playing console games - exactly like someone in the book.
This book is recommended for readers 9+
This book was gratefully received from Casey Blackwell at Media Masters Publicity
When Amy finds out that Andrew is having a game night with Kyle and Liam at her house, she convinces her mother to let her have an overnight with Jay and Grace at the same time. Everything is going relatively well until Amy starts pushing Jay to let Kyle know how she feels, something Jay does not want to do. When Jay finally tells Amy to stop pushing it, that she's taking Jay's feelings too lightly, Amy explodes. Hurtful words are said, feelings are hurt, Jay goes home, and Amy tells Grace she is only her friend because of their brothers.
The following Monday, after not receiving any text messages all weekend from Jay or Amy, Grace finds herself alone in school, with no one to hang out with or sit with at lunch. But soon a popular, outgoing girl with blond curly hair named Cam invites her to sit at her table at lunch after finding out Grace's last name is Bailey. It's fun for a while, but when Cam and her other friends start bullying Amy, Grace begins to feel badly for her old friend. Things really come to a head when Grace discovers Cam's ulterior motive for being so friendly to her. Things are so bad that even Kyle begins to notice something's wrong.
Will Kyle finally help his sister out? Will Grace, Jay, and Amy ever be able to patch things up and become besties again? And who is Audrey and is she friend or just another girl with a Kyle crush?
Kyle's Little Sister is a debut graphic novel for BonHyung Jeong and she has really hit it out of the park, capturing all the big and small happenings and nuances that can only happen in middle school. Her characters are so spot on and so very today even if the story is as old as...middle school. Jeong's has managed to take a handful of characters and give them all distinct personalities. There is nothing ambiguous in the storyline, and motives are clear and uncomplicated, and there is even a nod to the very popular K-Pop phenomena.
Jeong's art is also uncomplicated, and I love the way she indicates things like the noisy school hallways, and the mutterings and asides of the characters by using a smaller font and not encasing them in a speech bubbles. Her illustrations are done in a soft pastel palette of colors, and her characters are given a variety of facial expressions reflecting their feelings and emotions, and red mouths when they are speaking.
I'm a big fan of graphic novels and this one about living in the shadow of an older popular sibling is totally relatable and I know this from my own experience. I got really tired of people, especially teachers, saying to me "Aren't you Ginny's little sister? You're nothing like her." I suspect there are many of us out there who can relate to Kyle's Little Sister.
Art and storyline make this a unique graphic novel about school relationships, sibling rivalry, forgiveness, maturing, and real friendships to share with your young readers.
Meet the Author/Illustrator
BonHyung Jeong (Bon) studied Cartooning at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Kyle's Little Sister is her debut graphic novel, made possible with the help of numerous people. She hopes to make connections with others through relatable stories. Currently living in Korea, she's always busy playing console games - exactly like someone in the book.
This book is recommended for readers 9+
This book was gratefully received from Casey Blackwell at Media Masters Publicity
September 22, 2023
What it’s about: Grace is excited to finally be going to middle school! But before her first day can even begin, she hears the words she hates more than anything; "Oh, are you Kyle's little sister?"
Grace is her own person. She doesn't look like her brother - he's tall and skinny, she's shorter and stockier. She doesn't act like her brother - he's outgoing and loud and likes to play sports, she more private and quiet and is a video gamer. She doesn't even LIKE her brother - he's so perfect, and Grace is not.
Making it all worse is that fact that Grace's friend Jay has a crush on Kyle. That's not TOO bad, but Grace and Jay's friend Amy is determined to get Jay to start dating Kyle - whether Jay wants the help or not. This causes all kinds of drama and trouble. In fact, Amy's actions push Jay away, and then Amy and Grace have a falling-out. So now, not only is Grace "Kyle's little sister", she's also friendless.
At least, that what she feared. But Grace is suddenly "adopted" into the friend group of Cam. Cam is cool and popular, and she starts picking on Amy for treating Grace badly - and Grace is there for it! At least, at first. The more Cam bullies Amy, the worse Grace feels.
To make matters even worse, Grace loses her temper on Kyle in front of his friends; and then Grace starts to suspect that Cam is only hanging out with her because Cam has a crush on Kyle.
Feeling totally isolated, Grace will have to figure out who she is, and who she wants to be - and whether being someone's little sister is really that bad.
What I thought:
Why I chose those shelves:
Content Warnings
bullying: Cam is a bully towards anyone not in her friend group;
Characters
Diverse: Jay is non-white, and there are other secondary characters who are non-white;
Genres
realistic fiction: This is a slice-of-life middle school story
Style
multiple perspectives: Although ALMOST the whole story is from Grace's POV, there are moments where we follow other characters for a few pages;
Topics
friendship: Grace has to learn what being a good friend means - often by counter-example; school: A lot of the book takes place in and around school; sociology: This story is very much about the relationships and interactions between family members and school mates;
Why I rated it like I did: This one wasn't for me. I have very limited experience with anime and manga, but this felt a lot like a (slightly) Americanized version of that - a core of realistic fiction with sprouts of over-the-top reactions. It wasn't bad, but it's not my cup of tea. I can absolutely see MG readers who like anime and manga enjoying this one. And I think Grace's feelings of isolation will resonate with middle schoolers - especially with younger siblings, but also with anyone who has felt the loneliness that comes with being a pre-teen and teen.
Grace is her own person. She doesn't look like her brother - he's tall and skinny, she's shorter and stockier. She doesn't act like her brother - he's outgoing and loud and likes to play sports, she more private and quiet and is a video gamer. She doesn't even LIKE her brother - he's so perfect, and Grace is not.
Making it all worse is that fact that Grace's friend Jay has a crush on Kyle. That's not TOO bad, but Grace and Jay's friend Amy is determined to get Jay to start dating Kyle - whether Jay wants the help or not. This causes all kinds of drama and trouble. In fact, Amy's actions push Jay away, and then Amy and Grace have a falling-out. So now, not only is Grace "Kyle's little sister", she's also friendless.
At least, that what she feared. But Grace is suddenly "adopted" into the friend group of Cam. Cam is cool and popular, and she starts picking on Amy for treating Grace badly - and Grace is there for it! At least, at first. The more Cam bullies Amy, the worse Grace feels.
To make matters even worse, Grace loses her temper on Kyle in front of his friends; and then Grace starts to suspect that Cam is only hanging out with her because Cam has a crush on Kyle.
Feeling totally isolated, Grace will have to figure out who she is, and who she wants to be - and whether being someone's little sister is really that bad.
What I thought:
Why I chose those shelves:
Content Warnings
bullying: Cam is a bully towards anyone not in her friend group;
Characters
Diverse: Jay is non-white, and there are other secondary characters who are non-white;
Genres
realistic fiction: This is a slice-of-life middle school story
Style
multiple perspectives: Although ALMOST the whole story is from Grace's POV, there are moments where we follow other characters for a few pages;
Topics
friendship: Grace has to learn what being a good friend means - often by counter-example; school: A lot of the book takes place in and around school; sociology: This story is very much about the relationships and interactions between family members and school mates;
Why I rated it like I did: This one wasn't for me. I have very limited experience with anime and manga, but this felt a lot like a (slightly) Americanized version of that - a core of realistic fiction with sprouts of over-the-top reactions. It wasn't bad, but it's not my cup of tea. I can absolutely see MG readers who like anime and manga enjoying this one. And I think Grace's feelings of isolation will resonate with middle schoolers - especially with younger siblings, but also with anyone who has felt the loneliness that comes with being a pre-teen and teen.
May 7, 2021
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“Kyle’s Little Sister” is an adorable graphic novel that deals with friendship and sibling rivalry, and I enjoyed reading it.
To begin with, I liked the friendship theme of the story. The author adds drama to Grace’s life as she struggles with her friendship with Jay and Amy. On top of that, she feels that her brother, Kyle, and their mother always roots for Kyle. The author depicted Grace’s feelings realistically, and I could relate to what she was going through. The story also places nicely where Grace soon finds herself in another popular crowd but doesn’t know their true intentions.
Similarly, the author also handled the sibling relationship between Kyle and Grace nicely. While they get on each other’s nerves, in the end, they support one another. Cam also made a fine villain and was one of those characters I liked to dislike.
But, the only criticism I have of the story is the breakup. While it makes sense that the girls all get angry and break up, I didn’t understand why they completely stopped talking to each other. If they have been friends for a long time, they could have easily patched things up. Moreover, I didn’t understand why Jay forgave Amy but not Grace, even though Amy was the one who said all those things. Jay doesn’t try even when Grace approaches and says hi to her. There was no explanation for this, and it felt off.
Apart from that, I enjoyed the story. I think this is the author’s debut graphic novel and found it impressive. I hope we get this as a series, as I would like to read more of Grace growing up and surviving other challenges in middle school.
December 2, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Grace is just entering 6th grade, and will be rejoining her older brother Kyle at school, where he is a popular and athletic 8th grader. Grace resents him, especially since her friend Jay has a crush on him. Their friend, Amy, often pushes Jay out of her comfort zone, and soon the girls have a falling out. Grace has worried about fitting in at middle school, since she is more of a quiet gamer, and now finds herself eating lunch alone. When popular but mean spirited Cam befriends her, "accidentally" bumping in to Amy and spilling things on her, Grace is a bit leery, but glad to have a friend. Cam continues her mean streak, refusing to let a new girl sit at their table, and asks to be introduced to Kyle, on whom she also has a crush. When Grace refuses, Cam cuts her off and is very mean. Amy and Jay, who have reached a détente, see how Cam is treating Grace and tell Kyle about it. Kyle confronts Cam, which doesn't really help things. Will Grace be able to reconnect with her friends and find a way to be les resentful about her brother?
Strengths: Friend drama is a huge attraction when it comes to plots that my students request, and this has plenty of drama! Yen Press also publishes Svetlana Chmakova’s Awkward, Brave, and Crush which I have had to replace several times, and the themes are very similar. There's a wide range of middle school experiences, and we get a few glimpses of Grace's home life, which is supportive even though her father is away. There's also a decent amount of true-to-life middle school romance.
Weaknesses: Grace is perhaps the single most challenging character I have ever encountered. The cover is very indicative of her every sulking move in the book. She's not even very nice to Amy and Jay. The art style will appeal to younger readers, but the manga style always makes me think that the story is being performed by the cast of Speed Racer.
What I really think: I personally do not understand the appeal of Telgemeier's story lines (would anyone read a novel about dental trauma?), but this tale of mean girl drama in middle school will probably go over well with my students, who even like the Tessier and Amandine Chloe graphic novels, which make me cringe whenever they are checked out. Will probably purchase, but this was not a personal favorite. It's probably "toxic positivity" to suggest that maybe if we quit telling students to be anxious about middle school, they will stop being so anxious.
Grace is just entering 6th grade, and will be rejoining her older brother Kyle at school, where he is a popular and athletic 8th grader. Grace resents him, especially since her friend Jay has a crush on him. Their friend, Amy, often pushes Jay out of her comfort zone, and soon the girls have a falling out. Grace has worried about fitting in at middle school, since she is more of a quiet gamer, and now finds herself eating lunch alone. When popular but mean spirited Cam befriends her, "accidentally" bumping in to Amy and spilling things on her, Grace is a bit leery, but glad to have a friend. Cam continues her mean streak, refusing to let a new girl sit at their table, and asks to be introduced to Kyle, on whom she also has a crush. When Grace refuses, Cam cuts her off and is very mean. Amy and Jay, who have reached a détente, see how Cam is treating Grace and tell Kyle about it. Kyle confronts Cam, which doesn't really help things. Will Grace be able to reconnect with her friends and find a way to be les resentful about her brother?
Strengths: Friend drama is a huge attraction when it comes to plots that my students request, and this has plenty of drama! Yen Press also publishes Svetlana Chmakova’s Awkward, Brave, and Crush which I have had to replace several times, and the themes are very similar. There's a wide range of middle school experiences, and we get a few glimpses of Grace's home life, which is supportive even though her father is away. There's also a decent amount of true-to-life middle school romance.
Weaknesses: Grace is perhaps the single most challenging character I have ever encountered. The cover is very indicative of her every sulking move in the book. She's not even very nice to Amy and Jay. The art style will appeal to younger readers, but the manga style always makes me think that the story is being performed by the cast of Speed Racer.
What I really think: I personally do not understand the appeal of Telgemeier's story lines (would anyone read a novel about dental trauma?), but this tale of mean girl drama in middle school will probably go over well with my students, who even like the Tessier and Amandine Chloe graphic novels, which make me cringe whenever they are checked out. Will probably purchase, but this was not a personal favorite. It's probably "toxic positivity" to suggest that maybe if we quit telling students to be anxious about middle school, they will stop being so anxious.
June 22, 2021
Grace is tired of being known as Kyle’s little sister. She has entered middle school and is now in the same building as her older brother Kyle. Grace is quiet and likes video games. Kyle is a popular athlete and everyone at school knows and likes Kyle. Grace has two best friends, Jay and Amy and they love to get together on the weekends and play games. But, one weekend, a misunderstanding and disagreement send the three friends into a fight that leaves them alone and hurt.
Grace meets Cam one day while eating lunch by herself after many days away from her two best friends. But, Cam has an ulterior motive for befriending Grace. Cam is popular and Grace ignores some of Cam’s mean behaviors to feel included in a group. When the reason behind Cam’s sudden friendship comes to light, Grace realizes she still has friends, she just needs to remember how to be one.
This story is full of middle-school angst, something I hear about often from the kids at school. I felt like the situations the author created in the story were very realistic and offered good life lessons for kids to learn from. I know our daughter entered middle school in the shadow of her two popular older brothers. She is often compared to them, but she is very much her own person and has her own interests. She even had a similar situation happened to her that happened to Grace in the story and I remember how hurt she felt by the betrayal.
This is the author’s debut graphic novel and I liked her style of graphics and defining who was who in the story. Her illustrations had an anime feel which is very popular among graphic novel readers. Middle school can be a tough time in a kid’s life and Jeong has made this story of friendship and sibling rivalry relatable for boys and girls. It can be hard for kids to find their place in the middle school social scene and this novel shares the struggles, the missed opportunities, and the friendships that are worth fighting for.
Grace meets Cam one day while eating lunch by herself after many days away from her two best friends. But, Cam has an ulterior motive for befriending Grace. Cam is popular and Grace ignores some of Cam’s mean behaviors to feel included in a group. When the reason behind Cam’s sudden friendship comes to light, Grace realizes she still has friends, she just needs to remember how to be one.
This story is full of middle-school angst, something I hear about often from the kids at school. I felt like the situations the author created in the story were very realistic and offered good life lessons for kids to learn from. I know our daughter entered middle school in the shadow of her two popular older brothers. She is often compared to them, but she is very much her own person and has her own interests. She even had a similar situation happened to her that happened to Grace in the story and I remember how hurt she felt by the betrayal.
This is the author’s debut graphic novel and I liked her style of graphics and defining who was who in the story. Her illustrations had an anime feel which is very popular among graphic novel readers. Middle school can be a tough time in a kid’s life and Jeong has made this story of friendship and sibling rivalry relatable for boys and girls. It can be hard for kids to find their place in the middle school social scene and this novel shares the struggles, the missed opportunities, and the friendships that are worth fighting for.
April 4, 2023
Kyle Little sister is a graphic novel book by BonHyung Jeong,
Kyles little sister is about :Grace who is kyles little sister,and she is bestfriends, jay, amy,and her brother kyle
Grace is always in the middle with her mom and her brother or her to best friends
One night they where having a party at graces house,but jay has a big crush on kyle and amy keeps pushing her to say thing,but when she pushes jay to much she get uncomfortable and wants, amy says shes cant do anything on her own and was being really, mean grace gets in the middle of and wants to stop the argument and offers to take jay home but the amy starts say more rude stuff and jay decides that she would just walk home by herself
When grace confronts amy by telling her that shes not helping her make up with jay then amy gets mad and says that she only friends with her cous of there brothers and leaves. the next days none of them would even talk to each other and grace would end up eating alone
The next week goes by and there still not talking but then she meets cam and they become friend and grace offered her to come over on the weekend and they stared hanging out alot and grace tells cam every thing about amy and how she was only friends with her cous of there brothers
The in next few day of them hanging out cams shes been picking on amy bumping into her and shoving her books from her hands a wee goes by and jay wants to make up with amy and go back to the way it was but when she tells grace she gets mad and says she was only friends with us “cous of are brothers” she thinks it all her brothers fault this book really focuses on friend ships,sibling relationship like in middle school i think a lot of people would really relate to this book
Kyles little sister is about :Grace who is kyles little sister,and she is bestfriends, jay, amy,and her brother kyle
Grace is always in the middle with her mom and her brother or her to best friends
One night they where having a party at graces house,but jay has a big crush on kyle and amy keeps pushing her to say thing,but when she pushes jay to much she get uncomfortable and wants, amy says shes cant do anything on her own and was being really, mean grace gets in the middle of and wants to stop the argument and offers to take jay home but the amy starts say more rude stuff and jay decides that she would just walk home by herself
When grace confronts amy by telling her that shes not helping her make up with jay then amy gets mad and says that she only friends with her cous of there brothers and leaves. the next days none of them would even talk to each other and grace would end up eating alone
The next week goes by and there still not talking but then she meets cam and they become friend and grace offered her to come over on the weekend and they stared hanging out alot and grace tells cam every thing about amy and how she was only friends with her cous of there brothers
The in next few day of them hanging out cams shes been picking on amy bumping into her and shoving her books from her hands a wee goes by and jay wants to make up with amy and go back to the way it was but when she tells grace she gets mad and says she was only friends with us “cous of are brothers” she thinks it all her brothers fault this book really focuses on friend ships,sibling relationship like in middle school i think a lot of people would really relate to this book
June 14, 2021
Themes and Thoughts: I really enjoy reading middle grade books and graphic novels are the best because they are quick to read and easy to get through. I really enjoyed how short each of these chapters are and how this book focuses on friendship and family relationships. I liked getting a chance to see the main character’s feelings about being Kyle’s little sister and loved how the characters read as their age.
While this book focuses on relationships with people and how those shift during middle school. I liked that both of our characters are in middle school so we get to see how siblings feel towards each other, both one being a younger sibling and the other as an older sibling. I also really liked how we got to see both sides of their sibling relationship, so we see them fighting but we also see the love that they have for each other.
Characters: I loved getting the chance to meet Grace and Kyle through this book and liked the interactions that we get of them with their set of friends. I liked how we see how Kyle’s friends see Grace as his little sister and even some of her new friends view her this way. I liked getting to see how Grace’s friends don’t view her this way even if she worries that everyone only liked her because of her relationship to Kyle.
Writing Style/Art: I decided that in order to keep my review style the same, I would use this area to comment on both the writing as well as the art style when talking about graphic novels. I thought that the art was really cute and I liked how child like the characters look. There was never a time in which I confused the age for the characters and I also liked how diverse the characters were. I liked how each of the side characters looked different from each other.
While this book focuses on relationships with people and how those shift during middle school. I liked that both of our characters are in middle school so we get to see how siblings feel towards each other, both one being a younger sibling and the other as an older sibling. I also really liked how we got to see both sides of their sibling relationship, so we see them fighting but we also see the love that they have for each other.
Characters: I loved getting the chance to meet Grace and Kyle through this book and liked the interactions that we get of them with their set of friends. I liked how we see how Kyle’s friends see Grace as his little sister and even some of her new friends view her this way. I liked getting to see how Grace’s friends don’t view her this way even if she worries that everyone only liked her because of her relationship to Kyle.
Writing Style/Art: I decided that in order to keep my review style the same, I would use this area to comment on both the writing as well as the art style when talking about graphic novels. I thought that the art was really cute and I liked how child like the characters look. There was never a time in which I confused the age for the characters and I also liked how diverse the characters were. I liked how each of the side characters looked different from each other.
June 6, 2021
I loved this graphic novel - and I could so relate to Grace, as I am a younger sister myself. Grace looks up to her brother, Kyle, but at the same time, she feels that she is constantly in his shadow - he is outgoing, popular, athletic, all the things that Grace, who is introverted and into video games, with a small group of close friends, is not. When Kyle left for middle school, and Grace, two grades lower, stayed in elementary school, she had a chance to grow without being so closely within his shadow - but now she is in 6th grade, and they will be attending the same middle school. With her two closest friends, Amy and Jay, Grace tries to create her own space in her new school, complicated by Jay's crush on Kyle, and Amy's intricate plans to get Kyle to notice Jay. Full of middle school angst, misunderstandings, miscommunications, and well-intentioned mistakes on every side, Grace navigates her first year of middle school in a well-written and well-illustrated graphic novel that exemplifies the experience of many younger siblings as well as many new-to-middle-school adolescents, in a fun and accessible way. I strongly recommend this for children concerned about the transition to middle school, as well as to middle school counselors trying to help students struggling with the transition and parents concerned about their own children's upcoming transition or difficulty with siblings.
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