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Reviewed by: Emily McFarlane, Elementary School Librarian Title: Curlfriends: New in Town Author: Sharee Miller Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Year: 2023 Good for Grades: 2-6 Genre/Type of Book: Realistic Fiction/Graphic Novel
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: None Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: Requested an ARC, want to increase diverse character representation If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be:
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Review:
This book jumps right in with Charlie's first day at her new, permanent school. She's moved around her whole life, as her father was in the Air Force. Charlie has always been the new kid and struggled to make friends, but this is her last chance to make the "right" first impression. She's got it all ready to go: new contacts, new clothes, new hair. But nothing goes according to plan, and now Charlie is struggling to keep her new friends from finding out who she really is. Can she keep her new friends and her old self?
This was another cute graphic novel about being true to yourself featuring the age-old problem of "will friends still like me, even if I'm a bit weird/nerdy/different?" And the answer is, "my true friends will always like me for me!" Charlie is struggling to remain her new "cool" self, even at the cost of lying and possibly losing the great new friends she's trying to make. Add that on top of struggling with her new family dynamic and feeling like the only one who isn't fitting in in her dad's hometown, she's got a lot going on. Sharee paints a really clear picture of middle school dynamics and emotions while dealing with the stress of a lot of big changes. The storyline was clear and concise, which helped the reader stay invested throughout. The art style is also very clean and distinct, with each character having a different style and personality. The cover is bright and cute and should draw readers in easily. There is also a nice amount of focus on hair, which is what brings the girls together!
This would be a great book to share with any new students, or even a first day book. Activities could include coming up with a first-day outfit, "get to know me," sheets/activities, or a travel diary of all the places Charlie has lived. That would make for a great research project!
I would recommend this book to any graphic novel fans, those who are trying to find their place in a new school or with new friends, or anyone who wants to read a nice story about figuring out how to fit in when you feel like all you do is stand out.
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Find resources for Curlfriends: New in Town at Teachingbooks.net
For more information about this book, see the Publishers Website
Find this book in the Monroe 2 BOCES Sora Collection