I’ve been on a quest this year to explore and discover graphic novels. I was inspired by This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki because it told such an intricate story with so much emotional depth and little text. I checked out the teen graphic novel section of my local library, but it was mostly superheroes and anime. I did, however, find one graphic novel there that looked interesting to me - Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge – and I enjoyed it very much.
The format of Page by
Paige is unique and creative – it’s the sketchbook of a teen girl named
Paige. Paige’s family has recently moved from rural Virginia to New York City,
and the sketchbook details Paige’s adjustment to her new life and also her
quest to better understand herself. Like many teens, Paige is suffering an
identity crisis, not sure if the person she presents to the outside world is
the real Paige. She’s very shy and
wants to come out of her shell a bit and be authentic, while making new friends
in her new home. The sketchbook is her way of opening up – to herself and to
those around her – and truly discovering who she really is.
It’s a very creative approach to telling a story, and it
works wonderfully. There are some pages of more standard graphic novel format,
with boxes and dialogue bubbles, but many of the pages are Paige’s attempts to
sketch how she is feeling and what she is experiencing. Throughout the novel,
Paige makes new friends, falls in love for the first time, and yes, begins to
understand herself and feel comfortable in her own skin.
This journey of self-discovery will be familiar and
inspirational to all teens struggling to figure out who they really are and how
they fit into the world around them. It seems to be somewhat autobiographical,
as the author’s bio explains that she, too, moved from Virginia to NYC with her
family as a teen and used a sketchbook to better understand herself. The book
even contains a playlist at the back of the characters’ favorite songs (many of
them are in this Page by Paige YouTube playlist). Page by Paige is a wonderfully creative coming-of-age story about finding
yourself and your place in the world.
Amulet Books (imprint of Abrams)
For more on Page by Paige and its author, see the Who Is Paige blog. This post includes some sample pages from the book.
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