Week 8: Graphically Nonfiction

It is rare for me to read nonfiction books.  One of the reasons why I prefer fiction to nonfiction is that fiction offers  an escape from reality.  I can find it very difficult to become in involved in a nonfiction story that talks about historical events or a personal story.  What helped me in my decision of materials to read this week was that Tomboy, by Liz Prince, is a graphic novel.  With the aid of the illustrations, which are well done, I find it a lot easier to understand the story.

Despite drug use and (what some might feel to be) sexual explicitness, this is a great item include in a teen collection.  This book can help teens who, like Liz, also struggle with gender identity, gender roles, bullying, and finding a place within a social construct such as school and extracurricular activities.  Additionally, this book is also important for those who do not struggle with gender identity as it can help them to understand what their peers might be experiencing.  Being a graphic novel can also help readers understand these struggles.

Here’s a Read-Alike!

Using the Goodreads page for Tomboy, under the “Reader’s also enjoyed” section, I found Honor Girl, by Maggie Thrash.  Similar to Tomboy, Honor Girl is also a graphic novel style memoir.  Both books deal with teenage girls (although Tomboy starts when Liz is younger), relationships, and self discovery.

VOYA Review

Tomboy
Grade Level: J S R G
Quality: 3Q
Popularity: 2P

Honor Girl
Grade Level: J S G
Quality: 3Q
Popularity: 4P

Appeal Factors

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