Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Skim by Mariko Tamaki, drawings by Jillian Tamaki


I received this young adult graphic novel yesterday through Junior Library Guild and figured it would be a quick read. For a graphic novel, it wasn't. Lots of words and lots of concentration required on my part. I'm trying to become a better graphic novel reader, really, I am. I know I'm supposed to do more than just read the words, so I'm trying to really "read" the pictures. But it's difficult.

However, I enjoyed this read. Kim (or "Skim") is a girl at a private school who doesn't quite fit in. She's Goth--kind of. She's Wiccan--kind of. And she doesn't care when a popular guy at school commits suicide. And she doesn't really care when his girlfriend breaks both arms "falling" off a roof. Kim's best friend isn't much a friend. And then Kim gets a crush on a teacher. And the teacher lets things go on a little too long, gets scared, and moves away. But Kim is crushed and finds a new friend to help her manage.

Kim is a typical kid, and that's one reason why I enjoyed this tale. Her parents are divorced and her mother swears that work is more fulfilling than marriage. Her father is dating someone who makes ceramic mugs. The guidance counselor at school thinks that Goth kids require more counseling because they embrace death. The Wiccan group turns out to be an AA meeting. And the list goes on.

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