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Becoming Brianna (2020)

Story and Art: Terri Libenson

#becoming brianna #terri libenson #emmie & friends #hebrew #picture book #graphic novel #middle grade #2020s #20s #children's book #children's literature #kidlit #kid book #children's novel #judaism

Review: Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley

I have read every single graphic novel by Lucy Knisley and I just love them all! Most of her graphic novels are actually memoirs and officially my favorite way to read memoirs thanks to her but Stepping Stones while based upon events that happened in Lucy’s life is not completely factual and therefore is classified as fiction. Her other graphic novels are also classified as being for adults and this a middle grade graphic novel so pretty different from her other work.

Jen and Mom have left their life in the City and moved far into the countryside with her Mom’s new boyfriend Walter. Jen hates the countryside, she has endless chores around the farm including taking care of the chickens which she did not agree too. She wishes that she could have stayed with her Dad in the city but as a time-poor business man he wasn’t able to have her stay with him.

However, Jen does start getting used to country life until Walter’s daughters come up for the weekend, know-it-all Andy bosses Jen around, thinks she can do anything better then Jen, and in general causes strife while her younger sister Reese just misses her Mom.

Jen thinks that nothing will ever get better and that she will be stuck with these two annoying almost step-sisters forever. That is until one day at the Farmer’s Market Walter pushes Jen too far and Andy and Reese come to her defense. They start bonding over their shared homesickness and even Walter comes around eventually.

I always find Lucy’s characters relatable and often feel an affinity to them, whether they are things that really happened or not. I totally understand Jen’s feelings of inferiority to Andy and her need to find her own special thing. I can also empathize with Jen’s mother’s desire to leave city life behind and embrace the simple things in life. If you’re looking for something to get a reluctant reader started, something for a child going through their parents divorce, or a voracious reader looking for something new I would recommend this! Also fans of Raina Telgemier or Terri Libenson would like this I think :)