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Freestyle: A Graphic Novel
From New York Times bestselling author Gale Galligan, a fun, high-energy graphic novel about friendship, family, and the last hurrahs of middle school. Cory's dance crew is getting ready for a major competition. It's the last one before they graduate eighth grade and go their separate ways to high schools all over New York City, so they have to make it count! The group starts to have problems as their crew captain gets increasingly intense about nailing the routine, and things go from bad to worse when Cory's parents ground him for not taking his grades seriously. He gets stuck with a new tutor, Sunna, who he dismisses as a boring nerd… until he catches her secretly practicing cool yo-yo tricks. Cory wants to learn the art of yo-yo, and as his friendship with Sunna grows, he ends up missing practice and bailing on his crew -- and they are not happy about it. With mounting pressure coming from all sides, how is Cory supposed to balance the expectations of his parents, school, dance, and his new friend?
272 pages, Paperback
First published October 18, 2022
About the author
Gale Galligan
27 books394 followersGale Galligan is a New York Times bestselling cartoonist and shrimp chip enthusiast. They’re known for their four BABY-SITTERS CLUB graphic novel adaptations. You can also spot them in The Claudia Kishi Club, a wonderful short documentary on Netflix.
Gale holds an MFA in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design. When they aren’t making comics, Gale enjoys knitting, reading, and spending time with their roomies: Lemon the leopard gecko, rabbits Dipper and Penny, Patrick the husband, and Robin the child. They live in Rockland County, New York.
Gale holds an MFA in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design. When they aren’t making comics, Gale enjoys knitting, reading, and spending time with their roomies: Lemon the leopard gecko, rabbits Dipper and Penny, Patrick the husband, and Robin the child. They live in Rockland County, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
December 30, 2022
I really liked this one! I thought the story is super unique and fun in a way that a lot of middle grade readers will enjoy.
Freestyle is a middle grade graphic novel that sequestered my attention with the cover alone. Readers follow Cory who lives in NYC with his parents and is one of eight members of this middle school dance crew. The crew is competing for a coveted first place at a dance competition. Unfortunately, Cory gets in trouble with his parents for not keeping his grades up leading to him being grounded. He is then forced to meet with a tutor who introduces him to the wonderful world of yo-yoing.
What Worked: So much about this graphic novel worked. It explored some interesting things in regard to friendship and even parental expectations. Most of the story is seen from the perspective of Cory, but readers do get to see how these elements impact a lot of the characters. The competitive yo-yoing was AMAZING. I'm not really sure I even knew much about it before reading this graphic novel and it was fun learning more about it along with Cory. Galligan also does a great job of creating flawed characters that learn from their mistakes. All of the characters make not so great decisions that impact the people around them, but the learn and move forward. In my opinion, one of the greatest parts of this book was the artwork. The panel work is so damn complex and unlike some artwork that I've seen in other middle grade graphic novels. There was so much movement in the panels that contained yo-yoing and/or dancing which may me feel even more immersed in the story. I was even more appreciative of the coloring which was so bright and vibrant and made the story just pop off the page.
What Didn't Work: One of the main characters in this story, Sunna, wears a hijab. There have been Muslim readers who commend Galligan for the work that they did with this, but also point out some minor issues with the character representation. I am not Muslim and cannot comment on the representation of Sunna as a character so I would definitely recommend checking out those reviews. I can say that it was nice to see that Sunna wearing a hijab was simply part of her character and not necessarily a point of conflict.
Overall, this was fun! I'm definitely interested in checking out more books by Galligan in the future.
Freestyle is a middle grade graphic novel that sequestered my attention with the cover alone. Readers follow Cory who lives in NYC with his parents and is one of eight members of this middle school dance crew. The crew is competing for a coveted first place at a dance competition. Unfortunately, Cory gets in trouble with his parents for not keeping his grades up leading to him being grounded. He is then forced to meet with a tutor who introduces him to the wonderful world of yo-yoing.
What Worked: So much about this graphic novel worked. It explored some interesting things in regard to friendship and even parental expectations. Most of the story is seen from the perspective of Cory, but readers do get to see how these elements impact a lot of the characters. The competitive yo-yoing was AMAZING. I'm not really sure I even knew much about it before reading this graphic novel and it was fun learning more about it along with Cory. Galligan also does a great job of creating flawed characters that learn from their mistakes. All of the characters make not so great decisions that impact the people around them, but the learn and move forward. In my opinion, one of the greatest parts of this book was the artwork. The panel work is so damn complex and unlike some artwork that I've seen in other middle grade graphic novels. There was so much movement in the panels that contained yo-yoing and/or dancing which may me feel even more immersed in the story. I was even more appreciative of the coloring which was so bright and vibrant and made the story just pop off the page.
What Didn't Work: One of the main characters in this story, Sunna, wears a hijab. There have been Muslim readers who commend Galligan for the work that they did with this, but also point out some minor issues with the character representation. I am not Muslim and cannot comment on the representation of Sunna as a character so I would definitely recommend checking out those reviews. I can say that it was nice to see that Sunna wearing a hijab was simply part of her character and not necessarily a point of conflict.
Overall, this was fun! I'm definitely interested in checking out more books by Galligan in the future.
September 22, 2022
I one hundred percent understand that Muslims are not a monolith, but, I'm truly tempted to reach out to the author/illustrator of this upcoming 272 page middle grade graphic novel and ask her why she chose to have the female instigator in this coming of age story- that focuses on a dance crew, said girl tutoring a boy one-on-one in his bedroom, Halloween and a school dance, wear hijab? Yes there is also parental expectations, friend drama, leaving for high school stresses, and yo-yoing, but Sunna Ahmad being presented as a Muslim definitely gives me pause. There is no romance in the book save a few background characters filling in frames holding hands, and it never articulates that Sunna or her older brother Imran are Muslim, but she doesn't wear hijab when home with her family, does wear it when she goes out, so it definitely seems to imply it. The cover and inside pages are bright and clear, and I think the book will be very tempting for young Muslim readers with the visible hijabi on the front. Additionally the book is published by Scholastic, so if you are a parent whose kids get book order forms and attends a school where the Scholastic Book Fair is a big deal, you might want to read the entire review to see if it is Islamic representation that you are comfortable with supporting.
SYNOPSIS:
The Eight Bitz B Boy band is in their final year of middle school before they all go in separate directions for high school. They want to win this year's competition, or at least the leader of the crew, Tess, does. Tess doesn't want them freestyling and messing around, she wants the choreography and dancing in-synch and on-point. Her military dictatorship is tearing the crew a part. When Cory's grades are not where his parents want them, he is grounded from dancing and forced to work with a tutor, Sunna Ahmad. Sunna is weird, always writing intently in a secret notebook at school, and Cory wants nothing to do with her. When he accidently sees her throwing her yo-yo at school, though, he is impressed. Reluctantly she trades teaching him yo-yo tricks if he agrees to do the work needed to get his grades up. Using yo-yo angles to teach geometry, it doesn't take long before the two are friends. It comes to a culmination when he invites her to the Halloween dance and his crew is both shocked and mad that he is hanging out with her, when he should be practicing with them. As secrets and intentions come out, Cory has to make things right with his parents, his crew, Sunna, and himself.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I love graphic novels, they show context and setting and emotion, that often can't be conveyed as well with words. I absolutely love that Sunna wears different clothes on different days, from the hijab to the outfit, she has personality in her clothes as any middle schooler would, and nothing is mentioned about her hijab or her long sleeves, but the reader see's it hopefully in a positive light. I do like the detail of her not covering at home when she is alone, or in the flashbacks when she is younger.
The story overall is decent and the added hip hop dancing and yo-yo infused details set the story apart, but some of the character building and plot points are a little rough. When Sunna first starts tutoring Cory she feels like an adult disciplining, and reprimanding him. She comes across as really arrogant and condescending, that he is somehow beneath her, yet they are the same age, in the same school, and are lab partners. It reads off for no reason.
Similarly, I understand that the tension between middle schoolers and parents can be a source of contention, but the forced apology from Cory's parents is incredible demeaning and cringe. Sure flesh out that he shouldn't yell at his parents, (Sunna shouldn't either for that matter), but while the delivery was poor, the message was heartfelt and I think a book like this encouraging young kids to talk to their parents would be a great message, rather than have it almost glorified to not make the effort at all. Not saying that the effort will always be received, but the forced apology would turn even kids with a good relationship with their parents questioning if it is worth talking to their mom and dad.
Poor communication and the stress it causes is a theme of the book, and I don't understand why Tess keeps her choreography dreams a secret from the crew. It seems underdeveloped, had she said that, that was the motivation, I think all the other seven members would have stepped up, not walked away.
FLAGS:
Music, dancing, girl and boys being alone with each other, girls and boys arms around each other, attending a school dance, girls and boys dancing together, Halloween being celebrated, birthday being celebrated, yelling back at parents, lying, secrets.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
In all honesty, I would probably not have this book on the library shelves, and would not display it during the book fair. It normalizes a lot of gray if not haram actions for a very impressionable demographic because the character is visibly Muslim. If the character was not visibly Muslim, I actually might be ok with shelving it and selling it. The rep may be intended to show inclusion, but the character does not show actions that Islamically are appropriate. If it were one or two actions, I might reconsider, but it is a lot very specific and varied activities.
SYNOPSIS:
The Eight Bitz B Boy band is in their final year of middle school before they all go in separate directions for high school. They want to win this year's competition, or at least the leader of the crew, Tess, does. Tess doesn't want them freestyling and messing around, she wants the choreography and dancing in-synch and on-point. Her military dictatorship is tearing the crew a part. When Cory's grades are not where his parents want them, he is grounded from dancing and forced to work with a tutor, Sunna Ahmad. Sunna is weird, always writing intently in a secret notebook at school, and Cory wants nothing to do with her. When he accidently sees her throwing her yo-yo at school, though, he is impressed. Reluctantly she trades teaching him yo-yo tricks if he agrees to do the work needed to get his grades up. Using yo-yo angles to teach geometry, it doesn't take long before the two are friends. It comes to a culmination when he invites her to the Halloween dance and his crew is both shocked and mad that he is hanging out with her, when he should be practicing with them. As secrets and intentions come out, Cory has to make things right with his parents, his crew, Sunna, and himself.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I love graphic novels, they show context and setting and emotion, that often can't be conveyed as well with words. I absolutely love that Sunna wears different clothes on different days, from the hijab to the outfit, she has personality in her clothes as any middle schooler would, and nothing is mentioned about her hijab or her long sleeves, but the reader see's it hopefully in a positive light. I do like the detail of her not covering at home when she is alone, or in the flashbacks when she is younger.
The story overall is decent and the added hip hop dancing and yo-yo infused details set the story apart, but some of the character building and plot points are a little rough. When Sunna first starts tutoring Cory she feels like an adult disciplining, and reprimanding him. She comes across as really arrogant and condescending, that he is somehow beneath her, yet they are the same age, in the same school, and are lab partners. It reads off for no reason.
Similarly, I understand that the tension between middle schoolers and parents can be a source of contention, but the forced apology from Cory's parents is incredible demeaning and cringe. Sure flesh out that he shouldn't yell at his parents, (Sunna shouldn't either for that matter), but while the delivery was poor, the message was heartfelt and I think a book like this encouraging young kids to talk to their parents would be a great message, rather than have it almost glorified to not make the effort at all. Not saying that the effort will always be received, but the forced apology would turn even kids with a good relationship with their parents questioning if it is worth talking to their mom and dad.
Poor communication and the stress it causes is a theme of the book, and I don't understand why Tess keeps her choreography dreams a secret from the crew. It seems underdeveloped, had she said that, that was the motivation, I think all the other seven members would have stepped up, not walked away.
FLAGS:
Music, dancing, girl and boys being alone with each other, girls and boys arms around each other, attending a school dance, girls and boys dancing together, Halloween being celebrated, birthday being celebrated, yelling back at parents, lying, secrets.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
In all honesty, I would probably not have this book on the library shelves, and would not display it during the book fair. It normalizes a lot of gray if not haram actions for a very impressionable demographic because the character is visibly Muslim. If the character was not visibly Muslim, I actually might be ok with shelving it and selling it. The rep may be intended to show inclusion, but the character does not show actions that Islamically are appropriate. If it were one or two actions, I might reconsider, but it is a lot very specific and varied activities.
Read
November 10, 2022Freestyle by Gale Galligan is the story of Cory and his friend group/dance crew Eight Bitz. When Cory's parents get him a tutor because of his middling grades, he begins to lose touch with the crew and to lose himself in a new passion: throwing (performing tricks with a YoYo?). The book's art is so fresh-faced and optimistic that it might break the reader's immersion in the story if not for how well it matches Cory's playful energy. The narrative conflict is all refreshingly middle-school and relatable, nothing heavy (unless, perhaps, it strikes a little too close to home), and the diversity in the cast of characters is a joyfully casual non-issue.
-Evin, Reading Rocket Team
-Evin, Reading Rocket Team
October 6, 2022
Maybe spoilers, but nothing super specific. I don't speak for all Muslims, but as a hijabi, here is my take on this book and an explanation for why I gave this book 4 stars and what would've made it a 5 star read for me.
TL;DR-I'm giving it 4 stars bc there are a few issues that shouldn't have made it to print. This book is a prime example (in a GOOD way) of an author who has done the work, unpacked any biases, and is ready for a sensitivity reader to come onboard.
I recommend this book, but if you're giving it to your Muslim child, there are a few parts you probably want to discuss with them (listed in cons). Nothing problematic, but issues none the less.
This is actually a 4.5 star for me, but that's not an option. Since the publisher failed to hire sensitivity readers to catch the issues listed below, I can't in good conscience give a solid 5 star.
---And now for my long-winded review---
First and foremost, I want to say I really enjoyed this story. The art is fantastic, too! Gale is incredibly talented and I love their work.
I was hesitant picking up a book with a hijabi on the cover that's not written by a hijabi. Nowhere does the author identify themselves as Muslim (that I could find) but they still did a really great job with this book overall.
I did give this book 4 stars and I'm going to breakdown why.
Despite being a good book and pretty good casual rep, they were a few things that bothered me.
I'm NOT calling this book problematic by any means so please don't come for this author. They really did do a good job with the tools they had. The character Sunna was treated with respect and kindness and if we could give half stars this would be a solid 4.5.
Freestyle is actually the perfect example of a book that's ready for sensitivity readers. The author has done the work, the author clearly sees hijabis as more than oppressed women who need someone to "be their voice" and as a hijabi, it's nice to see a character like Sunna have agency and a purpose beyond just being a token character to help the MC learn a lesson. She has depth, she has hopes, dreams, a secret, and a whole backstory.
I looked and didn't see any mention of sensitivity readers. They are numerous small issues that would've been easily fixed had the publisher hired a sensitivity reader. While Gale did an amazing job with Sunna, research is no replacement for lived experience.
All my cons would've been caught by a sensitivity reader. So publishers (not authors, Gale already did most of the work!) hire sensitivity readers so these things can be changed BEFORE they go to print.
Cons-
-This is an 8th grade girl who wears a hijab. There are around a dozen times that she is alone with Cory in his room with the door shut!! They're not doing anything, but there's no way that her parents would allow this.
-Sunna shows up at Cory's house alone to tutor him?? At the very least, either her older brother (if he was available) would join her. If not, then her parents would drop her off and make sure Cory's mom had an area in a common living space for tutoring, not off in his room. With a little creativity (which Gale clearly has loads of, they are very talented!) the argument scene and everything else could've been handled. But alone in the room, door shut, sometimes she hangs out just sitting on his bed? This is not typical for a family where an 8th grade girl would already be committed to hijab.
-There is a music/school dance scene. I want to note that strictness about musica and dancing varies from family to family, but another Muslim mentioned this scene to me, too. I understand this scene was a setup for the "big dilemma" and that's fine, but a sensitivity reader would've helped make this scene a little less cringe from (my personal) Muslim perspective. Cory shouldn't have grabbed her hand, he completely ignored her protests but she also didn't say why she was protesting* and then he pressures her into dancing at a school dance, no chaperon. It's a lot and she never stood up for herself.
*I both like and don't like that her reason for protesting wasn't mentioned. Throughout the book, her religion is not the focus at all, but it's unrealistic for her not to mention it when he's literally trying to drag her to music/dancing/coed unchaperoned all in one moment. A simple "I'm not really supposed to dance, especially with guys" would've sufficed. Then he could've offered the compromise below. No Muslim child is perfect and we push boundaries like any other person, but her reaction wasn't authentic for me.
-The dance scene is the one time that Sunna felt like a plot device and not a real person. Cory totally bulldozed her and the consequences at the end of the scene are over a different issue. She never once stands up for herself in this moment because she NEEDED to be in this scene in order for the next thing to happen. A lot of Sunna's agency was completely stripped in this scene, which is only a few pages long. I'm probably beating a dead horse here, but a sensitivity reader could've helped keep the scene without Cory-
1. touching her several times with no reaction from her at all?
2. overrode her beliefs without much protest from her
3. convinced her to dance with him without any sort of compromise ("What if I take a giant step back so we're not too close" kind of thing, some sort of respect for her and offering a boundary after he already pressured her into the dance).
-I'd also like to mention that things like music, dancing, drawing, etc and similar topics really need to be explored by Muslims and left alone by non-Muslim authors. Same with hijab being taken off or worn in a way that isn't technically correct. I'm not sure this author was aware of the issue with music/dancing because the entire scene played out like Sunna was just shy and maybe is socially anxious.
-This one is a personal preference. Around the midpoint, Sunna is wearing a black shirt with cat eyes and they are basically right on her chest. At first glance even my 4th grader thought they were weird green b--bs on the shirt. Not problematic but I found it worth mentioning because the shirt idea is cute but the execution is unfortunate.
Pros
-First and foremost, Sunna just gets to exist as an 8th grade girl and Gale, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for this!!
-Also, there's a random, unnamed second hijabi girl in one scene, and that was fantastic. We don't need a reason to exist in certain spaces and I love that the back of this girl is just there, taking up space and literally doing nothing else. AND she's not hanging out with Sunna. Because they don't have to be acquaintances or friends just because they're both hijabis. There are so many things Gale really knocked out of the park and this was one of them.
-Sunna has a hidden talent, a secret that she doesn't share with just anyone. The yo-yo scene (it's on the cover so it's not a spoiler, right?) in the middle of the book is glorious! Her face, the way she's 100% in the moment and into what she's doing. Her joy! And the fact that that joy is just a "normal kid" thing and not centering on being Muslim is so great.
-The ending was great! Everyone gets what they need, but they had to work for it.
-One of my absolute favorite things is regarding the "big issue" between Sunna and Cory. Cory messed up. Bad but believably for his age. Sunna is hurt and her reaction is realistic. Cory realizes immediately that he has messed up, and he goes through all the regular 8th grade kid things. Avoiding the issue, but missing his friend. And he tries to make it right. Sunna doesn't just let it go. There is time passing. A good amount of time and for me that was so huge. Not just for hijabis, but for MG age readers. To see a girl get hurt and she doesn't just shrug it off as soon as he's sorry. And she had moments where she thought about reaching out to him, then didn't respond because she wasn't ready. This sequence of events while Cory and Sunna continue living life is everything! This is a healthy reaction and resolution and I love that it wasn't scripted perfect, but it was also modeling good emotionally healthy responses. Cory didn't get out of hot water easily and that was amazing. He worked for it and Sunna gave him space to work on it and respected herself enough to set clear boundaries.
-The way she went to the lab teacher instead of setting that boundary directly was spot on.
-At no point was there ever a "let me see your hair" or "You don't have to wear that" moment. Her hijab is pretty much ignored the whole time, because it's part of who she is as a character and once again, bravo, Gale.
-The hijab is drawn properly and the clothes (aside from the green cat eye sweater) were well done. I love how this character is drawn. Her body language-confidence, joy, etc-was great, too.
-At first this pro was a con for me, but after thinking about it, I decided that this was the right thing to do. There is a point in the story where Sunna is sharing a memory with Cory. In the cutaway, Sunna is without her hijab for those scenes. At first, I wasn't a fan, but after thinking about it, this was the right choice-
1. We don't wear hijab at home so she shouldn't have it on
2. While she's a realistic character, she's not a real person so seeing her hair (in an appropriate moment) was not an issue.
3. This is going to be the first interaction a lot of non-Muslim readers have with a Graphic Novel hijabi. Without resorting to Islam 101 style breakdowns, readers see that hijabis aren't "forced" to wear it at all times, even in front of family like a lot of people mistakenly think. It's just a few pages, but it dispels a harmful stereotype. So this is under my pros. Since Sunna is a confident character, that further reiterates that hijabis who choose to wear hijab are not oppressed or brainwashed. It's our choice and Gale treats Sunna with the respect she deserves.
If you got this far, thank you for reading.
I'm enthusiastically recommending this book, but I'm hoping that anyone reading along will take the need for sensitivity readers to heart.
This book would've been a solid 5 star for me if the cons had been addressed pre-pub. They are easy fixes and judging by the care Gale took with the characters overall, I have no doubt Gale would've addressed the issues brilliantly without taking away from their wonderful story.
I don't think the onus to hire SRs should be on the writer, though. Sensitivity readers need to become a common part of the publishing process like editors. That's not to say that every book is ready for a sensitivity reader. But THIS book was. Gale has done the work and the cons were a matter of "research v lived experience" for me.
TL;DR-I'm giving it 4 stars bc there are a few issues that shouldn't have made it to print. This book is a prime example (in a GOOD way) of an author who has done the work, unpacked any biases, and is ready for a sensitivity reader to come onboard.
I recommend this book, but if you're giving it to your Muslim child, there are a few parts you probably want to discuss with them (listed in cons). Nothing problematic, but issues none the less.
This is actually a 4.5 star for me, but that's not an option. Since the publisher failed to hire sensitivity readers to catch the issues listed below, I can't in good conscience give a solid 5 star.
---And now for my long-winded review---
First and foremost, I want to say I really enjoyed this story. The art is fantastic, too! Gale is incredibly talented and I love their work.
I was hesitant picking up a book with a hijabi on the cover that's not written by a hijabi. Nowhere does the author identify themselves as Muslim (that I could find) but they still did a really great job with this book overall.
I did give this book 4 stars and I'm going to breakdown why.
Despite being a good book and pretty good casual rep, they were a few things that bothered me.
I'm NOT calling this book problematic by any means so please don't come for this author. They really did do a good job with the tools they had. The character Sunna was treated with respect and kindness and if we could give half stars this would be a solid 4.5.
Freestyle is actually the perfect example of a book that's ready for sensitivity readers. The author has done the work, the author clearly sees hijabis as more than oppressed women who need someone to "be their voice" and as a hijabi, it's nice to see a character like Sunna have agency and a purpose beyond just being a token character to help the MC learn a lesson. She has depth, she has hopes, dreams, a secret, and a whole backstory.
I looked and didn't see any mention of sensitivity readers. They are numerous small issues that would've been easily fixed had the publisher hired a sensitivity reader. While Gale did an amazing job with Sunna, research is no replacement for lived experience.
All my cons would've been caught by a sensitivity reader. So publishers (not authors, Gale already did most of the work!) hire sensitivity readers so these things can be changed BEFORE they go to print.
Cons-
-This is an 8th grade girl who wears a hijab. There are around a dozen times that she is alone with Cory in his room with the door shut!! They're not doing anything, but there's no way that her parents would allow this.
-Sunna shows up at Cory's house alone to tutor him?? At the very least, either her older brother (if he was available) would join her. If not, then her parents would drop her off and make sure Cory's mom had an area in a common living space for tutoring, not off in his room. With a little creativity (which Gale clearly has loads of, they are very talented!) the argument scene and everything else could've been handled. But alone in the room, door shut, sometimes she hangs out just sitting on his bed? This is not typical for a family where an 8th grade girl would already be committed to hijab.
-There is a music/school dance scene. I want to note that strictness about musica and dancing varies from family to family, but another Muslim mentioned this scene to me, too. I understand this scene was a setup for the "big dilemma" and that's fine, but a sensitivity reader would've helped make this scene a little less cringe from (my personal) Muslim perspective. Cory shouldn't have grabbed her hand, he completely ignored her protests but she also didn't say why she was protesting* and then he pressures her into dancing at a school dance, no chaperon. It's a lot and she never stood up for herself.
*I both like and don't like that her reason for protesting wasn't mentioned. Throughout the book, her religion is not the focus at all, but it's unrealistic for her not to mention it when he's literally trying to drag her to music/dancing/coed unchaperoned all in one moment. A simple "I'm not really supposed to dance, especially with guys" would've sufficed. Then he could've offered the compromise below. No Muslim child is perfect and we push boundaries like any other person, but her reaction wasn't authentic for me.
-The dance scene is the one time that Sunna felt like a plot device and not a real person. Cory totally bulldozed her and the consequences at the end of the scene are over a different issue. She never once stands up for herself in this moment because she NEEDED to be in this scene in order for the next thing to happen. A lot of Sunna's agency was completely stripped in this scene, which is only a few pages long. I'm probably beating a dead horse here, but a sensitivity reader could've helped keep the scene without Cory-
1. touching her several times with no reaction from her at all?
2. overrode her beliefs without much protest from her
3. convinced her to dance with him without any sort of compromise ("What if I take a giant step back so we're not too close" kind of thing, some sort of respect for her and offering a boundary after he already pressured her into the dance).
-I'd also like to mention that things like music, dancing, drawing, etc and similar topics really need to be explored by Muslims and left alone by non-Muslim authors. Same with hijab being taken off or worn in a way that isn't technically correct. I'm not sure this author was aware of the issue with music/dancing because the entire scene played out like Sunna was just shy and maybe is socially anxious.
-This one is a personal preference. Around the midpoint, Sunna is wearing a black shirt with cat eyes and they are basically right on her chest. At first glance even my 4th grader thought they were weird green b--bs on the shirt. Not problematic but I found it worth mentioning because the shirt idea is cute but the execution is unfortunate.
Pros
-First and foremost, Sunna just gets to exist as an 8th grade girl and Gale, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for this!!
-Also, there's a random, unnamed second hijabi girl in one scene, and that was fantastic. We don't need a reason to exist in certain spaces and I love that the back of this girl is just there, taking up space and literally doing nothing else. AND she's not hanging out with Sunna. Because they don't have to be acquaintances or friends just because they're both hijabis. There are so many things Gale really knocked out of the park and this was one of them.
-Sunna has a hidden talent, a secret that she doesn't share with just anyone. The yo-yo scene (it's on the cover so it's not a spoiler, right?) in the middle of the book is glorious! Her face, the way she's 100% in the moment and into what she's doing. Her joy! And the fact that that joy is just a "normal kid" thing and not centering on being Muslim is so great.
-The ending was great! Everyone gets what they need, but they had to work for it.
-One of my absolute favorite things is regarding the "big issue" between Sunna and Cory. Cory messed up. Bad but believably for his age. Sunna is hurt and her reaction is realistic. Cory realizes immediately that he has messed up, and he goes through all the regular 8th grade kid things. Avoiding the issue, but missing his friend. And he tries to make it right. Sunna doesn't just let it go. There is time passing. A good amount of time and for me that was so huge. Not just for hijabis, but for MG age readers. To see a girl get hurt and she doesn't just shrug it off as soon as he's sorry. And she had moments where she thought about reaching out to him, then didn't respond because she wasn't ready. This sequence of events while Cory and Sunna continue living life is everything! This is a healthy reaction and resolution and I love that it wasn't scripted perfect, but it was also modeling good emotionally healthy responses. Cory didn't get out of hot water easily and that was amazing. He worked for it and Sunna gave him space to work on it and respected herself enough to set clear boundaries.
-The way she went to the lab teacher instead of setting that boundary directly was spot on.
-At no point was there ever a "let me see your hair" or "You don't have to wear that" moment. Her hijab is pretty much ignored the whole time, because it's part of who she is as a character and once again, bravo, Gale.
-The hijab is drawn properly and the clothes (aside from the green cat eye sweater) were well done. I love how this character is drawn. Her body language-confidence, joy, etc-was great, too.
-At first this pro was a con for me, but after thinking about it, I decided that this was the right thing to do. There is a point in the story where Sunna is sharing a memory with Cory. In the cutaway, Sunna is without her hijab for those scenes. At first, I wasn't a fan, but after thinking about it, this was the right choice-
1. We don't wear hijab at home so she shouldn't have it on
2. While she's a realistic character, she's not a real person so seeing her hair (in an appropriate moment) was not an issue.
3. This is going to be the first interaction a lot of non-Muslim readers have with a Graphic Novel hijabi. Without resorting to Islam 101 style breakdowns, readers see that hijabis aren't "forced" to wear it at all times, even in front of family like a lot of people mistakenly think. It's just a few pages, but it dispels a harmful stereotype. So this is under my pros. Since Sunna is a confident character, that further reiterates that hijabis who choose to wear hijab are not oppressed or brainwashed. It's our choice and Gale treats Sunna with the respect she deserves.
If you got this far, thank you for reading.
I'm enthusiastically recommending this book, but I'm hoping that anyone reading along will take the need for sensitivity readers to heart.
This book would've been a solid 5 star for me if the cons had been addressed pre-pub. They are easy fixes and judging by the care Gale took with the characters overall, I have no doubt Gale would've addressed the issues brilliantly without taking away from their wonderful story.
I don't think the onus to hire SRs should be on the writer, though. Sensitivity readers need to become a common part of the publishing process like editors. That's not to say that every book is ready for a sensitivity reader. But THIS book was. Gale has done the work and the cons were a matter of "research v lived experience" for me.
May 28, 2023
Eighth grader Cory is part of a tight friend group of dancers who practice every weekend. It's their last year of middle school and they want to make the most of this year- and hopefully win the annual winter Bronx Dance Battle! Unfortunately, Cory's parents aren't thrilled with his grades, and they hire a tutor three afternoons a week after school, cutting into his free time with his friend crew. Worse yet, his tutor turns out to be the best student in his grade, a girl named Sunna who he immediately clashes with. But then Cory realizes that Sunna also as a secret talent: she can throw a yo-yo like no one he's ever seen. The art in this book is fantastic, colorful and energetic, with beautiful panels capturing the movement of dance, running, yo-yo tricks, and physical humor. I had to set aside a little bit of disbelief that any eighth graders might be this motivated and organized; I've also seen a couple minor critics of the way Sunna, a hijab wearing Muslim character, was portrayed as attending a school dance and spending time tutoring Cory in his bedroom with the door closed. However, the overall tone of this book is so joyful, positive, warmhearted, and well-intentioned that I'd still absolutely recommend it.
November 12, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus or Netgalley
Eight children in a middle school work through the process of training to compete in a b-boying (breakdancing competition). Cory is struggling with school, and his parents threaten to ground him if he doesn't bring his grades up. They arrange for classmate Sunna to tutor him, but he is very rude to her. When he finds her at school doing yo yo tricks, he is intrigued, and the two establish a detente. Cory learns how to yo yo and improves his classwork, but his friendship with Sunna puts him at odds with his dance crew.
I would have liked a little more information on the dancing; I know that this is being classified as a sport and if included in the 2024 Olympics, but I'm not even sure what the correct term for the dancing is. Yo yos come back into popularity every so often. Galligan has also adapted several Baby-Sitters' Club graphic novels.
Eight children in a middle school work through the process of training to compete in a b-boying (breakdancing competition). Cory is struggling with school, and his parents threaten to ground him if he doesn't bring his grades up. They arrange for classmate Sunna to tutor him, but he is very rude to her. When he finds her at school doing yo yo tricks, he is intrigued, and the two establish a detente. Cory learns how to yo yo and improves his classwork, but his friendship with Sunna puts him at odds with his dance crew.
I would have liked a little more information on the dancing; I know that this is being classified as a sport and if included in the 2024 Olympics, but I'm not even sure what the correct term for the dancing is. Yo yos come back into popularity every so often. Galligan has also adapted several Baby-Sitters' Club graphic novels.
June 22, 2023
Kid's dance crew is thirsty to win the break dancing competition this year, because they're all in 8th grade and will split up to go to different high schools next year. Then kid's parents see his grades and ground him - AND insist that he get a tutor, who happens to be his annoying science lab partner.
Spoilerish (though it's on the cover): She's a great yoyo-er! He gets into a new hobby!
Fun J Graphic Novel that will appeal to Raina Telgemeier/realistic GN fans (with a little more edge and action). Galligan took over the Babysitter's Club GNs after Telgemeier moved on, so there's legit DNA crossover. Planning to take this out to middle schools next time I go.
Spoilerish (though it's on the cover): She's a great yoyo-er! He gets into a new hobby!
Fun J Graphic Novel that will appeal to Raina Telgemeier/realistic GN fans (with a little more edge and action). Galligan took over the Babysitter's Club GNs after Telgemeier moved on, so there's legit DNA crossover. Planning to take this out to middle schools next time I go.
May 12, 2023
soooo cute! I love the expressions
October 24, 2022
10/21/2022 4.5 stars. Finished reading it and immediately pressed it on my own middle schooler. Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
10/24/2022 This was my first Gale Galligan but y'all, I'm in love! From the sweet middle school shenanigans to the absolutely adorable art, I was all in for this story of young Corey Tan navigating eighth grade with old friends and interests and new.
Corey is not the greatest student, to the disappointment of his Filipino American parents. When his latest report card comes back with mostly Cs, his parents hire a tutor to help bring up his grades so he can do well on the upcoming high school placement tests. Trouble is, the tutor is Sunna, his annoying new lab partner. Sure she's top of their class, but Corey's frustration with her standoffish choice to do their partner-work solo and not give him a chance to even try the experiments spills over to their first tutorial session, leading to a huge fight overheard by his mother. Corey is swiftly grounded for being wildly disrespectful.
This is especially unfortunate because Corey's dance crew is practicing hard for what might be the last competition of their middle school career. Tess, their crew leader and choreographer, is super gung ho about winning, freaking out at any deviation from the steps she's assigned each member of Eight Bitz. Corey doesn't know how to tell them that he can't make it to rehearsals any more, a dilemma that's further complicated when he discovers Sunna's hidden talent at the yo-yo. Soon, she's bribing him with yo-yo lessons to do his actual tutorial work, even as a sweet friendship develops between them. But what will Corey do when his awkward attempts to integrate all the things and people he likes into his life goes horribly wrong, leaving everyone mad at him even as he's just honestly trying his best?
This was one of the sweetest yet most realistic depictions of how really freaking difficult middle school friendships can be. Even as I was reading it, I was recommending it to my own middle schooler. I especially appreciated how the relationship between Corey and Sunna wasn't a romance, tho the door wasn't entirely closed against that either. The many different kinds of friendship on display was really refreshing, as was the diversity of the cast and their interests.
And oh gosh, the art! The mildly anime style was perfect for this story, tho I freely admit to being a little annoyed at the amount of art that fell into the book's gutter, making it difficult to look at without pulling hard at the spine. And maybe that's just an issue with the advance reading copy I had (tho in about 90% of cases like these, ARC format issues carry over to finished copies.) Regardless, I squeed hard at the kids' cutest expressions throughout, and loved the magical framing of the characters really entering that flow state where they're 100% absorbed in their hobbies.
I also have to say, as a Muslim who grew up in a Muslim-majority country, it was nice to see an American main character who wore a hijab but wasn't a weird fundie about relating to other kids. It was really great that her main issue was growing up in her older brother's shadow instead of any arbitrary religious hang ups. It's always annoying to me when a woman wearing a hijab is automatically considered more hardline conservative than one who doesn't, as if Muslim culture is the same all over the world about things like the opposite sex, dancing or dressing up.
Freestyle by Gale Galligan was published October 18 2022 by Graphix and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
10/24/2022 This was my first Gale Galligan but y'all, I'm in love! From the sweet middle school shenanigans to the absolutely adorable art, I was all in for this story of young Corey Tan navigating eighth grade with old friends and interests and new.
Corey is not the greatest student, to the disappointment of his Filipino American parents. When his latest report card comes back with mostly Cs, his parents hire a tutor to help bring up his grades so he can do well on the upcoming high school placement tests. Trouble is, the tutor is Sunna, his annoying new lab partner. Sure she's top of their class, but Corey's frustration with her standoffish choice to do their partner-work solo and not give him a chance to even try the experiments spills over to their first tutorial session, leading to a huge fight overheard by his mother. Corey is swiftly grounded for being wildly disrespectful.
This is especially unfortunate because Corey's dance crew is practicing hard for what might be the last competition of their middle school career. Tess, their crew leader and choreographer, is super gung ho about winning, freaking out at any deviation from the steps she's assigned each member of Eight Bitz. Corey doesn't know how to tell them that he can't make it to rehearsals any more, a dilemma that's further complicated when he discovers Sunna's hidden talent at the yo-yo. Soon, she's bribing him with yo-yo lessons to do his actual tutorial work, even as a sweet friendship develops between them. But what will Corey do when his awkward attempts to integrate all the things and people he likes into his life goes horribly wrong, leaving everyone mad at him even as he's just honestly trying his best?
This was one of the sweetest yet most realistic depictions of how really freaking difficult middle school friendships can be. Even as I was reading it, I was recommending it to my own middle schooler. I especially appreciated how the relationship between Corey and Sunna wasn't a romance, tho the door wasn't entirely closed against that either. The many different kinds of friendship on display was really refreshing, as was the diversity of the cast and their interests.
And oh gosh, the art! The mildly anime style was perfect for this story, tho I freely admit to being a little annoyed at the amount of art that fell into the book's gutter, making it difficult to look at without pulling hard at the spine. And maybe that's just an issue with the advance reading copy I had (tho in about 90% of cases like these, ARC format issues carry over to finished copies.) Regardless, I squeed hard at the kids' cutest expressions throughout, and loved the magical framing of the characters really entering that flow state where they're 100% absorbed in their hobbies.
I also have to say, as a Muslim who grew up in a Muslim-majority country, it was nice to see an American main character who wore a hijab but wasn't a weird fundie about relating to other kids. It was really great that her main issue was growing up in her older brother's shadow instead of any arbitrary religious hang ups. It's always annoying to me when a woman wearing a hijab is automatically considered more hardline conservative than one who doesn't, as if Muslim culture is the same all over the world about things like the opposite sex, dancing or dressing up.
Freestyle by Gale Galligan was published October 18 2022 by Graphix and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
December 22, 2023
I enjoyed this book thoroughly!! I was so happy to see friendships between girls and boys be healthily represented as well as b-boying (which just became an olympic sport) and yoyo-ing being shown to kids who may not necessarily have seen it in their day to day lives. The friend drama and pressure of 8th grade is very real and relatable for kids and given the art style I think even grades 4-6 readers can enjoy it. The author does the art for the Babysitters Club graphic novel adaptations which are a hit for the age group so this will naturally catch their eyes.
It's not my place to talk about how Sunna is represented as a Muslim character and how some of her actions wouldn't be allowed for girls her age in real life as others have pointed out. But for my school populations I'm happy she is here and proudly on the cover.
It's not my place to talk about how Sunna is represented as a Muslim character and how some of her actions wouldn't be allowed for girls her age in real life as others have pointed out. But for my school populations I'm happy she is here and proudly on the cover.
August 15, 2023
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was number 3 in best books I’ve read all year!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEED to get my own copy of this! (I read ebook version) I’ve tried yo-yo-ing, but THAT is amazing!!!!!!
Good protagonist?✔️✔️(2 protagonists)
Good side characters?✔️
Good plot?✔️
Good problem?✔️
Good solution?✔️
Good illustrations?✔️✔️✔️they were so cute!
Good book over all?YESSYESYESYESYEYSYESYEYSYESYEYSYESYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who like yo-yo-s, dancing, or graphic novels!
Read this, and you’ll read it 50 more times
This was number 3 in best books I’ve read all year!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEED to get my own copy of this! (I read ebook version) I’ve tried yo-yo-ing, but THAT is amazing!!!!!!
Good protagonist?✔️✔️(2 protagonists)
Good side characters?✔️
Good plot?✔️
Good problem?✔️
Good solution?✔️
Good illustrations?✔️✔️✔️they were so cute!
Good book over all?YESSYESYESYESYEYSYESYEYSYESYEYSYESYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who like yo-yo-s, dancing, or graphic novels!
Read this, and you’ll read it 50 more times
March 24, 2023
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
First of all, who doesn't love the idea of a middle grade break dancing crew? Freestyle is a tender middle grade graphic novel about friendship. What I loved about Freestyle is that it examines when we have our "set" group of friends, but also find new ones. I think this lesson we have to learn as middle graders is huge. It's when we can become self-concious not only about ourselves, but things we've always done. There's something about sharing our friends and how that feels, which I think is a universal feeling for all of us.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/3-ba...
First of all, who doesn't love the idea of a middle grade break dancing crew? Freestyle is a tender middle grade graphic novel about friendship. What I loved about Freestyle is that it examines when we have our "set" group of friends, but also find new ones. I think this lesson we have to learn as middle graders is huge. It's when we can become self-concious not only about ourselves, but things we've always done. There's something about sharing our friends and how that feels, which I think is a universal feeling for all of us.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/3-ba...
August 2, 2022
Disclaimer: I picked up this book at the ALA conference. This book has so many important messages about acceptance, trial and error, inclusiveness, sibling rivalry, and cultural differences. My kids will love reading the story of Sunna and her interest in yo-yoing. I may have a new interest at my school. You never know...
January 3, 2023
Pretty good graphic about a kid trying to juggle all his different interests while attempting to maintain everyone's expectations. He fails but learns and his earnestness is really refreshing. I really liked it!
February 18, 2024
This is a pillar of middle grade school stories. Great engaging art, and consistent well paced writing. It’s cute and funny and will have something any zoomer can relate to in its depiction of the intricate web that is middle school drama. Mwah mwah mwah so good 🪀
September 2, 2022
I'm reviewing this one for School Library Connection. A starred review for sure. This graphic novel is 🔥🔥🔥
December 27, 2022
This was so stinking cute! <3
January 11, 2023
A fun and colorful GN about friendship, dance crews, yoyoing and acceptance. This one is going to fly off my shelves!
January 17, 2023
I love reading graphic novels before introducing them to my class! So many fun things and lessons in this book!
July 12, 2023
This tackled all the angst of middle-school years. Growing older and branching out to new friends and new interests is challenging! Galligan captured the vibe admirably.
August 15, 2023
Great story, great diversity! 5 star book!
December 13, 2023
Has all the elements of a good "Scholastic" middle grade graphic novel and I enjoyed it, but the pacing was really weird. Still, good book.
August 21, 2024
3.25, the art was vibrant and fun, I love the story and how simply it touched on important themes of friendship, honesty, and communication
January 2, 2023
This book was very cute, and the art was brilliant. Gale Galligan is one of my favorite artist, and I simply adore their style. The plot was simple, but sweet, and full of diversity. This is one of those books I would have enjoyed to the fullest extent as a younger person.
January 22, 2023
So much cool representation in this book that isn’t the focus of the story. This is a book about friendship, hard work, and learning to love new things and people. Loved it!
June 16, 2023
TW: patents with high grade expectations
Gale Galligan's art never ceases to make me feel fuzzy and warm inside, and their humour using expressions is second to none. Not the most thrilling plot, but with art and heart like this you can't go wrong.
Gale Galligan's art never ceases to make me feel fuzzy and warm inside, and their humour using expressions is second to none. Not the most thrilling plot, but with art and heart like this you can't go wrong.
December 1, 2022
This book is so great! Really fun, energetic page layouts, engaging story, excellent cartooning. A new middle-grade classic for sure.
July 31, 2024
Really incredible to me that only two people were responsible for all the art and story in this. It’s so bulletproof that professional teams couldn’t pull something off this seamlessly. Inspiring 🤩
Full review here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-FxR_...
Full review here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-FxR_...
September 24, 2023
Cory and his dance crew have the future looming before them where they will very likely have to break up. Everyone is going to a different high school and may not have time to continue dancing with the group. They have one last competition that the leader wants to do, but the leader becomes too intense with getting the dance moves **Perfect** and it really puts a damper on the fun of the group.
Meanwhile, Cory is also failing his classes and his parents make him get a tutor to help. It's none other than the weird girl, Sunna. Cory isn't happy about this at all until.... he comes across Sunna doing something he'd never seen before--yo-yoing. He becomes enthralled and makes friends with Sunna, though his crew isn't happy about it...
Miscommunication, frustration, and anger ensues as the group of pre-teens tries to figure out how to move forward with growing up and, possibly, growing apart.
I liked the artwork and how it did really well at putting movement into the dances and the yo-yoing. The characters were all styled uniquely, though I couldn't tell you the names of some of the group. I'm actually okay with that because they were background characters that didn't need a full history.
This was a good book to show your pre-teen that it's okay to make new friends and not to be afraid of what's to come.
Meanwhile, Cory is also failing his classes and his parents make him get a tutor to help. It's none other than the weird girl, Sunna. Cory isn't happy about this at all until.... he comes across Sunna doing something he'd never seen before--yo-yoing. He becomes enthralled and makes friends with Sunna, though his crew isn't happy about it...
Miscommunication, frustration, and anger ensues as the group of pre-teens tries to figure out how to move forward with growing up and, possibly, growing apart.
I liked the artwork and how it did really well at putting movement into the dances and the yo-yoing. The characters were all styled uniquely, though I couldn't tell you the names of some of the group. I'm actually okay with that because they were background characters that didn't need a full history.
This was a good book to show your pre-teen that it's okay to make new friends and not to be afraid of what's to come.
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