I have a student this year that is really into graphic novels. She asks me almost every day if I have anything new to read. When the answer is yes, she devours whatever it is in record time and rereads it a time or two for good measure. She's been through all the graphic novels in my classroom library and the school library. She is a reader, through and through. Accordingly, I've been buying up new books for her to enjoy a few at a time since the school year began. One of those was Bad Sister, a graphic novel/memoir by Cherise Mericle Harper.
The plot of the novel is pretty simple. It is centered around the relationship between young siblings Cherise and Daniel as they are growing up together. Cherise struggles with feelings of jealousy and sibling rivalry and is often mean to Daniel. They bicker and fight frequently, and Cherise continually feels guilty about it. She knows that she's being a bad sister to him, but she has a lot of trouble controlling her impulses. When she goes too far one day and accidentally injures him, she goes through a crisis of conscience and must figure out how to build a healthier relationship with her brother.
This was a very basic story, but it was enjoyable to read and amazingly realistic. Anyone who grew up with a sibling will probably see themselves in the silly fights and semi-dangerous antics Cherise and Daniel get up to. The storyline itself isn't too exciting, but the sheer relatability makes this a sweet read that is perfect for a middle grades audience.
The art style in this actually wasn't my favorite. It definitely got the job done and looked fine, but it didn't stand out as anything especially great or beautiful to me. I usually don't have any issues with that aspect of graphic novels, so the fact that it stood out as something I wasn't wild about felt a little weird to me. That's a very minor criticism though, as I did enjoy the novel overall.
After I finished reading this, I passed it onto my student. She read it twice in the same day, so I'd say that it's a great choice for middle grade readers that enjoy realistic fiction. It makes you think quite a bit as well. I was definitely reflecting as I was reading on how I wasn't the best big sister growing up either. I wouldn't say that this is worth picking up as an adult, but it was a very heartfelt story that is perfect for its intended audience.
On a side note, with this novel, I am officially finished with my Goodreads Reading Challenge of 50 books for 2021!
Challenge Tally
Clear the Shelves 2021: 25/50 (donate)
Total Books Read in 2021: 50
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So, what do you think?