Speak Up!

August 1, 2022
An autistic middle schooler secretly becomes a viral music star in this thoughtful graphic novel by Burgess (Wiggles, Stomps, and Squeezes Calm My Jitters Down), a middle grade debut. Mia, who reads as white, uses headphones, a chew-necklace, and moments with a notebook to make it through school days plagued by persistent bullying and home life with a mother who would rather she mask than stim. Overstimulation makes Mia feel “overwhelmed... so when I try to speak, I can never find the words.” But in private with best friend Charlie, who reads as Black and nonbinary, she writes music and posts online videos of her mask-wearing alter ego, Elle-Q. When their latest collaboration suddenly goes viral, Charlie pressures Mia to publicly debut at a local talent show as Mia struggles to handle a bullying classmate—one who’s also obsessed with uncovering Elle-Q’s identity. Autistic creator Burgess employs jewel tones, emanata, and sketchbook-like renderings to portray the complexities of Mia’s sensory experiences, from the internal turbulence of meltdowns to profound joy in creativity and music. Intimate and inlaid with nuance, it’s an empowering look at self-acceptance, accommodation, and masking via the lens of one autistic experience. Ages 8–12. Agent: Britt Siess, Britt Siess Creative.

September 16, 2022

Gr 4-8-Mia learns how to speak up and allow her true self to emerge in this warm coming-of-age graphic novel. At 12 years old, Mia loves music. She likes to write poems and song lyrics, and her best friend, Charlie, shares her interests. Mia is also autistic, and sometimes fitting in is difficult. Her mother urges her to suppress particular behaviors, including stimming, in public. Even so, children in school make fun of her. Meanwhile, Laura and the other mean girls are all super excited about music videos from Elle-Q, an anonymous singer whose songs are going viral online. They don't know that Elle-Q is really Mia, singing her lyrics to music Charlie has written for them. The opportunity to go live at a local talent show is in Mia and Charlie's reach, but will Mia's fear of being in the spotlight get in the way? While there is a lot going on in this story, it all comes together in a heartwarming conclusion. The artwork really pops, with expressive illustrations that spill over the panels and colors that brighten the page. VERDICT A heartwarming and fun graphic novel, recommended where realistic fiction is popular.-Esther Keller

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2022
Mia, the twelve-year-old protagonist of this accessible graphic novel, keeps to herself in school and is bullied over her autism. But she shines as Elle-Q, an alter ego known only to her friend Charlie, with whom she makes music videos that have gained an online following. Laura, who's among the class bullies at first, is a huge Elle-Q fan, and a friendship gradually develops between her and Mia over what's ostensibly just a shared fandom. (Though the girls take some time to figure this out, they both have secret online identities.) Pressure from Charlie to make the act more public than Mia feels ready for complicates matters and adds to her sense of being overwhelmed. Mia's increasing eagerness to be -- and to advocate for -- herself is encouraging, as is the casual diversity among the other characters (light-skinned Mia's classmates have a variety of skin tones; Charlie is dark-skinned and nonbinary). Varied page layouts in the digital illustrations hold interest, with panel boundaries especially breaking at moments of strong emotion -- and when Mia feels free as Elle-Q. Shoshana Flax

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from July 15, 2022
Middle schooler Mia is autistic--and a secret viral pop sensation. Mia, a 12-year-old White girl, struggles to fit in at school. Mia would be happy to just be herself, stims and all, but the other students have trouble understanding her and even bully her, and her mother is full of strategies to help her attempt to mask her autism. Unbeknownst to anyone but her best friend, Charlie, who is Black and presents as nonbinary, Mia posts music videos online under the pseudonym Elle-Q. Coincidentally, one of her biggest fans is also one of her biggest real-life bullies, Laura. This graphic novel by an autistic author/illustrator is a loving depiction of one young person's experience of autism. Though she may struggle with some of her emotions, Mia does not suffer because of her autism. Rather than a fix, she needs acceptance and accommodation. The novel is also kind to the other characters, touching upon their internal lives and what leads them to their ableist behavior. As Mia grows and begins to self-advocate, most of the other characters also grow and at least begin to accept Mia for who she is. Despite being a vehicle for these important lessons, the story doesn't feel serious or preachy. The full-color art is a bit flat but nevertheless cute and expressive, and the panels are easy to follow. A fun, sweet story about being oneself. (Graphic fiction. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2022
Mia, the twelve-year-old protagonist of this accessible graphic novel, keeps to herself in school and is bullied over her autism. But she shines as Elle-Q, an alter ego known only to her friend Charlie, with whom she makes music videos that have gained an online following. Laura, who's among the class bullies at first, is a huge Elle-Q fan, and a friendship gradually develops between her and Mia over what's ostensibly just a shared fandom. (Though the girls take some time to figure this out, they both have secret online identities.) Pressure from Charlie to make the act more public than Mia feels ready for complicates matters and adds to her sense of being overwhelmed. Mia's increasing eagerness to be -- and to advocate for -- herself is encouraging, as is the casual diversity among the other characters (light-skinned Mia's classmates have a variety of skin tones; Charlie is dark-skinned and nonbinary). Varied page layouts in the digital illustrations hold interest, with panel boundaries especially breaking at moments of strong emotion -- and when Mia feels free as Elle-Q.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)