Timid

Debut creator Todd reminisces about growing up in the 1980s through the eyes of people-pleasing middle schooler Cecil Hall in this upbeat, semi-autobiographical tale. After moving from Florida to Massachusetts to accommodate his father’s new job, aspiring cartoonist Cecil flounders under the weight of having to start all over again. His college-bound sister criticizes the lack of Black characters in his comics and advises him to befriend other Black kids at school to not be seen as an “Oreo.” Simultaneously, his overworked father wants him to develop other interests besides his art and to “toughen up” and stand up for himself. To appease his father, Cecil takes an architecture class and hopes that his art will help him befriend classmates. But he finds it difficult to penetrate the predetermined social circles. Anxiety threatens to overwhelm him until he meets trickster Chris, a white student who uses his talents to make a profit— and often gets Cecil in trouble. Bold inks and a vibrant, moody palette by colorist Dominique Ramsey capture the nostalgia and inner dialogue of old-school comic strips, resulting in a refreshing take on classic newspaper illustrations that paints a lively graphic novel portrait of Cecil’s trial-and-error approach to building authentic friendships and navigating pre-teen growing pains. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)