Wires Crossed

February 15, 2024
A 13-year-old navigates middle school's constantly shifting social dynamics. Everything is changing for STEM-loving Mia. Her best friend, Addy, has been pulling away, seemingly more concerned with elevating her social standing. When Mia hears that Tariq, her bestie from science camp, is moving to her town, she's initially excited--until she sees that Tariq has shed his bespectacled boyish look and is now confoundingly cute and sporty. Mia is suddenly keenly aware that her family (fanboy father, coupon-clipping mother, and insect-loving little brother), who once seemed lovably quirky, now embarrass her. When a teacher announces the school's Science Olympics, Mia and Tariq decide to team up with artsy Kinsey and disorganized Evan. But the group's dynamics begin to erode: Could Tariq and Kinsey like each other? As the school's first dance and the Science Olympics near, Mia must reconcile first crushes, friendship squabbles, and the daily ups and downs of the constantly changing landscape of middle school. Fantaskey's endearing stand-alone graphic novel captures the gentle angst of this age with pitch-perfection, combining empathetic characters with gentle humor that's reminiscent of the work of Kayla Miller and Raina Telgemeier. Vivid full-color illustrations in tidily arranged panels highlight facial expressions, emphasizing the characters' emotions throughout. Mia's dad has brown skin and straight black hair; her light-skinned mom is blond and blue-eyed, and there's racial diversity in the supporting cast. An achingly authentic and relatable examination of adolescent friendship. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2024
An enjoyable graphic novel about friendship, growing up, and all-things-engineering. Thirteen-year-old Mia is excited when her science-camp buddy, Tariq, transfers to her middle school. This turns quickly to anxiety when she discovers that her once-shy friend has blossomed into a cute, confident soccer star. Nevertheless, the two team up to compete in their school's Science Olympics (the plan: design and build an articulated snake-bot). Tension builds as the competition approaches and Mia's best friend, Addy, now hanging out with one of the mean girls, exerts pressure on Mia to act differently ("maybe you should try a little harder to fit in") and to ask Tariq to the school dance. As Mia's confidence wavers, her engineer grandmother reminds her that "some of the luckiest -- and smartest -- people never grow up" and that imagination and creativity can lead to innovation and problem-solving, especially when things don't go as planned. The cartooning is easy to scan, with establishing shots providing context for subsequent panels that use simplified, color-filled backgrounds. The quirky cast, including a sci-fi-loving dad, coupon-cutting scientist mom, and an ant-obsessed sibling, add humor and liveliness to Fantaskey's narrative, which is jam-packed with science references. Elisa Gall

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from May 1, 2024

Gr 5 Up-While 13-year-old Mia was busy getting braces, glasses, and the world's worst haircut, her science camp bestie Tariq was busy glowing up. When Tariq's mom's job is transferred to Mia's town, she rejoices at the idea of attending school with Tariq, especially since her school best friend Addy has been exploring new friendships this year. Even though Tariq juggles commitments with the popular soccer clique, he still joins a team with Mia and some other friends to build a robot to compete in the Science Olympics. Fantaskey expertly crafts a coming-of-age story that tackles friendship, jealousy, and self-love. Readers will be charmed by Mia's quirky family, especially her wild little brother and genius live-in grandmother. The relatable scenarios and relationships will draw readers in and keep them engaged in this page-turner. Visually, Jones brings the characters to life with vibrant cartoon illustrations and dynamic panels. VERDICT A must-read graphic novel that will draw fans of Jerry Craft's New Kid and Raina Telgemeier's Smile. This book belongs on library shelves everywhere.-Angie Jameson

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2024
An enjoyable graphic novel about friendship, growing up, and all-things-engineering. Thirteen-year-old Mia is excited when her science-camp buddy, Tariq, transfers to her middle school. This turns quickly to anxiety when she discovers that her once-shy friend has blossomed into a cute, confident soccer star. Nevertheless, the two team up to compete in their school's Science Olympics (the plan: design and build an articulated snake-bot). Tension builds as the competition approaches and Mia's best friend, Addy, now hanging out with one of the mean girls, exerts pressure on Mia to act differently ("maybe you should try a little harder to fit in") and to ask Tariq to the school dance. As Mia's confidence wavers, her engineer grandmother reminds her that "some of the luckiest -- and smartest -- people never grow up" and that imagination and creativity can lead to innovation and problem-solving, especially when things don't go as planned. The cartooning is easy to scan, with establishing shots providing context for subsequent panels that use simplified, color-filled backgrounds. The quirky cast, including a sci-fi-loving dad, coupon-cutting scientist mom, and an ant-obsessed sibling, add humor and liveliness to Fantaskey's narrative, which is jam-packed with science references.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)