Isn't starting sixth grade in a new school where you don't know anyone hard enough without everyone around you pairing off into romantic relationships? It's autumn on Peapod Farm, and Jen's stepsister Andy's crush on their neighbor's nephew is making everything om planning an eerie Halloween hayride to visiting the county fair re complicated. Why does having a boyfriend mean friendships have to change? This follow-up to Stepping Stones (2020) makes great use of Knisley's experience writing memoirs: the anger and hurt feelings of tweens being interpreted as drama by adults, the insecurity of suddenly being less a friend and more a third wheel, and the jolt of euphoria when you find a kindred spirit are all skillfully depicted in the dialogue and the art, where just a slight change in facial features adds layers to the story. Everyone who remembers what it was like to be a middle-schooler d certainly tweens themselves e likely to find something to identify with. Fingers crossed for more seasons spent at Peapod Farm.

A 12-year-old girl adjusts to her first year of middle school in this sequel to Stepping Stones (2020).Fall has come to Peapod Farm, where Jen lives with her mom and her mom's boyfriend, Walter, whose daughters, Andy and Reese, spend weekends on the farm. Andy and Jen have gotten jobs helping their neighbors (two White men whose relationship is undefined) at Fisher Dairy Farm run their annual pumpkin patch, complete with haunted hayride. Jen and Mr. Fisher's nephew Eddie share interests, but it's Andy who has a crush on Eddie; Jen is busy dreading the transition to a new school and is not yet interested in romance. Knisley does a stellar job capturing the confusion of middle school and exploring how children grapple with challenges like divorce and blended families. School is tough for Jen, but her artistic talents help her make friends, and when she sticks up for herself and her sort-of stepsister, she realizes she's not the only one struggling. The graphic-novel format allows the characters to display a full range of emotions without sacrificing plot. The full-color artwork is energetic and engaging, though an illustration of a structure that resembles a Native American wigwam being used as a play fort may be a questionable choice. The book portrays a diverse community without race being an issue; the main cast is White, and some secondary and background characters are brown skinned.Warm, fortifying, and cozy-like a drink of apple cider. (author's note) (Graphic novel. 8-14)