Skip to main content

Cub

Image
By
Cub
By Cynthia L. Copeland
Chapel Hill: Algonquin, 2020. Graphic novel.

Cindy Copeland knows one thing for sure - seventh grade is a jungle. Filled with mean-girl predators, and dorky prey, Cindy's goal is to play dead and stay invisible long enough to survive. One place she isn't invisible, though, is in her English class where her teacher soon arranges a "cub reporter" position at the local newspaper. Cindy's new mentor is a young and hip reporter who teaches Cindy how to be a reporter and gives her the self-confidence to navigate the world of her junior high - especially after her best friend starts to hang out with the predators.

This graphic novel memoir is sure to be a hit with fans of ROLLER GIRL, SMILE, or REAL FRIENDS. Set in the 1970s, some pop culture references may miss young readers (was John Denver ever really a dreamboat?) but many events mentioned have clear current ties (Watergate, Earth Day, ERA) and Copeland does a good job naturally introducing and explaining these cultural touchpoints.


Labels:

Comments

Tiffany said…
I loved Cub by Cynthia Copeland. Even though I didn't grow up in the 70's I felt like the author did a great job of talking about topics that are still relevant to our day, like taking care of the earth and the ERA. Its an entertaining and well told story about friendships, self discovery, and finding your own voice. I really enjoyed the drawings the humor and the main character, she was someone I could really relate to and understand. Even if you aren't a fan of the 70's and graphic novels pick up this book and give it a try, its an entertaining memoir.
April 10, 2020 at 11:38 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

By
KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: The Teacher of Nomad Land

By
The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story By Daniel Nayeri Montclair, NJ: Levine Querido, 2025. Historical fiction. 181 pgs. In 1941 Iran, 13-year-old Babak will do anything to stay with his younger sister Sana, who is 8. After their father is killed during the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, the siblings are left orphaned and Babak takes over guardianship to prevent the two from being separated. Carrying his father's blackboard on his back, Babak and Sana set off from Isfahan to find the nomadic tribes as they make their yearly trek across the mountains. Along the way, they encounter a suspicious man named Vulf, a friendly Englishman with a name that means cabbage, and a Jewish boy named Ben who has Vulf hot on his heels. As he is known for doing, Daniel Nayeri weaves a highly readable adventure with threads of philosophy about God, the ties of family, and musings about how cultures can reconcile across differences. The setting of this novel is ingeniously unique, and a lengt...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dog Man Read Alikes

By
Dog Man  is a popular graphic novel for middle graders all about the adventures of a half-man, half-dog police officer. With 14 books in the series, many readers can't get enough of these hilarious stories! If your child is looking for more books like Dog Man, here are some great options to try out.  Dex Dingo: World's Best Greatest Ever... Inventor By Greg Foley Los Angeles: Disney-Hyperion, 2024. Comic. 157 pages.  Dex Dingo doesn't know what he wants to do when he grows up. His classmates all seem to know, but he just doesn't feel like he is the BEST at anything. When a class assignment challenges him to figure out what he wants to be, he decides he wants to become the world's best ever inventor! Filled with beautifully drawn spreads and kid-approved humor, this book is sure to please any Dog Man fan.  Troubling Tonsils Written by Aaron Reynolds Illustrated by Peter Brown  New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. Fiction. 71 pages.  ...
Post a Comment
Read more