Against the Grain

Hi all! I'm back with another comic book review from the amazing stack that I brought back from C2E2. Before I get into that though, I want to give a tip to all of those folks out there who bring their wares to sell/show/pimp at conventions. Make your booth stand out somehow. I will never forget the booth that I picked up this book at? Why? First of all, there were two lovely women working at it. Secondly? They had brought their own carpeting to cover their space. Not only did it cover it, but it hung out in front of their table and had the most amazing padding under it. It felt amazing to my exhausted feet and I stood there chatting longer than I might have, just to enjoy that. If they'd had more than this one book, I would have bought it because they had plenty of time to sell and pitch to  me.

Now, on to the review:

Against the Grain is a graphic novel that introduces the coming of age story of Leslie, a young pre-teen girl with a wild imagination. This first installment of the series chronicles her journey of self-discovery, her struggle to stay true to her free and independent spirit, and the hilarious situations that ensue as a result.

The Good - As a woman, this book made me literally laugh out loud at times. The girl in this story is spunky as all get out and the story and illustrations pulled me in immediately. If I had a daughter, I wouldn't hesitate to let her read this book when she was the appropriate age. (The publisher rates this book as 10+). Any girl struggling with the idea of growing up and changing will be able to relate to this book.

The Bad - This book isn't going to appeal much to boys. I had it sitting out one day and my 11 year old son picked it up and was vaguely horrified by one of the "villains", Boob Man. Yep, Boob Man. Personally, I loved this part but to a boy who is right on that same verge of growing up, it was horrifying. (Personally, I chuckled at his horror..I'm such a "bad" mom sometimes.)

The Summary - When I first picked up this book, I had no idea what to expect. Sometimes when you pick up a book, you know just what you're going to get. This time, I had no idea and I'm glad. It left me more open to the beauty and humor that was this book. If you've got pre-teen girls or you were once a pre-teen girl, go ahead and pick this one up.

It can be purchased via the publishers website at Slightly Off Productions or over on Amazon.

I received a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for this review. All thoughts, comments and ramblings are 100% mine.