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Its lonely at the center of the earth by zoe thorogood

2/7/2024

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Cover of It's Lonely at the Center of the Earth. A girl stands in the middle of a kitchen. There's a black hole underneath her and she's drawing a line in front of her.
In this autobiographical comic, Thorogood details her life as an illustrator going to comics conventions, trying to break into the industry, her attempts at romantic relationships, and her struggles with her depression. She goes far outside her comfort zone and decides to meet an online friend in person, which requires traveling from England to California. The two become romantic partners, but Zoe is very conflicted because the man is still infatuated with his previous partner, and he has children who don't accept her. During the months this comic takes place, the COVID pandemic begins, so isolation makes projects difficult and cancels some of Thorogood's planned appearances. She struggles with going to conventions and imposter syndrome, feeling like her illustrations are not worthy of the praise she receives from fans who visit her booth. 


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until i love myself vol 1 by poppy pesayuma

6/9/2023

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Cover of Until I Love Myself volume 1. Pink, blue, white, and black colors are laid over Pesayuma in a prism. They are crying, and pieces of their body are represented in different quadrants of the cover.
In this memoir manga, Pesayuma-san goes through their beginnings of being a manga artist, reflecting on their childhood, and grappling with their gender and sexuality. In their second job in the manga industry, Pesayuma was sexually assaulted and objectified by a male coworker, and the trauma from this incident left them emotionally scarred and vulnerable for seven years. After finding a new editor in a post Me-Too world, Pesayuma discovers that they could take legal action against their aggressor, but also that their story could be publishable. They reflect on some fundamental people from their childhood and moments that were formative in their life as they journey towards self-discovery.


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Embrace your size by hara

1/8/2023

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Cover of Embrace Your Size. Hara is wearing a plaid skirt with a brown sweater vest and white long-sleeve shirt. She's holding flowers in one hand and her other arm is outstretched behind her in a celebratory way. She's sort of skipping - one leg is up in the air. In her bag to her side is more flowers. She's smiling widely with her mouth open, and her blue eyes are bright and happy.
This manga is a collection of graphic essays about Hara’s life, where she battled weight as a junior high student, developed an eating disorder, and found body positivity in her young adult years. Hara shares a lot about her struggles with trendy clothing, and how she came to terms with being plus sized and still able to wear clothing she considered to be fashionable and cute. Clothes were an initial trigger for Hara, so it is one of the main foci of her essays. She also shares her development of anorexia that turned into bulimia nervosa in college. She continues to struggle with eating enough food, but through therapy and hard work, she is able to keep her eating disorders in check.


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X-gender vol 1 by asuka miyazaki

10/20/2022

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Cover of X-Gender volume 1. Asuka is standing in front of a giant white X with their arms crossed in an x. They're wearing a white shirt and blue jeans with large construction boots. Behind the title and the giant x, the cover is solid yellow.
This autobiographical manga presents Asuka's journey of self-discovery with their gender. In Japan, X-Gender is a term for nonbinary, but even these umbrella terms are not helpful enough to help Asuka navigate the LGBTQ+ community or to find a girlfriend. Asuka also provides some introspection and analysis as to why having a period is so emotionally disturbing to them as it reminds them of their female anatomy. Throughout the manga, Asuka tries to go on dates, participate in speed-dating events specifically for LGTBQ+ folks, and navigate friendships and attractions.


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Our Stories Carried Us Here

2/1/2022

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Cover of Our Stories Carried Us Here
Edited by Tea Rozman Clark and Julie Vang

Booklist
 review

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

Publisher: Green Card Voices
Publication Date: August 31, 2021
ISBN: 9781949523171 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: High School, Graphic Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Biography, Story Collection, Family

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Wonderful women of the world

1/28/2022

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Cover of Wonderful Women of the World. Wonder Woman is flying with the World behind her.
Edited by Laurie Halse Anderson

This collection of stories is modeled after some other versions that celebrated Wonder Women in the real world. Anderson and DC Comics have brought together women creators to pay homage to powerful women who are inspirational. Some of the tributes include Beyonce, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Serena Williams, Malala Yousafzai, Greta Thunberg, and so many more. Several of these stories are shedding light on amazing women who may not have been in the spotlight in their time. There are engineers and scientists who are heading programs to encourage girls to get into the science fields; there are disabled activists who fought for the rights that eventually became protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act; and, there are LBGTQ+ activists who fought for marriage rights and the right to exist on the streets of New York.


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My life in Transition by Julia Kaye

2/9/2021

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Cover of My life in transition
My Life in Transition is a second anthology of Kaye’s web comic, Up and Out, chronicling her life as a transgender woman. Kaye publishes nearly one three-panel comic a day, and this collection is roughly six months of her life. In it, Kaye explores dating as a trans woman, both men and women, and healing after a long-term relationship ends. Kaye also shows instances of people misgendering her, and the anxiety and dysmorphia that often follows. Kaye also navigates friendships and builds personal boundaries with friends, romantic partners, and work. Kaye also struggles with her bio family who is not supportive and exhibits transphobia. A friend suggests a chosen family - building a family of people who are supportive and positive influences. Kaye builds a chosen family of other trans individuals and friends who see Kate for who she is.


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Displacement by Kiku Hughes

7/8/2020

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Cover of Displacement
Kiku is a high schooler on vacation with her mother in San Francisco, trying to find their family home in Japantown, when she gets swept back in time to her grandmother's violin recital. She travels back and forth a few more times before she is sent back to 1942, right as her grandmother's family is being shipped out to an incarceration camp. She is "stuck" in the past for a year, living in the camps alongside other Nikkei and her grandmother, who she doesn't have the courage to speak to.  Back in the present, Kiku and her mother decide to research more of the family's history and the history of the Topaz, Utah camp, and to become activists against the camps at the U.S. Border for Latinx immigrants.


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    About Me

    I've been reading manga and comicbooks for years. Now, I write reviews and other helpful things for School Librarians, teachers, parents, and students.

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