Publisher's Weekly Review
Debut creator Todd reminisces about growing up in the 1980s through the eyes of people-pleasing middle schooler Cecil Hall in this upbeat, semi-autobiographical tale. After moving from Florida to Massachusetts to accommodate his father's new job, aspiring cartoonist Cecil flounders under the weight of having to start all over again. His college-bound sister criticizes the lack of Black characters in his comics and advises him to befriend other Black kids at school to not be seen as an "Oreo." Simultaneously, his overworked father wants him to develop other interests besides his art and to "toughen up" and stand up for himself. To appease his father, Cecil takes an architecture class and hopes that his art will help him befriend classmates. But he finds it difficult to penetrate the predetermined social circles. Anxiety threatens to overwhelm him until he meets trickster Chris, a white student who uses his talents to make a profit-- and often gets Cecil in trouble. Todd's bold inks and vibrant, moody palette capture the nostalgia and inner dialogue of old-school comic strips, resulting in a refreshing take on classic newspaper illustrations that paints a lively graphic novel portrait of Cecil's trial-and-error approach to building authentic friendships and navigating pre-teen growing pains. Ages 8--12. (Apr.)
Kirkus Review
An aspiring cartoonist details his struggles with fitting into a new environment. Cecil, a 12-year-old Black boy who's only known life in Florida, learns that his family will be moving to Boston for his father's new job. Before his older sister embarks on her own college adventure, she gives him plenty of advice. Most importantly, she says, "Don't be no Oreo!" Cecil feels pressure to meet and impress the Black kids at his new, mostly white, school and to not be so timid; according to his father, he draws too much and needs to toughen up. But what Cecil truly cares about is drawing and finding people who share his interests. Before long, word begins to spread among his classmates that Cecil is a great artist, and they ask him to draw all kinds of things. Despite the effort it takes, Cecil hopes he'll become popular for his talents. He experiences racial microaggressions and betrayal, however, and realizes that these supposed friends don't truly value him. Cecil pushes himself to make new friends, and along the way, he learns how to advocate for himself as he makes strides in becoming a great cartoonist. The warm, nostalgic color palette complements the thick, fluid black lines. This well-paced story will appeal to readers who are struggling to claim their places in a world that tells them where they should fit in. An inspiring coming-of-age story. (additional comic, author's note) (Graphic fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
