I think if there's one word to describe life in middle school, it is Drama. Hormones are awakening, bodies are changing, and everything is a crisis. Mountains are regularly made from molehills, unbearable angst rules the day and social lines are heavily drawn--sometimes with painful results.
Raina Telgemeier catches the essence of middle school very well in her newest comic, "Drama". Drama stars Callie, the newly elected set designer of the middle school drama club. She loves theater and would totally try out for Moon Over Mississippi if she didn't have such a lousy singing voice. This year she's determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a very limited budget. But she doesn't know much about carpentry and the crew members are having trouble working together. On top of all that, she's got more than one crush to think about. How's a girl to cope?
The drama of middle school plays out well against the background of putting together a musical production. It's funny, serious, joyful and sad all at the same time, just like the inner angst of middle schoolers everywhere. The drawings are clean and warmly colored, attractive to the eye. There is a somewhat more mature subplot threaded in to this particular story that kicks it up a notch from "Smile". I was mildly disappointed in the ending of this tale as well, but overall it was a fun read.
Back to my candy counting! Until next time--
LuvzComics
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