Brave (Berrybrook Middle School, 2)

by Svetlana Chmakova

Paperback, 2017

Status

Available

Call number

741.5

Series

Berrybrook Middle School (2)

Genres

Graphic Novels and Comics

Comics

Graphic Novels

Publication

JY (2017), Edition: Illustrated, 248 pages

Description

"In his daydreams, Jensen is the biggest hero that ever was, saving the world and his friends on a daily basis. But his middle school reality is VERY different - math is hard, getting along with friends is hard...Even finding a partner for the class project is a big problem when you always get picked last. And the pressure's on even more once the school newspaper's dynamic duo, Jenny and Akilah, draw Jensen into the whirlwind of school news, social experiment projects, and behind-the-scenes club drama. Jensen's always played the middle school game one level at a time, but suddenly, someone's cranked up the difficulty setting. Will those daring daydreams of his finally work in his favor, or will he have to find real solutions to his real life problems?"--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member paula-childrenslib

Cataloged as YGN
Might be not appealing to boys because the illustrations are pastels

9 more

LibraryThing member SheilaCornelisse

A fantastic approach to dealing with the bullying epidemic in middle and high school. Jensen, an overweight daydreamer who finds it difficult to make friends and do math, is trying to survive Middle School. Suddenly ignored by his "friends" in the art club, and continuously harassed by the school

bullies, Jensen is forced to face the fact that he is being victimized. With unexpected support from some of his classmates, Jensen learns to take control. Highly recommended. Will be making its way to the shelves of my school library.

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LibraryThing member Lake_Oswego_UCC

Graphic novel tells the story of middle schooler Jensen and his difficulties as he attempts to avoid bullies and moves through different social groups at school.

LibraryThing member emeraldreverie

I really liked this. The art is charming, the story touching and well-handled.

LibraryThing member Salsabrarian

Jensen Graham is a chubby underachiever with big dreams of saving the world from zombies and sunspots, and becoming an astronaut at NASA. But first, he has to navigate the perils of middle school. He's not quite a fit with any social group at school although he hangs on the fringes of the art club

and the newspaper club. He's bullied and teased mercilessly, yet fumbles his way forward, awkwardly drawing on a small reserve of bravery and reveling in every minor social achievement and compliment. Jensen's travails are wrenching and painful; you just want him to be okay and find his kindred spirits. At book's end, Jensen, and likely many readers, recognizes his peers have issues too and that he can be part of the change he wants to see in the world.

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LibraryThing member foggidawn

Jensen thinks of every day at Berrybrook Middle School like a video game. He has to pass each level, avoiding the monsters that lurk in the halls. Lucky for him, he has art club, plus some new friends at the school newspaper. Jensen wouldn't say he was being bullied -- sure, there are a couple of

guys who like to call him names and shove him around a little, but he's usually able to avoid them. And yeah, some of the kids at art club make jokes about his hobbies and interests -- but it doesn't count as bullying if they're your friends, right? (Pro tip: it totally counts.) As Jensen starts to realize that there is a culture of bullying at Berrybrook, he begins to wonder: is there something that he could do to change the way things are?

Chmakova does a great job of capturing middle school in all of its messiness. Though this is the second book in a series, it stands alone just fine, making it perfect to recommend for those looking for books on the topic of bullying. However, if you're just looking for more great graphic novels for readers who have enjoyed Telgemeier, Jamieson, and others, I'd recommend all of Chmakova's books.

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LibraryThing member reader1009

children's middlegrade graphic novel (main characters are in middle school, but younger 4th-6th graders would also enjoy and probably relate). Positive and empowering storyline (dealing with the usual middle school struggles: bullying/meanness, making new friends, and also needing afterschool

tutoring) and a beautifully diverse cast (in terms of ethnicities, body types, and abilities)--I couldn't have hoped for more and will certainly be reading more of Chmakova's books from now on. #weneeddiversebooks

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LibraryThing member jennybeast

I think I liked this one even more than Awkward, if that's possible. Jensen -- always daydreaming, frequently harassed, looking for connections and trying to figure out if it's better to be invisible or not. I like that he starts to find his way, in a believable way, and with a little encouragement.

LibraryThing member acargile

I really enjoyed this graphic novel.

Jensen possesses a very optimistic vision of the disastrous future. He's ready for a zombie apocalypse or whatever might befall, for he has a plan! What he fails to prepare himself for are the bullies and the mean comments friends make in the guise of "kidding."

He often finds himself on the outskirts of groups--not excluded necessarily on purpose but more as an afterthought where there's no more room. He finds it unusual that he's asked to be interviewed by the newspaper staff. He fails to find time to read the article they want him to read, only to discover it's about why people bully others. He doesn't realize how badly people treat him. He begins to answer the questions and realizes he does hide from certain people and maybe he is, indeed, a victim.

Good things do happen to him. He finds a super nice guy to be his partner for a project in a class and realizes that this guy watches out for other students. If someone is treated badly, he steps in. The bullies seems to back down when he's around. Jensen finds several good people as he realizes that some people he thinks are friends often say mean things to him. As he looks around, he wonders if he has any true friends.

Jensen lives in his own world at the beginning; his imagination carries him away and he fails to pay attention to the here and now, imagining a future where he saves the day. He also elevates his own abilities. He keeps saying, "I'll do that," but then he fails to make the time to get it done. He forgets. He's capable, but he doesn't have the organizational skills necessary. I really liked the psychological theory introduced as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel.

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LibraryThing member nilaffle

Wow I didn't expect this, but I liked it even more thank AWKWARD! Hah well maybe not more, AWKWARD is pretty good. But BRAVE did make me teary-eyed. Svetlana hits so many story notes so beautifully, and I love how she showcases diversity in the cast. Definitely a must for middle-grade bookshelves.

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