Frankie and the Creepy Cute Critters (graphic novel) - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Oni Press via NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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Title: Frankie and the Creepy Cute Critters
Author: Caitlin Rose Boyle
Upcoming Release Date: October 13, 2020



Synopsis: Frankie Fairy loves to learn about creepy crawly critters in her own backyard! Now that she's at a new school, she's excited to learn even more about them! Instead, she learns that the other fairy kids in class think she's the creepy one. Is Frankie really that scary? And if she is—is that really a bad thing? Maybe her creepy crawly friends can help her figure it out!

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Review: This book is so colorful! Frankie's parent is a biology professor at the local university in the new town they've just moved into. A new school can be difficult. Frankie gets called Frankie the Scary Fairy at school, but she learned that not everything that you expect to be scary is what you expect. 

Frankie, with her trusty field guide, learns about snakes, opossums, mosquitoes, and bats. Scary animals aren't always scary when you get to know more about them.

This is a very cute story and I give it a 4/5. I love the themes. The artwork is beautiful and very colorful. I do wish the animals shown were more unusual, though. The facts are pretty well known animal facts. I'd prefer to learn things that many don't already know.


--PAUL

"The Times I Knew I Was Gay" (graphic novel) by Eleanor Crewes - Paul's REVIEW

 *I received this book as an eARC from Scribner via NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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Title: The Times I Knew I Was Gay
Author: Eleanor Crewes
Upcoming Release Date: October 6, 2020


Synopsis: Ellie always had questions about who she was and how she fit in. As a girl, she wore black, obsessed over Willow in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and found dating boys much more confusing than many of her friends did. As she grew older, so did her fears and a deep sense of unbelonging. From her first communion to her first girlfriend via a swathe of self-denial, awkward encounters, and everyday courage, Ellie tells her story through gorgeous illustrations—a fresh and funny self-portrait of a young woman becoming herself.

The Times I Knew I Was Gay reminds us that people sometimes come out not just once but again and again; that identity is not necessarily about falling in love with others, but about coming to terms with oneself. Full of vitality and humor, it will ring true for anyone who has taken the time to discover who they truly are. 

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Review: This graphic novel memoir follows the long journey of self realization. The gayness of Eleanor's life is the focus. All of those moments of queerness that when you look back at years later, it was so obvious but everyone's journey is different. Some people definitively know their own personal truths early on, but most people have longer journeys that may involve some different stops along the way. This book shows just one example of that journey. 

The artwork in this book is simple and shows the story excellently with great focus. 

I saw myself in this book. Memoirs are such great empathy tools. The specifics were great, from Willow to the flirting techniques of a (unbeknownst to her) closeted lesbian. 

I give this book a 5/5. This is a great graphic novel memoir. I think all queer people will find something of themselves in this book. And non-queer people will gain some great perspective and may relate to the queer experience more than they expect.


--PAUL