No one gets Riley Mayes. She's got a goofy sense of humor, is more "dude-ish'' than girly, would rather draw than do almost anything else, and she's a huge fan of comedian Joy Powers. When her mother challenges her to find someone who does understand her, Riley connects with Cate, a girl just as imaginative as she is, and Aaron, the new kid, who thinks her jokes are funny. But there are some things that Riley doesn't get, like why Cate wants to stay friends with mean girl Whitney, who calls Riley a "lesbo"; how Aaron's two dads knew they were in love; and why, when people talk about having crushes, it sounds just like how she feels for Joy Powers. There is a lot going on in this story nding real friends, first crushes, discovering gender identity d all of it is handled tenderly and with respect for each of the main characters. Riley sounds like an exuberant fifth grader and the cartoon artwork portrays her and her friends that way, too. A fun, funny story that rings true.

Fifth grade isn't my kinda vibe,

Riley Mayes is having a rough time in fifth grade.She desperately wants to attend drawing classes at the art barn, a studio for creative kids, but her rambunctious energy has already caused the school to send home three notes about her behavior-and it's only September. Riley is a little goofy, a bit of a free spirit, and heavily inspired by her idol, sketch comedian Joy Powers. After Riley despairs that no one understands her, her mother challenges her to seek out friends who do get her and promises to sign her up for art classes if she keeps her grades up and stays out of trouble at school. Riley reaches out to new student Aaron and friendly classmate Cate, and with their support, she attempts to navigate schoolwork, social groups, and bullying over her gender presentation, all while coming to terms with her feelings for Joy Powers. There's a lot going on, but the story handles the plot points well, and readers-especially fans of Jeff Kinney and Amy Ignatow-will love the mixture of realism and imagination that fuels Riley's world. Readers may question Joy Powers' humor-sketch comedy doesn't translate well to graphic-novel format-but the expressive illustrations capture Riley's joy when she's thinking about her hero. Aaron and one of his fathers appear Black; all other main characters read as White.This story is real-and really great! (Graphic fiction. 8-12)