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Tegan and Sara #1
Junior High
AN INDIE BESTSELLER ● From indie-pop twin-sister duo Tegan and Sara comes a contemporary middle grade graphic novel that explores growing up, coming out, and finding yourself through music and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier's Sisters.
Before Tegan and Sara took the music world by storm, the Quins were just two identical twins trying to find their place in a new home and new school. From first crushes to the perils of puberty, surviving junior high is something the sisters plan to face side by side, just like they've always faced things. But growing up also means growing apart, as Tegan and Sara make different friends and take separate paths to understanding their queerness. For the first time ever, they ask who one sister is without the other.
Set in the present day, this effervescent blend of fiction and autobiography, with artwork from Eisner Award–winner Tillie Walden, offers a glimpse at the two sisters before they became icons, exploring their shifting relationship, their own experiences coming out, and the first steps of their musical journey.
A prequel of sorts to the authors' bestselling adult memoir High School, now an 8-episode Freevee television series!
Before Tegan and Sara took the music world by storm, the Quins were just two identical twins trying to find their place in a new home and new school. From first crushes to the perils of puberty, surviving junior high is something the sisters plan to face side by side, just like they've always faced things. But growing up also means growing apart, as Tegan and Sara make different friends and take separate paths to understanding their queerness. For the first time ever, they ask who one sister is without the other.
Set in the present day, this effervescent blend of fiction and autobiography, with artwork from Eisner Award–winner Tillie Walden, offers a glimpse at the two sisters before they became icons, exploring their shifting relationship, their own experiences coming out, and the first steps of their musical journey.
A prequel of sorts to the authors' bestselling adult memoir High School, now an 8-episode Freevee television series!
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 30, 2023
65 people are currently reading
5870 people want to read
About the author
Tegan Quin
16 books311 followersDuring the course of their career, sisters Tegan and Sara have sold well over one million records and released eight studio albums. They have received three Juno Awards, a Grammy nomination, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, and the 2018 New York Civil Liberties Union Award. They have performed on some of the world’s biggest stages, from Coachella to the Academy Awards.
Outspoken advocates for equality, in 2016 Tegan and Sara created the Tegan and Sara Foundation, which fights for health, economic justice, and representation for LGBTQ girls and women. The sisters currently reside in Vancouver, British Columbia, and split their time between there and Los Angeles, California.
Outspoken advocates for equality, in 2016 Tegan and Sara created the Tegan and Sara Foundation, which fights for health, economic justice, and representation for LGBTQ girls and women. The sisters currently reside in Vancouver, British Columbia, and split their time between there and Los Angeles, California.
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June 3, 2023
Before they were queer icons and famous musicians pumping out hits, Tegan and Sara Quinn had to endure the teenage experiences of growing up, navigating difficult friendships and crushes, and learning how to become a band. Middle School is a fantastic and moving graphic novel of a slightly fictionalized version on their 7th grade experience growing up in Canada, a book I knew I had to have as soon as I saw the great artistic prodigy, Tillie Walden was providing the artwork (On A Sunbeam remains an all-time favorite graphic novel for me). We watch the twins face learning a new school and new friendships (while trying to keep their best-friend in the loop), adapting to the changes of puberty, and entering the tumultuous emotions of first crushes, but a chance discovery of their mom’s boyfriend’s old guitar might change their lives forever and give them an outlet for their feelings. Fans of the duo will enjoy this look into their early years though strangers to the music will find this to be just as heartfelt and endearing. Gorgeously illustrated and handling topics with humor and sensitivity, Middle School is an absolute delight that effectively captures the pre-teen vibes and might even inspire you to grab a guitar. So why don’t you come a little closer and let's talk about this lovely book.
First performance
Just based on the band and artist I knew I was going to love this, but the message on finding your friends and who you are hit especially well for me. When the album Heartthrob dropped in 2013, I had just started a part time job at a Barnes and Noble in a city I didn’t know and far from any friends I’d ever had after basically fleeing working a factory job I hated (okay so I might have tried to start a union at my Uncle’s factory. I’d say we don’t talk about this but nobody from that part of the fam even talks to me since then so it’s cool). Heartthrob and the first Lorde album happened to be the only two in-store-play albums we had at the time so it got a lot of play, which was great because I fell in love with it and I remember making a joke with a coworker about how whenever Closer came on we’d instinctively start shelving faster like it was some 80s workout video. So you know you are doing well enough as the new person if the cool employee with a Libertines tattoo doesn’t hate you, and a lot of old memories associated with really enjoying all the Tegan and Sara albums came back reading this (like my oldest seeing them as a first concert). So reading a book with that connection about finding friends and fitting in way nice as most of my friends 10 years later I people I met working at Barnes and now 3 of us share an office together working the library (and yes we have a union here) so that’s a happy ending.
But back to this book because it really is quite lovely and—as expected—Tillie Walden’s artwork is phenomenal. I mean:
Tillie Walden superfan right here
Sara and Tegan are identical twins, so to help the reader keep them apart Tegan is often represented with the color blue while Sara through the color red. There are quite a lot of characters here which can be tough to keep straight sometimes but Walden switches up their hair enough to keep them in order. The story is rather episodic while having overarching elements such as Sara crushing on one friend while Tegan is navigating trying to be best friend’s with Noa despite Noa’s other best friend being a total bully and downer (this is packed with middle school drama!), but it all flows quite well and has a good comfortable pace that makes it feel like you are reading a full year of growth without ever feeling like it drags. I also enjoyed that, despite being their graphic memoir, the story is pushed to take place in the present as it will resonate more with middle or high school readers. Texting is very central to the communication in the book yet it does still retain a sort of “timeless” pre-teen feel that anyone will empathize with.
Teenage Tegan and Sara performing
I really enjoyed getting bits about the twins forming a band as well, here named Gunk (instead of Plunk, which was their actual first band name). We see how songwriting becomes a way to express complex emotions in a productive way and how quickly the twins take to putting effort in the music (also the difficulty of balancing art with school work). For those looking for more, Tegan and Sara released a memoir in 2019, High School, that tells the “true” story, and their 2019 album Hey, I’m Just Like You is a reworking of many of the songs they wrote as teenagers and are alluded to in this book.
Even if you’ve never heard of this group (would recommend checking them out) you can get just as much out of the book as anyone else. It is quite a moving and familiar story and I just loved it. Walden does such an excellent job with the artwork, the story is really endearing, and everything about it just works. Also this would be a perfect way to kickstart Pride Month starting this week!
4.5/5
First performance
Just based on the band and artist I knew I was going to love this, but the message on finding your friends and who you are hit especially well for me. When the album Heartthrob dropped in 2013, I had just started a part time job at a Barnes and Noble in a city I didn’t know and far from any friends I’d ever had after basically fleeing working a factory job I hated (okay so I might have tried to start a union at my Uncle’s factory. I’d say we don’t talk about this but nobody from that part of the fam even talks to me since then so it’s cool). Heartthrob and the first Lorde album happened to be the only two in-store-play albums we had at the time so it got a lot of play, which was great because I fell in love with it and I remember making a joke with a coworker about how whenever Closer came on we’d instinctively start shelving faster like it was some 80s workout video. So you know you are doing well enough as the new person if the cool employee with a Libertines tattoo doesn’t hate you, and a lot of old memories associated with really enjoying all the Tegan and Sara albums came back reading this (like my oldest seeing them as a first concert). So reading a book with that connection about finding friends and fitting in way nice as most of my friends 10 years later I people I met working at Barnes and now 3 of us share an office together working the library (and yes we have a union here) so that’s a happy ending.
But back to this book because it really is quite lovely and—as expected—Tillie Walden’s artwork is phenomenal. I mean:
Tillie Walden superfan right here
Sara and Tegan are identical twins, so to help the reader keep them apart Tegan is often represented with the color blue while Sara through the color red. There are quite a lot of characters here which can be tough to keep straight sometimes but Walden switches up their hair enough to keep them in order. The story is rather episodic while having overarching elements such as Sara crushing on one friend while Tegan is navigating trying to be best friend’s with Noa despite Noa’s other best friend being a total bully and downer (this is packed with middle school drama!), but it all flows quite well and has a good comfortable pace that makes it feel like you are reading a full year of growth without ever feeling like it drags. I also enjoyed that, despite being their graphic memoir, the story is pushed to take place in the present as it will resonate more with middle or high school readers. Texting is very central to the communication in the book yet it does still retain a sort of “timeless” pre-teen feel that anyone will empathize with.
Teenage Tegan and Sara performing
I really enjoyed getting bits about the twins forming a band as well, here named Gunk (instead of Plunk, which was their actual first band name). We see how songwriting becomes a way to express complex emotions in a productive way and how quickly the twins take to putting effort in the music (also the difficulty of balancing art with school work). For those looking for more, Tegan and Sara released a memoir in 2019, High School, that tells the “true” story, and their 2019 album Hey, I’m Just Like You is a reworking of many of the songs they wrote as teenagers and are alluded to in this book.
Even if you’ve never heard of this group (would recommend checking them out) you can get just as much out of the book as anyone else. It is quite a moving and familiar story and I just loved it. Walden does such an excellent job with the artwork, the story is really endearing, and everything about it just works. Also this would be a perfect way to kickstart Pride Month starting this week!
4.5/5
January 20, 2024
after adoring tegan and sara's collaborative memoir high school, i was thrilled to see them release a new book about another era in their lives.
collaborating with tillie walden was a wonderful choice. walden's graphic novels have been on my list for years, but this was my first! her art is wonderfully expressive, capturing laughter, angst, camaraderie, and the abject horror of the first day at a new school (among other things).
there is a lot of angst. there's the pain of enduring changes that are beyond your control, and the weight of drifting apart from your sibling despite spending so many hours of your days together. all of these challenges are presented very believably; i'm sure preteen readers will be able to relate.
after having read high school, it's interesting to see the overlap. both books cover some of the same pivotal moments, such as the twins finding their stepdad's old guitar, the reverence in their secrecy as they teach themselves to play, and the excitement of performing for groups of close friends for the first time. it's cool that these memories are so significant for tegan and sara that they include them in multiple iterations of their memoirs.
also, love the fact that this is a creative project from three super talented lesbians!
。。。
BUT... i'm not sure whether this cute lil fictionalized graphic memoir should really be categorized as autobiographical. apparently sara describes the book as an "aspirational" version of the quins' junior high experience, which makes sense. it feels very young middle grade, very clean, less traumatic than reality.
and i suppose the relatively sanitized content makes sense, and may make the story more digestible for young readers. but i think setting the story in the current day was a misstep. a 1990s setting would be so much more intuitive and real, and would also add a nostalgia factor for older readers.
unfortunately i don't think this graphic novel will transcend its target demographic. recommended for preteens and for fans of tegan and sara!
。。。
(bonus: love the authors' note at the end, and the cute photos of t&s as tweens. it provides helpful context, is adorable and necessary!)
。。。
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
collaborating with tillie walden was a wonderful choice. walden's graphic novels have been on my list for years, but this was my first! her art is wonderfully expressive, capturing laughter, angst, camaraderie, and the abject horror of the first day at a new school (among other things).
there is a lot of angst. there's the pain of enduring changes that are beyond your control, and the weight of drifting apart from your sibling despite spending so many hours of your days together. all of these challenges are presented very believably; i'm sure preteen readers will be able to relate.
after having read high school, it's interesting to see the overlap. both books cover some of the same pivotal moments, such as the twins finding their stepdad's old guitar, the reverence in their secrecy as they teach themselves to play, and the excitement of performing for groups of close friends for the first time. it's cool that these memories are so significant for tegan and sara that they include them in multiple iterations of their memoirs.
also, love the fact that this is a creative project from three super talented lesbians!
。。。
BUT... i'm not sure whether this cute lil fictionalized graphic memoir should really be categorized as autobiographical. apparently sara describes the book as an "aspirational" version of the quins' junior high experience, which makes sense. it feels very young middle grade, very clean, less traumatic than reality.
and i suppose the relatively sanitized content makes sense, and may make the story more digestible for young readers. but i think setting the story in the current day was a misstep. a 1990s setting would be so much more intuitive and real, and would also add a nostalgia factor for older readers.
unfortunately i don't think this graphic novel will transcend its target demographic. recommended for preteens and for fans of tegan and sara!
。。。
(bonus: love the authors' note at the end, and the cute photos of t&s as tweens. it provides helpful context, is adorable and necessary!)
。。。
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
March 31, 2023
This is a very cute middle grade graphic novel that is loosely based on Tegan and Sara's life, but is fictionalised and set in present day. The graphics are gorgeous, but at times I found that storyline to be a bit simple. I had to keep reminding myself though that I am not the intended audience and I think it'll be great for middle grade readers.
As a mum of twins, it was lovely reading about realistic twin relationships. It's not all picture perfect where they're BFFs. Sometimes, there is a bit of animosity between twins and I can only imagine how it'll be during the middle grade years when they are also trying to work out their own individuality. I really enjoyed this part of the graphic novel.
A great graphic novel that is a prequel of sorts from Tegan and Sara's adult memoir, High School. I look forward to reading that next!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
As a mum of twins, it was lovely reading about realistic twin relationships. It's not all picture perfect where they're BFFs. Sometimes, there is a bit of animosity between twins and I can only imagine how it'll be during the middle grade years when they are also trying to work out their own individuality. I really enjoyed this part of the graphic novel.
A great graphic novel that is a prequel of sorts from Tegan and Sara's adult memoir, High School. I look forward to reading that next!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2025
Just isn't my thing. Easy enough to read, but I just found it boring.
January 9, 2023
5 stars for Tillie Walden's artwork, 2 stars for the writing.
Tillie Walden's artwork is amazing as always here, and I've come to never expect less. The writing, however, didn't work nearly as well for me. The writing style felt clumsy, but I was especially alienated by the choices when it comes to fictionalizing the story.
The story is based on Tegan and Sara's actual lives, but it's fictionalized by setting this story in the present day. I think this was a strange choice because their experiences were clearly influenced by growing up in the 90s, so it was alienating to read some of the ways the story was updated to the present day. I think this would have worked much better had it actually been set in the 90s, and I don't really understand why this choice was made.
Tillie Walden's artwork is amazing as always here, and I've come to never expect less. The writing, however, didn't work nearly as well for me. The writing style felt clumsy, but I was especially alienated by the choices when it comes to fictionalizing the story.
The story is based on Tegan and Sara's actual lives, but it's fictionalized by setting this story in the present day. I think this was a strange choice because their experiences were clearly influenced by growing up in the 90s, so it was alienating to read some of the ways the story was updated to the present day. I think this would have worked much better had it actually been set in the 90s, and I don't really understand why this choice was made.
January 23, 2024
I'm not a real follower of Tegan and Sara's music, but I do like the four songs and two short NPR concerts of theirs that have made their way into my iTunes. I am definitely a fan of Tillie Walden though and grabbed this book from the library to admire her art.
Junior High is a fairy typical bit of middle-school fiction, hitting Judy Blume topics like friendship drama, bullying, menstruation and bras. Less typically, the twin sisters here -- based on the authors -- also have LGBTQIA+ issues and start pursuing a music career. It's a bit long and meandering, but was never bored thanks to the sisters' relationship. I'll probably check out the sequel coming out later this year.
Comics about twins can be frustrating when it comes to telling the two apart, but Walden offers up a couple cues to help differentiate. Sara is associated with a color I called scarlet or salmon to pick up on her S initial, and her name is nearly an anagram for "ears" which is good since her ears are almost always visible. Tegan has a teal color associated with her and her ears are usually ouT of sighT (weak, I know).
Side note: I'm listening to Tegan and Sara music on Spotify while writing this, and it's nice. I'm still not a super fan, but I can see why people would be.
Junior High is a fairy typical bit of middle-school fiction, hitting Judy Blume topics like friendship drama, bullying, menstruation and bras. Less typically, the twin sisters here -- based on the authors -- also have LGBTQIA+ issues and start pursuing a music career. It's a bit long and meandering, but was never bored thanks to the sisters' relationship. I'll probably check out the sequel coming out later this year.
Comics about twins can be frustrating when it comes to telling the two apart, but Walden offers up a couple cues to help differentiate. Sara is associated with a color I called scarlet or salmon to pick up on her S initial, and her name is nearly an anagram for "ears" which is good since her ears are almost always visible. Tegan has a teal color associated with her and her ears are usually ouT of sighT (weak, I know).
Side note: I'm listening to Tegan and Sara music on Spotify while writing this, and it's nice. I'm still not a super fan, but I can see why people would be.
June 21, 2023
i loved this so much! part of me is always going to be an awkward, closeted middle school lesbian and this book healed that part of me a little! this was fiction, but i loved the little elements of truth from "high school" that were sprinkled in there. also, so cool that tillie walden illustrated it! this was a delight and i cannot wait to read the next one.
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December 29, 2023cute! every day I'm so glad to no longer be in middle school
August 1, 2023
I used to listen to Tegan and Sara's music all the time in my early 20s, not so much now but I still will sometimes hear a song or two and remember how much I used to like their music.
This book was basically Tegan and Sara talking about what it was like for them with a new home and new school. I loved that they talked about what it was like being separated for classes and what it was like to kind of find themselves together but also separately. They talk about growing up in general, puberty, their crushes and their difficult friendships.
This is a really good book for any kid that is about to go into middle school or even high school.
This book was basically Tegan and Sara talking about what it was like for them with a new home and new school. I loved that they talked about what it was like being separated for classes and what it was like to kind of find themselves together but also separately. They talk about growing up in general, puberty, their crushes and their difficult friendships.
This is a really good book for any kid that is about to go into middle school or even high school.
June 28, 2025
2,5-3/5⭐️
Ich liebe Graphic Novels einfach! 💗 Man sieht die Liebe und Arbeit, die auf jeder einzelnen Seite steckt, so, so sehr. Gerade die Zeichnungen sind wieder unfassbar schön. Leider muss ich sagen, dass die Story mir nicht so gut gefallen hat. Hatte beim Lesen das Gefühl, dass ganz viele Sätze durcheinander gekommen sind oder nicht richtig übersetzt wurden, wodurch einige Konversationen keinen Sinn ergeben haben. Dennoch möchte ich unbedingt noch ganz viel mehr Graphic Novels lesen 🤭
Ich liebe Graphic Novels einfach! 💗 Man sieht die Liebe und Arbeit, die auf jeder einzelnen Seite steckt, so, so sehr. Gerade die Zeichnungen sind wieder unfassbar schön. Leider muss ich sagen, dass die Story mir nicht so gut gefallen hat. Hatte beim Lesen das Gefühl, dass ganz viele Sätze durcheinander gekommen sind oder nicht richtig übersetzt wurden, wodurch einige Konversationen keinen Sinn ergeben haben. Dennoch möchte ich unbedingt noch ganz viel mehr Graphic Novels lesen 🤭
June 7, 2023
4.5 ish 🌟
This was insanely adorable. I wish this was around for me to read when I was going into 7th grade.
Though I'll admit, I did read it specifically for Tegan & Sara + I love Tillie Walden (win-win-win), soooo the changes that they made to make it relevant to junior high kids today were kinda a bummer. I wanted to know what bands they were really into and who their music idols were in real life, because unless Billie Eilish is a time traveler, I'm pretty sure she wasn't alive when they were 12.
... but I do understand the need to make it relevant to the 12 & 13 year olds of 2023 since it's being marketed for them and not necessarily for mid (late) 20 somethings who grew up loving Tegan and Sara.
So I guess that means I'm off to read their book book 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
This was insanely adorable. I wish this was around for me to read when I was going into 7th grade.
Though I'll admit, I did read it specifically for Tegan & Sara + I love Tillie Walden (win-win-win), soooo the changes that they made to make it relevant to junior high kids today were kinda a bummer. I wanted to know what bands they were really into and who their music idols were in real life, because unless Billie Eilish is a time traveler, I'm pretty sure she wasn't alive when they were 12.
... but I do understand the need to make it relevant to the 12 & 13 year olds of 2023 since it's being marketed for them and not necessarily for mid (late) 20 somethings who grew up loving Tegan and Sara.
So I guess that means I'm off to read their book book 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
February 12, 2025
Junior High is very junior high until about midway through, when it drops the group dynamic, gives Tegan and Sara unique personalities, and lets the narrative play out in a natural, interesting way. So, basically, the story starts with Tegan and Sara entering junior high in a new school (yuck!) and struggling to make friends. Then, suddenly, they make so many friends - it's impossible to keep track (or tell Tegan and Sara apart).
Then the friend group is whittled down and the two twins fight over their newly discovered differences and Junior High gets a lot better. Tillie Walden's dense artwork is fine, but it doesn't do a lot to differentiate the twins, which is tough. The strong ending of Junior High has me happy I have the next book on hand.
Then the friend group is whittled down and the two twins fight over their newly discovered differences and Junior High gets a lot better. Tillie Walden's dense artwork is fine, but it doesn't do a lot to differentiate the twins, which is tough. The strong ending of Junior High has me happy I have the next book on hand.
December 21, 2025
c'est vraiment très très beau très très mimi et trop super. je l'ai lu avant de l'offrir à ma filleule de 11 ans et je suis trop contente qu'elle puisse lire des choses comme ça à son âge !
deux mini points "faibles" mais en vrai on s'en fout c quand même super : le rythme est parfois un peu chaotique et on peut se perdre un peu dans quelques enchaînement d'événements, mais ça dur jamais longtemps. je trouve juste sinon que l'arc "groupe de musique" manque un peu de crédibilité à cause de leur âge, ça marche un peu trop bien quoi
deux mini points "faibles" mais en vrai on s'en fout c quand même super : le rythme est parfois un peu chaotique et on peut se perdre un peu dans quelques enchaînement d'événements, mais ça dur jamais longtemps. je trouve juste sinon que l'arc "groupe de musique" manque un peu de crédibilité à cause de leur âge, ça marche un peu trop bien quoi
July 17, 2024
SO cute. i mean it's tegan and sara AND everything tillie walden touches is gold - i could not imagine a more all star collab than this! an absolute delight to read and i can't wait for the next one!
March 27, 2025
je suis venue pour Tillie Walden, je suis restée pour le lesbianisme
nan plus sérieusement je pense qu'on mériterait d'avoir + de bd qui traitent aussi bien de cette ère aussi volatile que floue qu'est la pré-adolescence et le tout tout début de l'adolescence
nan plus sérieusement je pense qu'on mériterait d'avoir + de bd qui traitent aussi bien de cette ère aussi volatile que floue qu'est la pré-adolescence et le tout tout début de l'adolescence
August 31, 2023
CW: Bullying
This was a lot of fun. Really easy to read and get into.
This was a lot of fun. Really easy to read and get into.
Read
June 16, 2023 I was sent a physical copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
CW: Internalized homophobia, homophobia: gay used as an insult, divorced parents, bullying, anxious thoughts/comments
Go back in time to junior high with the debut graphic novel from the twin musicians, Tegan and Sara, illustrated by Tillie Walden.
If you’re looking for a new coming of age story, JUNIOR HIGH is it. In a fictionalized retelling of Tegan and Sara’s life in junior high, we follow the twins through all of their struggles: parent’s divorce, first crushes, sexuality awakenings, bullying, and trying to make friends.
I enjoyed how the story was told despite it being fictionalized to fit modern times with references to the Nintendo Switch, Billie Ellish, and Stranger Things. JUNIOR HIGH is a relatable read for anyone who survived middle school and for queer kids especially.
I’ve learned recently that I like reading books following twins. It’s such a unique perspective especially in graphic novel form. In JUNIOR HIGH, Sara’s color is red, and Tegan is blue which helps the reader tell them apart.
I knew of Tegan and Sara before reading this graphic novel, but I didn’t know much about their life. I appreciated the author’s note at the end of the book because it shares what the real-life situation was from the fictionalized version.
JUNIOR HIGH is the perfect sleepover read!
CW: Internalized homophobia, homophobia: gay used as an insult, divorced parents, bullying, anxious thoughts/comments
Go back in time to junior high with the debut graphic novel from the twin musicians, Tegan and Sara, illustrated by Tillie Walden.
If you’re looking for a new coming of age story, JUNIOR HIGH is it. In a fictionalized retelling of Tegan and Sara’s life in junior high, we follow the twins through all of their struggles: parent’s divorce, first crushes, sexuality awakenings, bullying, and trying to make friends.
I enjoyed how the story was told despite it being fictionalized to fit modern times with references to the Nintendo Switch, Billie Ellish, and Stranger Things. JUNIOR HIGH is a relatable read for anyone who survived middle school and for queer kids especially.
I’ve learned recently that I like reading books following twins. It’s such a unique perspective especially in graphic novel form. In JUNIOR HIGH, Sara’s color is red, and Tegan is blue which helps the reader tell them apart.
I knew of Tegan and Sara before reading this graphic novel, but I didn’t know much about their life. I appreciated the author’s note at the end of the book because it shares what the real-life situation was from the fictionalized version.
JUNIOR HIGH is the perfect sleepover read!
December 22, 2022
While I have heard *of* Tegan and Sara, I don't think I have heard their music, and did not know they had a show based on their life in high school, that this is a prequel to.
It was an average story, and only really got interesting when they got into their music. Up until that point, it was just another one of many middle-grade/junior high school stories with girls being mean, and girls getting their period, and fighting, and friendships. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that is what makes up most of the middle grade stories out there.
But, when they get into their music, then the story gets interesting, and you see the sparks that drove them to their musical careers.
So, for that second half of the book, I will recommend this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
It was an average story, and only really got interesting when they got into their music. Up until that point, it was just another one of many middle-grade/junior high school stories with girls being mean, and girls getting their period, and fighting, and friendships. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that is what makes up most of the middle grade stories out there.
But, when they get into their music, then the story gets interesting, and you see the sparks that drove them to their musical careers.
So, for that second half of the book, I will recommend this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
June 14, 2023
Tegan and Sara: Junior High was a delightful read. With a mix of autobiography and fiction, the characters felt genuine and robust. There were laugh out loud moments, and moments where I was getting teary eyed. The feelings and experiences felt authentic to the age being represented. I think everyone will be able to relate to some aspect of this story even if they are unfamiliar with the authors and their music. The artwork was soft, warm; the use of color to represent the different perspectives was great. I enjoyed the level of detail, and the artist did a good job of making it so the large cast of characters were easy to distinguish from each other. It was nice to see that the book did not shy away from topics like getting your period and trying to figure out the romantic feelings happening inside and similar things that middle grade kids face in real life. I love seeing the growing list of diverse and genuine graphic novels being published these days. This was a real treat, and I look forward to seeing more of this world.
October 1, 2023
I thought this was really cute for what it was: a graphic novel aimed for middle grade kids. And Tillie Walden’s artwork is adorable.
But I’ve been a Tegan and Sara fan for years and while this is definitely autobiographical, a lot of liberties were taken to make it fit the age of the characters, not to mention the fact that it’s set in the present era instead of the early 1990s that they would have experienced. I get why they did that, but I wasn’t expecting it.
But it’s super cute and I’m glad I read it.
But I’ve been a Tegan and Sara fan for years and while this is definitely autobiographical, a lot of liberties were taken to make it fit the age of the characters, not to mention the fact that it’s set in the present era instead of the early 1990s that they would have experienced. I get why they did that, but I wasn’t expecting it.
But it’s super cute and I’m glad I read it.
April 10, 2024
This was so sweet! I love Tegan and Sara so much. The story (parts real and true) and the illustrations were so lovely. I love this wonderful queer rep from a sister duo as iconic as them. I can’t wait to read the next graphic novel, and I will definitely be reading their memoir!
September 27, 2023
this was everything. i listened to it on audio, bc it was available to me for free on libro.fm, but i CANT WAIT to get the graphic novel from the library and read that version too. twin books by twins are so cool and better than others and so real about being close but feeling far away/keeping secrets/being confused and embarassed about everything. i was confused bc i thought it would be more autobiographical but it turned out that it was set in the present day and had references to technology/music/movies that wouldn’t have made sense w when they grew up. i got their other book high school from libby already!
edit 9/27 i’m updating this to 5 stars because i just read the print version (instead of the audiobook) and it’s just so good and nice and i’m so glad this book exists. it was easier for me to move past the things about this book being fictionalized vs completely autobiographical. i got so many more details and expressions and emotions reading this vs the audiobook but the audiobook was also cool bc it has music.
edit 9/27 i’m updating this to 5 stars because i just read the print version (instead of the audiobook) and it’s just so good and nice and i’m so glad this book exists. it was easier for me to move past the things about this book being fictionalized vs completely autobiographical. i got so many more details and expressions and emotions reading this vs the audiobook but the audiobook was also cool bc it has music.
April 24, 2023
Tegan and Sara: Junior High was so cute and well-written. I loved the illustrations as well even though my ARC was blurry for some reason. The twins’ story reminded me a lot of my first year of middle school after moving to a new school. I’m not a twin though, so it was sweet to see how Tegan and Sara helped each other through this transition. I will say that I don’t understand why the authors didn’t just make this a graphic memoir. It was an interesting choice to make it set in the present day instead of the 90s, and I felt like some of the pop culture references were forced because of that. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
December 19, 2022
This book was so sweet. I read it mostly for Tillie Walden, but the story was really relatable and well done. I definitely see this becoming a staple in tween graphic novel collections, alongside titles by Raina Telgemeier, Shannon Hale, Gale Gilligan, and other popular creators. Looking forward to the next book in the series! (This review is based on a digital arc from NetGalley.)
March 30, 2023
thanks NetGalley & FSG for my eReader ARC!
I've been a lifelong Tegan and Sara fan. literally. my first two cds, cds that were MINE, were "so jealous" and p!nk's "m!ssundaztood" when I was 6 years old. legendary. and I wish I had had this book then.
first off, I think this is illustrated so well by Tillie Walden, and I loved how she used color to differentiate between Tegan (blue) and Sara (red), the rest of the novel being illustrated in purple. so smart, so obvious, but effective! loved that.
I also loved how accessible this was. it tackled periods, queer awakenings, sibling dynamics, big moves as a kid, the confusion of friendships, and while it definitely could have gone deeper, I think it was great (especially with the visuals!!) for the age range it's intended for. there were a lot of moments that put me in touch with my younger self in very tender ways.
I will say that I think the dialogue was a bit weak at times, but again, I think that can help with accessibility and ease of reading! it's also literally written for kids! so I wasn't expecting a literary masterpiece.
I do wish it had been set in the 90s and been more true to Tegan and Sara's actual experiences. I didn't love the use of current media information/texting, but I do get that it probably made the storytelling easier and more effective for the audience. but I think a 90s setting could've worked just as well, honestly.
overall, super cute, real, and accessible. I'm also excited to see that they plan on releasing more books (hopefully with Tillie Walden???) in the future!
I've been a lifelong Tegan and Sara fan. literally. my first two cds, cds that were MINE, were "so jealous" and p!nk's "m!ssundaztood" when I was 6 years old. legendary. and I wish I had had this book then.
first off, I think this is illustrated so well by Tillie Walden, and I loved how she used color to differentiate between Tegan (blue) and Sara (red), the rest of the novel being illustrated in purple. so smart, so obvious, but effective! loved that.
I also loved how accessible this was. it tackled periods, queer awakenings, sibling dynamics, big moves as a kid, the confusion of friendships, and while it definitely could have gone deeper, I think it was great (especially with the visuals!!) for the age range it's intended for. there were a lot of moments that put me in touch with my younger self in very tender ways.
I will say that I think the dialogue was a bit weak at times, but again, I think that can help with accessibility and ease of reading! it's also literally written for kids! so I wasn't expecting a literary masterpiece.
I do wish it had been set in the 90s and been more true to Tegan and Sara's actual experiences. I didn't love the use of current media information/texting, but I do get that it probably made the storytelling easier and more effective for the audience. but I think a 90s setting could've worked just as well, honestly.
overall, super cute, real, and accessible. I'm also excited to see that they plan on releasing more books (hopefully with Tillie Walden???) in the future!
December 10, 2023
This is a fictionalized autobiography of Tegan and Sara's time in 7th grade, set in modern day (rather than in the early 90's, when they were 12/13). There are friendships, crushes, fights, an old guitar, and their first song. It was sweet to see the relationship between them - its not often you see a story about twins written by a pair of twins. It was pretty cute overall! I fear I'm too old to know exactly how the modernization landed for a kid audience in 2023, but I liked it.
March 19, 2024
“Avant, tout nous arrivait à toutes les deux en même temps, et on faisait face ensemble. Maintenant, c’est moins simple” (Quin, Tegan et Sara Quin. Ados à deux, Gallimard, p.117)
Musique, amitiés, amour, complicité, conflits et adversité, les premiers pas de Tegan et Sara dans l’adolescence ne se font pas sans heurts. Elles trouveront néanmoins à travers les notes d’une guitare et les paroles de chansons tout pour que leur symbiose résiste aux bouleversements de leur univers!
Musique, amitiés, amour, complicité, conflits et adversité, les premiers pas de Tegan et Sara dans l’adolescence ne se font pas sans heurts. Elles trouveront néanmoins à travers les notes d’une guitare et les paroles de chansons tout pour que leur symbiose résiste aux bouleversements de leur univers!
June 8, 2023
a very sweet middle grade GN; nothing revolutionary or new but sincere and touching, especially in the second half. tillie walden’s art is always delightful and full of heart, and as someone who listened to tegan and sara’s the con about 100000900 times in high school, worth the read, even if i am not (as an adult and Not a middle grader), the intended audience
June 18, 2023
I love this so much and I will definitely be reading the rest when they’re out! The only thing I didn’t like was that it was set in present day and not the 90s when the real Tegan and Sara were in junior high. I didn’t mind that parts were fictionalized, but I didn’t like the references to Billie Eilish/Taylor Swift and the technology that wasn’t around 20 years ago.
January 16, 2024
Je connaissais pas vraiment Tegan et Sara, une ancienne collègue m’a conseillé ce livre en me disant que j’allais adorer et elle a vu JUSTE.
C’était doux, c’était drôle, c’était touchant, et ça embrassait tous les côtés gênants ou embarrassants de l’adolescence avec une tendresse folle.
La représentation d’adolescences queers me réchauffera toujours le cœur 🤍
C’était doux, c’était drôle, c’était touchant, et ça embrassait tous les côtés gênants ou embarrassants de l’adolescence avec une tendresse folle.
La représentation d’adolescences queers me réchauffera toujours le cœur 🤍
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