Awkward

Penelope is the new kid in school, trying to keep out of the way of the mean kids, when she's immediately picked on as being the "nerder girlfriend" of Jaime. She reacts by being mean in turn to Jaime, a decision she quickly regrets, but she can't seem to pull herself together to apologize to him.

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Playing to her strengths, Penelope joins the art club in making a comic strip for the school's newspaper. It turns out that the art club's archenemy is the science club, of which Jaime is a member ... talk about awkward for Penelope. Will Penelope make up with Jaime? And will the art club and the science club ever get along?

This book is a light and quick read. It could probably be read in a single sitting, but the author helpfully includes chapters for readers who need to take a break. The story, with its emphasis on friendship and working in cooperation, is a good one for middle schoolers. However, the details are a little light; for instance, we never learn why Penelope just moved in to town. On the one hand, that keeps this book short and breezy; on the other hand, the characters and story just don't feel a hundred percent well-rounded or completely realistic.

My big grippe with this book is that the illustration style is much more like a Japanese manga than an American graphic novel. There's not wrong with that in and of itself, but the cover doesn't give that impression. Personally, it's not a style I like; the over-the-top exaggerated faces give the book a level of silliness that I don't care for, especially when some darker topics do come up (e.g., Penelope's friend who, along with her mother, flee from their house overnight when her father becomes too threatening). On the plus side, through the illustrations we see a wide cast of characters with all kinds of diversity (religious, ethnic, ability/disability, etc.). I particularly loved the science teacher; however, on the flip side, the art teacher's inability to do even basic tasks was over the top and frustrating to see. (He was the only character who seemed like a sitcom stereotype.)

All in all, a solid read for kids in upper elementary school and junior high.

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When Peppi's first day at her new middle school goes embarrassingly wrong, she finds solace by fitting in with the Art Club. Her increasing guilt eventually leads to a tentative friendship with Jaime, a member of the rival Science Club. That friendship is tested when the two clubs face off in a

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competition that gets nasty fast. Will Peppi choose her Art Club buddies over her friendship with Jaime or can she find a solution that will benefit them all?

A fun graphic novel with a great multicultural cast and a good message (actually, several) without being pedantic and preachy. The art is clean and done in mostly muted colors, the characters are very expressive, and the panels are easy to follow. Highly recommended! JF

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When new girl Peppi joins the art club, she doesn’t realize the deep and ongoing feud they have with the Science Club. When the two clubs must compete for space at a school fair, the competition is fierce. Complicating things is the fact that Peppi embarrassed herself by tripping over and yelling

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at quiet Jaime, a nerdy science club member. The two clubs are more similar than they think, and both have to be creative in order to win the competition. Peppi’s trial of fitting in and having her first crush is adorably illustrated in this graphic novel that captures the essence of the middle school experience.

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Nicely illustrated graphic novel (with a strangely muted color palate) telling the story of Peppi at her school. Specifically, in her desperate search for how to apologize for a big mistake she made on the first day of school, when she pushed down a quiet boy (Jamie) who was trying to help her...

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and in a battle between her beloved Art Club and its arch-enemy, the Science Club, as only one of the two will be granted a table at the school fair.
Peppi and Jamie are both delightful characters, perfectly illustrated for this story. Apart from a couple of bullies that only make a few brief appearances, the conflict in the story is all between the two clubs, and in Peppi's search for doing the right thing, even when it's hard.

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First-rate graphic novel that deals with the perils of middle school, the desire to fit in and the moral dilemma between choosing to do the right thing versus the popular thing. The artwork is expressive and bright with great little details. The author has even placed a bunch of raccoon faces

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throughout the story for readers to find. Loved the humor, the sincerity, and the message.

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This is a quintessential middle school story about finding your voice and tribe. Peppi loves the art club, but she isn't really confident despite having good ideas. She is mean to Jaime the first day of school, and she deeply regrets it but has a hard time working up the nerve to apologize. There

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is a feud between the art club and the science club, so bad that it gets both groups in trouble. They have to find a way to work together in order to get back their groups and Peppi and Jaime are instrumental in that process.

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This is a better than usual graphic novel. The main character, Peppi, trips and falls on her first day in a new school. A quiet boy, Jaime, tries to help her pick up her books, but because of the reaction of the other students (calling him a nerd) she pushes him away, yelling, "Leave me alone!" She

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spends much of the rest of the book regretting her actions and trying to find a way to apologize to him. In her attempts to fit in a new school, she joins the Art Club, in direct competition with the Science Club, of which Jaime is a member. This book covers the topics of bullying, doing the right thing, and believing in yourself. The characters are fairly well developed and the topics would appeal to 4th or 5th graders. I particularly enjoyed the addition of notes from the author at the end of this book where she told about how she got interested in drawing comics, and how she actually put this book together--text script and the drawing process.

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This book really gets what it's like to start at a new school. I loved the vibrant illustrations and subtle humor. It's a very enjoyable read and I would suggest it as a gift for a girl or boy in middle school or a person who is interested in creating graphic novels. The author includes

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step-by-step instructions of her writing and drawing process at the end of the book that are simple to understand and fun to read.

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Penelope is new at Berrybrook Middle School. She's sensitive and self-conscious like most teens and she's horrified that she has yet to apologize to Jaime for pushing him to the ground on her first day. Like any middle school, there's plenty of angst and drama among the kids but there's a

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cheerfulness to the work that brings out the humor of the sturm und drang. Everything comes together on a cooperative note and Penelope finally finds her voice and place at Berrybrook.

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Dayum~ I love this. Sorry it wasn't around when my artist/scientist/nerd daughter was in public school.....

After shunning Jaime, the school nerd, on her first day at a new middle school, Penelope Torres tries to blend in with her new friends in the art club, until the art club goes to war with the science club, of which Jaime is a member.

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova is a graphic novel about surviving going to a new school. The first rule is not to get noticed by the mean kids. The second rule is to seek out groups with similar interests and join them. When the main character, Penelope, accidentally trips a quiet boy in the hall,

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the mean kids call her "nerder girlfriend." She shoves the boy she tripped and runs away. She is ashamed of how she treated him and things become awkward between them. At the end of the book, there is a third rule to follow build - "Build things. Build friendships. Build yourself" (Chmakova 210). This book sets a wonderful example for older elementary school students to follow and teach them to get along with people and have positive thoughts about themselves and others.

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Enjoyable! Cute story, good art and characters, fun conflict and resolution.

I really enjoyed reading Awkward. I think graphic novels, this book especially, are great for kids who are apprehensive readers. I also think this would be a great book for students who do not have strong comprehension skills because it is really relatable and it could be easy for them to make text

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to self connections.
The book’s protagonist is a girl named Penelope, who is a new student at her middle school. She mentions that “Cardinal Rules for Surviving School” as to not get noticed by the mean kids and seek out groups with similar interests and join them. For Penelope, that group is the Art Club. She mentions a third rule at the end of the book, but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. This third rule does prove to be an all encompassing theme for the book.
The author, Svetlana Chmakova included one small conflict in the story that I found to be very interesting and unique. Penelope’s friend, Maribella parents seem to be in an unhealthy relationship. When Penelope is over her house Maribella father says, “Ahhh, I’m so glad you take after me and not your lazy bxxxx mother (Chmakova 104).” I don’t often see language or comments like that in young adult literature but I found it to be refreshing. Depicting families as perfect is unrealistic and some readers may be able to connect to Maribella and her parents rocky relationship.

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I thought this was a great story and super illustrations throughout the book. At first I thought the girl was annoyingly awkward (ha ha get it from the title?) but after that it got so much better! She got out of her awkwardness and really shined through. Definitely a great read for teens on how to

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deal with bullying and friendship while in middle or high school.

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This was such a cute graphic novel that talks about the way students feel at school trying to be accepted by others. The main character loves art but the science club is out to get them. The drawings and storyline are perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing. I would recommend it for any new

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students or middle school students to read.

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Usually this book is passed from student to student and checked out. However, the last student put it into my book bin to be checked back in and I snagged it. I will tell you from the beginning I am not a big graphics fan. Every student who has read this has told me I need to read it. I agree with

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them, it was great.

This could have been taken right out of my classroom. I am always hearing students talking about what course is best. We have those students who will argue until they are blue, that art is the best subject. Then we have those students who love the sciences, or math, or English.

The characters face the very things students new to our school or new to middle school face. They worry about bullying, making friends, family problems, will their teachers like them or will they like their teachers. This is what made this book ring true. The author took a lot of time to flesh out her characters. These are some of the most diverse characters I have seen in a book. I loved this book and understand why all the students kept recommending it to me.

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This book is about a girl named Penelope. She is off to middle school and thinks the only way to fit in is by following the social norms. She then breaks one of those norms and becomes a "nerd". She eventually realizes that you can be whoever you want to be and don't need to follow any social

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norms. I think this is a cute book that would really relate to a lot of middle school students. I think this would be a great book to read in a ELAR class.

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A seriously awesome graphic novel that covers so many different things -- bullying, social anxiety, the weird art vs. science feud, parental pressure, and more. The artwork is beautiful and the story is highly relatable with a positive message.