GIRL STORIES

Presented as a graphic novel, this enthusiastic “I-want-people-to-like-me” memoir comes across as a frantic jumble of panels lacking cohesion. Merging several art techniques, the work displays color panels drawn over a period of seven years and formatted into a longer, horizontally shaped volume. Juvenile drawings contradict dialogue balloons containing rough words, a style which raises questions about the age level of the intended audience. For the majority of the pages, artwork is branded by broad strokes with minimal detail creating an almost childish tone. On the other hand, several sections contain extensively detailed close-up illustrations of characters’ facial expressions. Forming a chronology of the author’s teen years, several sections may spark readers’ interest, such as giving Barbie dolls a twisted makeover and a dysfunctional family Thanksgiving, but these moments become lost in the many frames of over-the-top teen angst. Not essential, but a possible purchase for larger graphic-novel collections. (Graphic novel. YA)