Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

That would be my second girlie who turned sixteen on Sunday, and I’m really not sure how I’m going to live through two more 16th birthdays in the future–I hate teaching kids to drive. I’m scared I won’t do it well, I’m scared they’ll make the mistakes I made, and I’m embarrassed that teaching a necessary life skill is so hard for me to do. On the other hand, she had a few friends over to celebrate the night before and had a blast, so there’s that. (She also invited friends over after lunch to celebrate reaching her temple goal–she wanted to show appreciation for their support–but that ended up feeling more awkward than chill, she said. At least it was the second gathering that went well, so the day ended on a high note! And I’m SO proud of her for reaching that temple goal.)

Anyway. Her birthday meals got pushed back a week because half the family had meetings on Sunday morning and we went to my in-laws’ for dinner Sunday evening, since my sister-in-law and her youngest were in town from Hawaii. She did open presents, however, and because she had friends over Saturday night, I decided (at the last minute or so) to take the chance to preview the graphic novel I hoped would make a good birthday book. I managed to read the whole thing Saturday night without falling asleep, which is impressive, and thus today’s review is of Christina Soontornvat’s The Squad, which turned out to be a lovely choice for a birthday gift. Like its predecessor, The Tryout, it’s more of a graphic memoir than a straight graphic novel, and knowing that makes all the feels about Christina’s not feeling like she quite belongs anywhere that much more poignant. She and her two non-art friends are once again trying out for the cheerleading squad. Will they make it this time–all of them? What happens if only some of them do? And how might being on the cheer squad change their school experiences? You’ll have to read to find out!

Okay, maybe that was cheesy, but it does feel like the sort of book where giving away too much, too early, is a bad idea. All I can say is that my girlie gave it 4 stars and I’ll likely do the same thing. Graphic novel fans, don’t miss this one!