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Bounce Back
Lilico, with the help of her cat, must learn to adjust to a new country, a new school, and new pressures in Bounce Back, a middle grade graphic novel from author/illustrator Misako Rocks! about finding your team and finding yourself. Lilico’s life in Japan is going well. She has great friends and is the captain of the school's basketball team. She’s happy!Then comes her parents’ they’re moving to America! Before she knows it, Lilico finds herself in Brooklyn, New York, forced to start all over. And that won’t be easy with her closest friends thousands of miles away or a school bully who immediately dislikes her.Luckily, anime-loving Nala and Henry eventually befriend Lilico and with help from them—along with her guardian spirit who looks a lot like her cat, Nico—Lilico just might figure out where she fits in.This is age-appropriate, kid-friendly manga for kids - both elementary and middle school - that tells a story about friendship, new beginnings, and doing what you love, no matter what.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2021
19 people are currently reading
1869 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
April 3, 2022
I just saw the "Mean Girls" musical last month. I didn't know the Tina Fey movie also has a graphic novel adaptation. It's weird that they changed most of the character names and added a superfluous fantasy element as they dumbed it down for kids, but at least they stayed true to the heart of the story.
June 9, 2022
DNF - the huge eyes and gaping mouths of all characters, jerky transitions, and hateful basketball teammates in America for zero reason made me not want to continue to read. Got to page 84 and decided I didn't care how it ended so I stopped there.
November 25, 2024
This book was good.but it didn’t really like when two people 💋 on the lips. I also don’t like how they threw her basket ball in the water. To be honest that was a little bit to far
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2021
RTC on my blog
May 9, 2023
*3.5 stars*
November 3, 2021
Review by my daughter:
Lilico receives news that she and her family will be moving to New York City in the summer. While settling in her new school in NYC, Lilico wants to join the girls basketball team. Afraid to speak up and stand up for herself, Lilico tries to join the team but gets into an argument with Emma, the captain of the basketball team. With the help of her new friends and her cat, Nico, will Lilico be able to speak up for herself?
I love the plot, the story, and all the drama! While the plot revolves around joining a basketball team, the story is about friendship and fitting in. I didn’t expect Nico to be a talking cat, but he is super kawaii and funny. I like how he was so protective over Lilico whenever she talks to Noah. I really like the illustrations because I love manga. I highly recommend readers to check out Misako Rocks’ social media channels for drawing tips and to watch her draw Lilico and the other characters. I recommend this graphic novel to manga lovers because it is such a cute and beautifully drawn book.
Lilico receives news that she and her family will be moving to New York City in the summer. While settling in her new school in NYC, Lilico wants to join the girls basketball team. Afraid to speak up and stand up for herself, Lilico tries to join the team but gets into an argument with Emma, the captain of the basketball team. With the help of her new friends and her cat, Nico, will Lilico be able to speak up for herself?
I love the plot, the story, and all the drama! While the plot revolves around joining a basketball team, the story is about friendship and fitting in. I didn’t expect Nico to be a talking cat, but he is super kawaii and funny. I like how he was so protective over Lilico whenever she talks to Noah. I really like the illustrations because I love manga. I highly recommend readers to check out Misako Rocks’ social media channels for drawing tips and to watch her draw Lilico and the other characters. I recommend this graphic novel to manga lovers because it is such a cute and beautifully drawn book.
November 9, 2021
Dear Penny, (My Imaginary Book Friend.)
I won Bounce Back, by Misako Rocks, in a Goodreads Giveaway. You know me though -- my opinions are my own!
Lilico has a thing she loves doing -- basketball -- and her teammates are her close friends. She's a natural leader, filled with encouragement and support. Her parents tell her they're moving to New York, and she is understandably devastated to be leaving all she knows, but decides to make the best of it.
Her new school is rough for her because a girl named Emma dislikes her, and Emma is on the basketball team. Lilico has only her cat, Nicco, for comfort. Eventually, she makes friends with Nala, who likes Japanese fashions (Don't look at me, I'm not going to remember the exact terms) and Henry who likes Japanese culture.
Also, her cat houses a guardian spirit, there to help her out. The usual.
Super cute, and super relatable to anyone who had to move as a kid and start again. Not everyone has quite the adjustment of a change in language and culture, but leaving behind what you know in your formative years is though.
Lilico has to learn to advocate for herself, to appreciate the value of friendship, and to learn her priorities. And there's basketball, and a boy that her cat distrusts.
I feel like Lilico's parents fall by the wayside in the story, and maybe that's understandable as she finds friends and her own life, but it seems abrupt as there seemed to be a subtle b-plot about her mom finding her way and adjusting too, and Henry seemed to be forming a friendship with her dad. Not a big deal since I'm not sure the target readers are particularly concerned with this aspect.
What confused me more is Emma. Emma is the girl who bullied Lilico, and barred her from the basketball team initially. I felt there was a clear set-up for her to have a backstory that explained her choices, and why she dropped Nala as a friend prior to the start of the book. She, and the other girls in the team, also do a pretty cruel thing to Nala that's never fully addressed. This made the last portion of the book surprisingly weak for me, considering how much I'd been enjoying it.
The drawings, fashions, wigs, and cat are very, very cute!
I won Bounce Back, by Misako Rocks, in a Goodreads Giveaway. You know me though -- my opinions are my own!
Lilico has a thing she loves doing -- basketball -- and her teammates are her close friends. She's a natural leader, filled with encouragement and support. Her parents tell her they're moving to New York, and she is understandably devastated to be leaving all she knows, but decides to make the best of it.
Her new school is rough for her because a girl named Emma dislikes her, and Emma is on the basketball team. Lilico has only her cat, Nicco, for comfort. Eventually, she makes friends with Nala, who likes Japanese fashions (Don't look at me, I'm not going to remember the exact terms) and Henry who likes Japanese culture.
Also, her cat houses a guardian spirit, there to help her out. The usual.
Super cute, and super relatable to anyone who had to move as a kid and start again. Not everyone has quite the adjustment of a change in language and culture, but leaving behind what you know in your formative years is though.
Lilico has to learn to advocate for herself, to appreciate the value of friendship, and to learn her priorities. And there's basketball, and a boy that her cat distrusts.
I feel like Lilico's parents fall by the wayside in the story, and maybe that's understandable as she finds friends and her own life, but it seems abrupt as there seemed to be a subtle b-plot about her mom finding her way and adjusting too, and Henry seemed to be forming a friendship with her dad. Not a big deal since I'm not sure the target readers are particularly concerned with this aspect.
What confused me more is Emma. Emma is the girl who bullied Lilico, and barred her from the basketball team initially. I felt there was a clear set-up for her to have a backstory that explained her choices, and why she dropped Nala as a friend prior to the start of the book. She, and the other girls in the team, also do a pretty cruel thing to Nala that's never fully addressed. This made the last portion of the book surprisingly weak for me, considering how much I'd been enjoying it.
The drawings, fashions, wigs, and cat are very, very cute!
September 5, 2023
The artwork was very cute and stylish, but the story and characters were flat. I think Nala had the best development of all though her personality was her obsession with kawaii/cutesy fashion and her tendency to run away. The dialogue was also stilted.
Things were moving so quickly that many plot points didn’t get developed. One of the biggest problems is the mean girl Emma. She never truly grew or apologized. First half of the story dragged on and on, but, once Lilico got used to the school, things picked up. Overall, Bounce Back is more plot-driven than character-driven.
There are a lot of references to (mainstream) Japanese items/media: kimono, yukata, pocky, Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, katanas, samurai, etc. But it’s done very surface level. Maybe the author thought this is what the young audience would be most familiar with and would appeal to them.
I fully acknowledge I’m not the intended audience though I’m no stranger to reading children’s fiction but I almost dnf’ed this. I didn’t enjoy the reading experience. But I think kids will be super enamored with the art style, the cute animal sidekick, and the kindhearted, harmless Japan-loving friends (“weeaboos” if you want to be mean).
1.5 [rating from personal enjoyment]
Things were moving so quickly that many plot points didn’t get developed. One of the biggest problems is the mean girl Emma. She never truly grew or apologized. First half of the story dragged on and on, but, once Lilico got used to the school, things picked up. Overall, Bounce Back is more plot-driven than character-driven.
There are a lot of references to (mainstream) Japanese items/media: kimono, yukata, pocky, Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, katanas, samurai, etc. But it’s done very surface level. Maybe the author thought this is what the young audience would be most familiar with and would appeal to them.
I fully acknowledge I’m not the intended audience though I’m no stranger to reading children’s fiction but I almost dnf’ed this. I didn’t enjoy the reading experience. But I think kids will be super enamored with the art style, the cute animal sidekick, and the kindhearted, harmless Japan-loving friends (“weeaboos” if you want to be mean).
1.5 [rating from personal enjoyment]
July 15, 2021
I loved the art in this one. Lots of anime references, and a good story about friendship.
May 15, 2022
It was cute and adorable with uplifting message about understanding the people around you and inspirational story about friendships.
June 24, 2022
I enjoyed the art and the friends. The Japanese references were fun too. But I don’t love it when the bully doesn’t actually learn a lesson!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2023
Manga isn't my thing, but this had a lot to recommend it. Friendship, sports, Japanese culture, and humor.
January 13, 2023
The book Bounce back , by Misako Rocks, is a great story about the life of a middle school girl that’s about to change. The main theme of this story is to adapt even if it’s challenging. During the exciting graphic novel, Lilico, a middle school girl from Japan, had to move to a new country, find new friends and also try to fit in. Even though fitting in was hard, Lilico’s close friends, family and her mysterious cat helped her adapt to the new environment.
Bounce Back is an amazing graphic novel, with a more different and detailed art style. In Japan, Lilico had an amazing life, she had many great friends, loved spending time with her cat, Nicco, and most importantly, was the captain of the basketball team. But all that had to change when her parents told her they were moving to New York. Devastated, Lilico had to leave behind her friends and passions, and had to face the challenging life ahead of her. When Lilico finally arrived at her new school in New York, Lilico was already getting stares from the kids that are so different from her, with her cat Nicco, next to her, and her old uniform from her Japanese school, Lilico had troubles fitting in. As she tries following her passion for Basketball, the captain of the basketball team, Emma, refuses to let Lilico continue her favorite sport and makes her life more difficult. Even though not many people liked how different Lilico was, her new friends, Nala and Henry, were always interested in her Japanese culture, and loved being around her. Lilico’s friends also discover Lilico’s cat, Nicco, can talk! Nicco has always helped Lilico fit in better, and always cheered her up when she needed it. As Lilico continues trying to adapt to the new environment, and her passion for basketball, she makes great friends and continues doing what she loves.
In my opinion, Bounce Back was a great book and always puts a big smile on my face. As a student that has moved to the United States from a different country, I related to this book a lot. When I first moved I had many troubles adapting and fitting in, and I also had to give up on many things I liked and enjoyed doing. So when I started reading, I got to feel what Lilico got to feel and related to her a lot. Although this might not be the case for all the readers, I think people who have never experienced it would also enjoy it for a new experience. I also loved how this book is about middle school in a more realistic setting, but still have fantasy features like Lilico’s talking cat.
I recommend this book to any middle schooler or student that has trouble fitting in or is adapting to a new life. No matter where you are, this book will always give you more courage and keep you going.. I really enjoyed the writing style of the book, the author included small details of Lilico’s japanese culture and included really interesting things about her culture. In conclusion, I think Bounce Back by Misako Rocks is a great book to read and is a super fun middle school story.
Bounce Back is an amazing graphic novel, with a more different and detailed art style. In Japan, Lilico had an amazing life, she had many great friends, loved spending time with her cat, Nicco, and most importantly, was the captain of the basketball team. But all that had to change when her parents told her they were moving to New York. Devastated, Lilico had to leave behind her friends and passions, and had to face the challenging life ahead of her. When Lilico finally arrived at her new school in New York, Lilico was already getting stares from the kids that are so different from her, with her cat Nicco, next to her, and her old uniform from her Japanese school, Lilico had troubles fitting in. As she tries following her passion for Basketball, the captain of the basketball team, Emma, refuses to let Lilico continue her favorite sport and makes her life more difficult. Even though not many people liked how different Lilico was, her new friends, Nala and Henry, were always interested in her Japanese culture, and loved being around her. Lilico’s friends also discover Lilico’s cat, Nicco, can talk! Nicco has always helped Lilico fit in better, and always cheered her up when she needed it. As Lilico continues trying to adapt to the new environment, and her passion for basketball, she makes great friends and continues doing what she loves.
In my opinion, Bounce Back was a great book and always puts a big smile on my face. As a student that has moved to the United States from a different country, I related to this book a lot. When I first moved I had many troubles adapting and fitting in, and I also had to give up on many things I liked and enjoyed doing. So when I started reading, I got to feel what Lilico got to feel and related to her a lot. Although this might not be the case for all the readers, I think people who have never experienced it would also enjoy it for a new experience. I also loved how this book is about middle school in a more realistic setting, but still have fantasy features like Lilico’s talking cat.
I recommend this book to any middle schooler or student that has trouble fitting in or is adapting to a new life. No matter where you are, this book will always give you more courage and keep you going.. I really enjoyed the writing style of the book, the author included small details of Lilico’s japanese culture and included really interesting things about her culture. In conclusion, I think Bounce Back by Misako Rocks is a great book to read and is a super fun middle school story.
August 24, 2023
Adorable manga-type (reads left-to-right like English) graphic novel. At the beginning, there is a lot of Japanese in the background, but communication among characters is just written in English, with no delineation between translated-for-reader and actually characters speaking English.
Lilico is the captain of a girls' basketball team in Osaka that has its sights on winning the championship when her parents tell her the family is moving to New York City for an important opportunity. She doesn't want to go and doesn't want to leave her friends.
Lilico's first few days at school are rough, mostly due to a mean girl named Sadie (depicted with brown skin) who also happens to be the captain of the girls' basketball team. Lilico tries to join the team but is thwarted. Japan-philes Nala (depicted with brown skin and wearing a variety of anime-looking wigs of various colors; also shown with a bonnet one night) and Henry (depicted with white skin and ginger hair, presumably natural) befriend Lilico. While they develop a great friendship, Lilico really misses playing basketball. Noah, a popular white boy on the boys' basketball team notices Lilico's skills and suggests some one-on-one practices.
As Lilico develops relationships outside of her original two friends, she learns lessons about what being a friend is all about. She also finds a way to become the leader that she was in Japan.
Diverse student body in middle school. One pretty chaste kiss on the lips between two characters.
NOTE: Not knowing anything about Dragon Ball Z, I found it jarring when Nala and Henry greeted each other with "Kamehameha!" I wondered whether they were aware that it is the name of the Hawaiian king who united the islands in the late 18th century. I wish the author had chosen a different catch phrase for them.
Lilico is the captain of a girls' basketball team in Osaka that has its sights on winning the championship when her parents tell her the family is moving to New York City for an important opportunity. She doesn't want to go and doesn't want to leave her friends.
Lilico's first few days at school are rough, mostly due to a mean girl named Sadie (depicted with brown skin) who also happens to be the captain of the girls' basketball team. Lilico tries to join the team but is thwarted. Japan-philes Nala (depicted with brown skin and wearing a variety of anime-looking wigs of various colors; also shown with a bonnet one night) and Henry (depicted with white skin and ginger hair, presumably natural) befriend Lilico. While they develop a great friendship, Lilico really misses playing basketball. Noah, a popular white boy on the boys' basketball team notices Lilico's skills and suggests some one-on-one practices.
As Lilico develops relationships outside of her original two friends, she learns lessons about what being a friend is all about. She also finds a way to become the leader that she was in Japan.
Diverse student body in middle school. One pretty chaste kiss on the lips between two characters.
NOTE: Not knowing anything about Dragon Ball Z, I found it jarring when Nala and Henry greeted each other with "Kamehameha!" I wondered whether they were aware that it is the name of the Hawaiian king who united the islands in the late 18th century. I wish the author had chosen a different catch phrase for them.
December 1, 2022
Lilico is thrown for a loop when her parents suddenly move to New York from Japan. She was in the middle of the basketball season, and they were about to win the championships! Now she has to figure out an American school, find new friends, and see if she can get a spot on the girls' basketball team. But making friends is challenging, keeping them is even harder, and the team captain of the basketball team doesn't seem to like her for some reason. Is life in America just going to be miserable? Well, Nicco, her cat/guardian spirit is there to help her out - even if it does freak her out when he starts talking to her.
Navigating a new culture is challenging enough without throwing middle school friend drama into the mix! I think students at our international school will find plenty in Lilico's story to relate to. I like having a girls basketball story for our readers too. Those are so hard to find! I was surprised when Nicco started talking (the book suddenly shifts from realistic to fantasy at that point) but he is very entertaining once he does open his mouth. Lilico learns some important lessons about friendship, leadership, and her family through the story. The art style is very cute and I know this will have plenty of readers just based on that cover.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a little kiss. No violence. There's some unkindness between kids that mostly involves neglecting friends.
Navigating a new culture is challenging enough without throwing middle school friend drama into the mix! I think students at our international school will find plenty in Lilico's story to relate to. I like having a girls basketball story for our readers too. Those are so hard to find! I was surprised when Nicco started talking (the book suddenly shifts from realistic to fantasy at that point) but he is very entertaining once he does open his mouth. Lilico learns some important lessons about friendship, leadership, and her family through the story. The art style is very cute and I know this will have plenty of readers just based on that cover.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a little kiss. No violence. There's some unkindness between kids that mostly involves neglecting friends.
December 6, 2021
Liliko’s family moves to Brooklyn New York just before she’s about to play in the championship basketball tournament with her team. She has to leave all of her friends behind and can’t lead her team to victory. But she’s hoping to join the basketball team at her new middle school (and make new friends, and learn English). For some reason, the girls on the team – especially the team captain Emma – don’t seem to like her and don’t want to give her a chance. With some help and advice from her cat, Nicco (he’s her guardian spirit!), and some new friends – Nala, Henry, and Noah, Liliko finally makes the team. And…they’re terrible. They don’t have a real coach and no one seems very good at the game. Liliko has to use her skills while being very diplomatic about it to bring her teammates along. Soon they are winning ALL of their games and Liliko is delighted. Practice, winning, and her new teammates are everything and she starts losing sight of some other important relationships. It might be too late to mend them by the time she realizes what’s happening. This is an upbeat, encouraging, realistic graphic novel (with a tiny bit of magical realism) that navigates the rough waters of teenage friendships and cliques and demonstrates effective strategies for honest communication and problem-solving. Plus, exciting basketball drama! Loved it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2021
thank you so much @coloredpagesblogtours and @misakorocks for having me on tour with this heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel titled Bounce Back!💖
it's about Lilico, the captain of the girls' basketball team, who moves from Japan to America and faces a hard time fitting in her new school. while she finds new friends and a guardian spirit within her cat Nicco, she learns to stand up to the school bullies all on her own.
i loved the colorful manga-style illustrations, especially Nala's wigs and the cute exchanges between Noah and Lilico!😩♥️ however, i was expecting some more anime references apart from dragon ball z lol.
the panels are easy to follow and the dialogue bubbles are also perfectly placed. though hailed as a children's book, i feel the artist dealt with the various emotions beautifully.
would love to check out more works by you, Misako! but i would suggest you to look for a better platform than Issuu because the book was kinda hard to navigate there :)
btw, you and Lilico have enviable bangs!🤭
it's about Lilico, the captain of the girls' basketball team, who moves from Japan to America and faces a hard time fitting in her new school. while she finds new friends and a guardian spirit within her cat Nicco, she learns to stand up to the school bullies all on her own.
i loved the colorful manga-style illustrations, especially Nala's wigs and the cute exchanges between Noah and Lilico!😩♥️ however, i was expecting some more anime references apart from dragon ball z lol.
the panels are easy to follow and the dialogue bubbles are also perfectly placed. though hailed as a children's book, i feel the artist dealt with the various emotions beautifully.
would love to check out more works by you, Misako! but i would suggest you to look for a better platform than Issuu because the book was kinda hard to navigate there :)
btw, you and Lilico have enviable bangs!🤭
June 7, 2022
A perfect manga-style depiction of middle school drama (it does not read right to left). Lilico abruptly leaves Japan for New York on the whim of her parents, which seem to neglect the impact on this thirteen year-old girl. Especially given the fact that this captain of the basketball team was about to play in their championship game. Arriving at her new school, will Lilico confront the feisty Emma and join the basketball team? What happens when Lilico becomes popular and she forgets about the friends she just met. Good thing she has a talking cat as a spirit guide to navigate the social struggles -if only we all had such a guide in middle school.
I found it refreshing that the focus wasn't just on adapting to the cultural differences and being teased, for this seems to be represented well on the shelf. In contrast, the friends proved to be fascinated and somewhat knowledgeable about Japanese culture. And with Lilico being a basketball star from Japan and leading her new team to victories provides a poignant diverse narrative. Overall, a fun addition to the shelves.
I found it refreshing that the focus wasn't just on adapting to the cultural differences and being teased, for this seems to be represented well on the shelf. In contrast, the friends proved to be fascinated and somewhat knowledgeable about Japanese culture. And with Lilico being a basketball star from Japan and leading her new team to victories provides a poignant diverse narrative. Overall, a fun addition to the shelves.
December 1, 2023
A cute manga like book about youths and dealing with starting anew at another country. Dealing with the challenge of bully and how to reconcile relationships. I definitely feel like the drama was toned down to what really happens in American schools, definitely the students are more vicious with bullying and less open-minded compared to the characters in the book.
Maybe because of my preference, but I felt like the storyline would have been much shorter, maybe by half? It's kind of crazy to be reading an almost 300 page manga lol. Maybe if I were younger and read this when I was in middle school, I would love this book a lot more. I do appreciate the beautiful drawings and color though.
My favorite character is obviously the cat, Niccio. The fact that having a talking cat has always been my dream, so finding a book that had almost a Sailor moon like experience was refreshing. I wished the author did a proper goodbye with Niccio when the guardian spirit was still inside the cat. I think having a proper disclosure would have made this book perfect.
Maybe because of my preference, but I felt like the storyline would have been much shorter, maybe by half? It's kind of crazy to be reading an almost 300 page manga lol. Maybe if I were younger and read this when I was in middle school, I would love this book a lot more. I do appreciate the beautiful drawings and color though.
My favorite character is obviously the cat, Niccio. The fact that having a talking cat has always been my dream, so finding a book that had almost a Sailor moon like experience was refreshing. I wished the author did a proper goodbye with Niccio when the guardian spirit was still inside the cat. I think having a proper disclosure would have made this book perfect.
November 13, 2021
While I'm not the intended audience for this book, I enjoyed reading it. Misako is a teenage girl from Osaka. She's popular and the captain of her winning basketball team. Then she hears of her parents plans to up and move to New York. With this, Misako has to leave her family, friends and country for the big NYC. Leaving her comfortable surroundings, she starts in a new and confusing school with no real friends. She has to learn to navigate this new environment and begin a new life. Will she be able to make new friends? What about her love of basketball? Reading of her encounters took me back to my school days. Yes, things are different but are they really so much different?
The book is beautifully illustrated and written from Misako's school girl perspective. It would be a nice read for its intended age range especially if they like manga. All I can say is Misako Rocks!
*The book was received from a giveaway but reviews are my own.
The book is beautifully illustrated and written from Misako's school girl perspective. It would be a nice read for its intended age range especially if they like manga. All I can say is Misako Rocks!
*The book was received from a giveaway but reviews are my own.
April 17, 2023
In the middle of her basketball season, Lilico's parents tell her they are moving from Osaka, Japan to NYC. She has to leave her great friends and amazing team to be a lonely outsider that doesn't know a lot of English. She tries to talk to the basketball girls and her new school, but they reject her. She does find friends in Nala and Henry who don't find Lilico's differences and newness weird, they love it! Her cat Nico becomes embodied by a guardian spirit who helps her try out for the basketball team and make more friends. When she starts to embody the meaner traits of the basketball girls, she pushes away her friends. There's friendship, bullying, crushes/first boyfriend, and sports nicely balanced. It's like a Western graphic novel read from left to right, but it has the illustration style of manga. For fans of Be Prepared, the Invisible Emmie series, Roller Girl, and manga/anime. A great middle school read.
October 28, 2022
Not every day you read a book that keeps you entertained as soon as you read the first 10 pages. It's most likely that you read a book that starts really slow or a book that doesn't catch your attention.
The book ‘bounce back’ by Misako Rocks, talks about a girl name Lilico, who lives in Osaka, Japan, has high marks, and is on the girl's basketball team. Then her parents told her that they would be unexpectedly moved to New york city, USA.
As she transitions to living her new life in America, she struggles to adjust to the new environment and works to make new friends. As she goes through all this she encounters obstacles such as having a bully, gaining feelings for her ‘friend’, and losing friends throughout the story.
Something I really enjoyed about this book is that it wanted to keep you reading, for me I didn't want to put the book down until I was done.
Something I didn’t really enjoy about this book was that it was kind of intense but it's a really great book overall.
I hope readers can read this book and feel how I felt when reading it. I feel that most readers can relate to this book if they have been through anything like this, and I feel like it's a really great book to connect to.
The book ‘bounce back’ by Misako Rocks, talks about a girl name Lilico, who lives in Osaka, Japan, has high marks, and is on the girl's basketball team. Then her parents told her that they would be unexpectedly moved to New york city, USA.
As she transitions to living her new life in America, she struggles to adjust to the new environment and works to make new friends. As she goes through all this she encounters obstacles such as having a bully, gaining feelings for her ‘friend’, and losing friends throughout the story.
Something I really enjoyed about this book is that it wanted to keep you reading, for me I didn't want to put the book down until I was done.
Something I didn’t really enjoy about this book was that it was kind of intense but it's a really great book overall.
I hope readers can read this book and feel how I felt when reading it. I feel that most readers can relate to this book if they have been through anything like this, and I feel like it's a really great book to connect to.
June 29, 2022
i love graphic novels and i almost never give any of them less than 5 stars. however, this one disappointed me. the plot was missing several scenes. i would not say that things felt rush, but you had to imply what things went on that the pages missed.
it lowkey had some microagressions, too. like lilico’s intial friends romanticizing japanese culture lol. that was a little weird, and even lilico was showed to be visibly uncomfortable at times. i also hated that nala was ridiculed by lilico’s basketball friend. why would the moral of the story be realized at the expense of one of the black characters? that was really unfortunate.
it isn’t necessarily a bad story. i think that it would have an impact on middle schoolers transitioning into a new culture/school.
favorite quote:
“i had no idea perfect my life was until everything changed” (3).
it lowkey had some microagressions, too. like lilico’s intial friends romanticizing japanese culture lol. that was a little weird, and even lilico was showed to be visibly uncomfortable at times. i also hated that nala was ridiculed by lilico’s basketball friend. why would the moral of the story be realized at the expense of one of the black characters? that was really unfortunate.
it isn’t necessarily a bad story. i think that it would have an impact on middle schoolers transitioning into a new culture/school.
favorite quote:
“i had no idea perfect my life was until everything changed” (3).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2023
It's been a while since I read a graphic novel and this book is so good. I didn't regret buying this book. I like the theme and the art style of this book. The plot is also amazing.I kind of related to the mc and but we have a different passion. I really love the story of this book. The character's development just made it even better. I also like the setting of this book. I bought this book because it' s in Japan, the depiction is amazing. When the cat spoke and guided her, it shocked me but it made me happy. I'm really happy that I bought this book from the book fair. The cover also got my attention. I lik that she didn't gave up for her friend's forgiveness. I love that she helped her team and now she is the best. I really like this book. 4/4
November 24, 2025
Middle grade graphic novel that's sort of about bullying. Main character Lilico has just moved from Japan to America with her parents, and encounters a mean girl at school. She also makes two new friends who seem to be more interested in the bits of Japanese culture they can experience through her or her family than in being friends with her at first, but I guess that's ok in this book? The mean girl is a problem in this book because she lacks motivation. She starts bullying Lilico and other characters for no apparent reason, stops at the slightest push back, and doesn't seem terribly contrite. I just don't get this character. I don't need every bully character to have an extensive sob story, but if you're going to do a heel turn, I feel like I need something.
August 6, 2024
Bounce Back is not your typical manga! The art is stunning and the plot is relatable. I wish I could draw like Misako Rocks! (If you want to see a few of my attempts, please visit my profile and view the photos). The dynamics of the basketball team connect with me, for I am on a soccer team (thank goodness that I never had to experience what Lilico did in the beginning!). To me, Lilico's struggles seem so original and genuine. I had a friend in school who moved from India when she was 12 and had roadblocks like Lilico's. The only advice I have is that Niko, Lilico's cat, is not drawn as cute as an actual cat is... Overall, amazing book!
August 27, 2021
This is a fun graphic novel full of basketball, new friends, and drama. Lilico and her family move from Japan to New York and understandably she's upset. She's going to miss her friends and basketball teammates. We get to see Lilico make new friends, gain confidence, and go through some growing pains. The story was realistic, without the drama being too overdone. The art is colorful and fun. Some of the text didn't flow that great and felt disjointed, which sometimes ruined the flow of the story. Overall a fun middle grade read. (Read a digital ARC via Netgalley.)
March 2, 2022
I mainly picked this up because of the manga style but it turned out to be cute! Or should I say kawaii??
Lilico and family must all of a sudden move to the US from Osaka Japan and it's the proverbial fish out of water story. She has a hard time acclimating to the US, experiences isolation, bullying, but things start to take a turn for the better once she makes some new friends and starts to play her favorite sport again. Cute story about friendship and perseverance perfect for a middle grade reader.
Lilico and family must all of a sudden move to the US from Osaka Japan and it's the proverbial fish out of water story. She has a hard time acclimating to the US, experiences isolation, bullying, but things start to take a turn for the better once she makes some new friends and starts to play her favorite sport again. Cute story about friendship and perseverance perfect for a middle grade reader.
July 23, 2022
The anime vibes in this I think will definitely draw in some middle grade readers! The characters were also great, struggling with things that a lot of people struggle with in middle school. Especially balancing different friend groups and trying to find where exactly you fit in.
However, I do think it longer than it needed to be. I appreciated everything Lilico was struggling with, I just think some of the plot lines could have been taken out. But other than that, if you're looking for a middle grade sports graphic novel, I'd recommend picking this one up!
However, I do think it longer than it needed to be. I appreciated everything Lilico was struggling with, I just think some of the plot lines could have been taken out. But other than that, if you're looking for a middle grade sports graphic novel, I'd recommend picking this one up!
August 29, 2022
A light-hearted graphic novel about middle grader Lilico, who moves from Japan to New York. It's hard for Lilico to adjust to life in America - new school, bullies and no basketball team like back home. As Lilico tries to find her way, she receives help from an unexpected source: her cat, who can now magically talk. Lilico makes friends with a duo of "outcasts" who are totally awesome, but she still wants to play ball! As she continues to build a life for herself, her friendships will be challenged. A feel-good and fun read.
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