Fresh Start: A Graphic Novel
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
From New York Times bestselling author Gale Galligan comes a funny and vibrant semi-autobiographical middle-grade graphic novel about friendship and belonging.
Ollie Herisson's dad is a diplomat, which means her family moves around a lot. She has already lived in Singapore, Korea, France, and the United States. When Ollie starts at a new school, she doesn't worry about making a good impression because she knows that when her family inevitably moves again, she'll get a fresh start somewhere else. A complete reset. It doesn't matter if her classmates think she's weird for pretending that she lives in the world of an imagined anime, or if she makes an enemy out of the most popular girl in her class, or if she does something hugely embarrassing! And it definitely doesn't matter that all her mom wants is for Ollie to be more of a proper Thai daughter.
But after moving from Germany to Virginia and having a mortifying first day at her new school, Ollie is shocked to learn that her parents are going to buy a house so that Ollie and her sister, Cat, can finish grade school in one place. Can Ollie figure out how to both be herself and make real friends when she can't run away from her life?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A childhood spent moving around the globe for her diplomat father's job has molded middle schooler Ollie into a creative, defiant outsider who cares more about making manga than about what other people think. When her white American father and Thai mother decide to settle in Chestnut Falls, Va., the only upside Ollie can see is the opportunity to finally get the pet hedgehog she's been wanting. Then a classmate invites her to join Anime Club, where Ollie encounters kindred spirits, including seemingly perfect Nina, who is part Thai. Galligan (Freestyle) presents an approachable story about confrontation mediation and growing from one's mistakes as Ollie learns that staying in one place means having to resolve conflict rather than fleeing for a fresh start. Along this self-reflective journey, Ollie also advocates for her younger sister Cat and makes peace with her mother's constant pressure for Ollie to act more Thai and feminine. Ollie's own drawings accompany lively illustrations and inspired character designs complete with fun fashions and sensibilities. Led by a tween who has no qualms being herself, this joyful graphic novel marks the evolution of her vulnerability and humility, with friendship as a reward. Ages 8–12.
