Pardalita
-
-
5.0 • 1 Rating
-
-
- $7.99
Publisher Description
MILDRED L. BATCHELDER HONOR WINNER
School Library Journal Best of the Year
BCCB Best of the Year (Blue Ribbon Selection)
A beautiful slice-of-life story that is This One Summer meets Ursula K. Le Guin’s Very Far Away from Anywhere Else, told in flashbacks
16-year-old Raquel lives in a small town in Portugal, the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else’s business. Her parents are divorced and she’s just been suspended for cursing out a school aide asking about her father’s new marriage. She has two best friends, Luísa and Fred, but wants something more. Then, from afar, she sees Pardalita, a senior and a gifted artist who’s moving to Lisbon to study in the fall. The two girls get to know each other while working on a play. And Raquel falls in love.
Using a gorgeous blend of prose poems, illustrations, and graphic novel format, author and artist Joana Estrela captures the feeling of being a teenager in a way that feels gentle, joyful, and real.
P R A I S E
★ “Intimate…Through a fledgling queer romance, the creator presents a story of change, connection, and transformation.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred)
★ "The elegant simplicity of this book belies the artistic depth and emotional resonance contained within. Will leave readers in quiet, piercing satisfaction."
—Booklist (starred)
★ “A leisurely, emotional stroll through a slice-of-life story that explores identity and sexuality in an authentically sweet and subtle way.”
—School Library Journal (starred)
★ “The writing style is intriguing and deliberate...the slice-of-life approach working perfectly with Estrela’s creative vision in switching up formats to best convey Raquel’s intense and powerful self-discovery…this tender, warm book will likely enchant all romantic fans.”
—BCCB (starred)
“Effectively conveys adolescent turmoil, the heady intoxication of first love, and sweet moments of connection as young queer love blossoms. The book’s strength lies in its careful presentation of telling details. Quietly resonant and sincerely told.”
—Kirkus Reviews
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Told via interwoven slice-of-life comics and intimate-feeling prose poems oscillating between past and present, Estrela (My Own Way) recounts one teenager's struggles defining herself amid a period of rapid change. Sixteen-year-old Portugal native Raquel is unsure of what she wants for her future until she encounters senior schoolmate Pardalita, an artist. Raquel finds herself inexorably drawn to Pardalita and, as their friendship develops, Raquel begins to see her own sexuality in a new light, straining her relationship with new boyfriend, Miguel, before he eventually breaks up with her. Somber flashbacks to Raquel's childhood detail formative experiences with her divorced parents ("Every other weekend I'm with my dad./ ...this annoyed him, because he/ wanted to go out and I wrecked his plans"). Poems speaking directly to Pardalita ("I tried to sit as far away/ from you as possible.../ Not the best plan"), rendered in Raquel's yearning voice, cultivate an earnest blossoming romance that feels as if it was pulled from someone's private journal. Estrela uses a bold, inky line to depict both cozy moments bursting with warm detail and dynamic scenes that boast energy and youthfulness. Through a fledgling queer romance, the creator presents a story of change, connection, and transformation. Ages 12–up.
