Turning Twelve

January 1, 2025
In this follow-up to graphic novel Growing Pangs (rev. 7/22), newly twelve-year-old Katie navigates the turbulence of puberty, which she likens to an "adulthood alarm" constantly going off: "Growing up was starting to feel like it was more about alarms than adventures." Katie, a churchgoing homeschooler who sees a therapist about her "buzzing thoughts" (anxiety and OCD), faces the onset of shaving, bras, and her first period, while her two best friends (who are siblings) temporarily move away. Most confusing for Katie is her attraction to Grace, a fellow cast member in a production of Annie, which conflicts with the messages she hears at church. She also wrestles with the church's "totally sexist" views on modesty. The book captures the intensity of early adolescence with the "thu-thump" refrain of Katie's heartbeat when she's with Grace. The illustrations, with expressive line work and a spectrum of reds, convey the warmth and depth of Katie's emotions through blushing cheeks and enamored glances. On one memorable page, radiant Grace fills most of the space while Katie, in a panel below, gazes rapturously: "thu-thump." Katie's wish to have "stayed eleven" transforms, through self-reflection and the influence of a few women in her life, into a newfound tenacity and the realization that, when she's older, she can "find a place to be myself." A respectful portrayal of an adolescent girl learning to think independently. Julie Danielson

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)