Mixed-Up

Fifth grade was supposed to be the best year ever for friends Stella, Emiko, and Latasha. Yet for Stella, school has been miserable. Textbooks are too thick and have few illustrations, and Stella, perpetually the last to finish classwork, frequently answers questions incorrectly. Worse, everyone—including Emiko and Latasha—has been playing the online companion video game to Stella’s favorite show, Witchlins, and Stella, unable to comprehend the text-heavy game guide and instructions, lashes out at her friends. The reveal of this year’s class project adds to her troubles; instead of painting a mural like she expected, Stella and her classmates are each meant to craft a novel. But how can Stella write a book when reading is hard enough as it is? Visually diverse characters play the role of supportive family and friends in this empathetic graphic novel by Garcia (Starfire) and Williams (Girl on Fire), which offers sensitive insight into one girl’s experience with dyslexia via effervescent jewel-toned illustrations. Ages 8–12. (Jan.)