By Maureen Tai, 30 November 2024

Many graphic novels for children and young adults that I’ve been reading as a judge for the 2024 Cybils Awards are about new beginnings at new schools. One of my favourite books in this category, How It All Ends by Emma Hunsinger (ages 12+), is a brilliantly executed, belly-achingly hilarious and cleverly illustrated tale of 13-year-old Tara’s premature jump from middle school to high school. Skipping grade nine doesn’t seem that big a deal to the wildly imaginative and high-performing teen … until the first day of school arrives. Tara is swept into a heaving crowd of chaotic high school bodies and even more chaotic behaviours, armed only with a school map hastily drawn by her best friend and older sister, Isla, and accompanied by her bearded ex-middle school classmate, Jessup, who clings to Tara like she’s an inflatable life buoy. Will our beloved Baby Genius survive the exhibitionist males in her English class? Will she lose herself in the labyrinthian hallways of high school? Will she find friends and fit in? You’ll have to read the book to find out How It All Ends (you won’t regret it, promise!).

Ages 12 and up.

NOTE: Thank you for reading my reviews! I’ll never take this website down, but in the interests of streamlining, from 1 January 2025, I’ll be posting new reviews on my writer website, www.maureentai.com, where I post lots of other bookish extras. See you there!