Upstaged
by Robin Easter; illus. by the author
Middle School    LB Ink/Little, Brown    256 pp.
5/24    9780316429429    $24.99
Paper ed.  9780316429528    $12.99
e-book ed.  9780316429627    $9.99

It’s the summer before high school and Ashton’s last year at performing arts camp. In addition to being stage manager for their camp’s big performance, Ash is determined to make this a summer to remember. This includes finally asking their best friend, Ivy, out on a more-than-friends date. Things seem wrong from the beginning, though: the two are assigned to different cabins, and Ash is reluctant to form friendships with their new bunkmates. Meanwhile, Ivy’s bond with the show’s costar, Lucas, sparks a wave of jealousy. As Ash grows increasingly disappointed by their distance from Ivy, they start taking their frustration out on others. This graphic novel is rife with coming-of-age social drama, yet the tone is optimistic through all the protagonist’s ups and downs. The campers are a diverse group of various races, genders, and sexual orientations; each camper has their own distinctive flair. Sketches from Ash’s notebook appear throughout the story, depicting caricatures of themself and their friends as characters in the play. Ash saves the final performance by filling in as a last-minute Fairy Godmother, giving them the boost of confidence needed to share their secret feelings with Ivy.

From the July/August 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.