Review by Booklist Review
During the second semester of her eighth-grade year, Christina is sure her life is everything she wants it to be, everything that is, except for being part of the cheerleading squad. And that her parents are splitting up. And that she has a crush on a boy who already has a girlfriend. And that maybe being half white and half Thai means she's only half a person. An avid classic movie buff, Christina decides that the show must go on, keeping her feelings to herself and acting like everything is fine. But between trying out for the freshman cheerleading squad, juggling different groups of friends, and trying to get her parents back together, pretending to be fine isn't at all like it seems in the movies. Picking up soon after The Tryout (2022) ends, Soontornvat's words and Cacao's art work together seamlessly to bring to light the different ways adults and tweens communicate and view the world. A solid addition to the middle-grade graphic memoir genre.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
Soontornvat's graphic-memoir adventures (The Tryout, rev. 11/22) continue as she enters her second semester of eighth grade. She's still one of the few Asian American students in her small Texas town and still longs to be a cheerleader, but many things are changing; she and best friend Megan now include classmate Leanne in their group; she is close with the kids in her art class; and most notably, her parents are getting divorced. Despite the upheaval at home, Christina tries out for the cheerleading squad and makes the team. But with a new routine and social circle, she faces even more changes; and bottling up her resentment and sadness makes her uncharacteristically bitter and mean. In this second installment, Soontornvat lays bare the difficulties of girlhood, showing both vulnerability and growth, in an approachable text accompanied by lively illustrations. Ultimately, the lesson is finding strength in community: "I didn't need life to be perfect...I just needed my squad." Gabi Kim HuescaJanuary/February 2025 p.106 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Christina and her friends are back, this time trying out for the ninth grade cheerleading squad. It's 1994 in small-town Texas, and Christina's second semester of eighth grade isalmost perfect. Her classes are interesting, her friends are great, and she's looking forward to a fun art project, but she still longs to be a cheerleader. Christina and her two best friends, Megan and Leanne, learn all the routines and dream of what being cheerleaders would mean. When three spots for the ninth grade squad open up, a more confident Christina and her friends go through the intense tryouts again. But Christina's life falls apart when she overhears her parents talking about divorce. Even though she's going through a taxing time, she puts on a smile and pushes on with cheer, hoping to make her life movie-perfect. While cheerleading is a major component of Soontornvat's funny, relatable, stand-alone graphic memoir companion toThe Tryout (2022), the story also explores divorce, friend drama, a first crush, racism, and microaggressions. As someone who's Thai and white and feels like she doesn't fully belong to any one community, Christina continues to struggle with identity, especially after her parents' split. Pranks and jokes add levity to this emotional story. Cacao's bright, sharply rendered illustrations highlight the characters' expressions and add context about the '90s and the various cultural elements. Another hilarious and sincere look at a middle schooler's search for her squad. (author's note, photos)(Graphic memoir. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
