One in a Million

This affecting graphic memoir by Lordon (Lorenzo, the Pizza-Loving Lobster), pulled from her adolescent diary entries, organically conveys the impact of a mysterious chronic illness on her life as a white teen living in Utah. As an athletic student in good academic standing, Lordon experiences sudden weight gain, loss of energy, and painful headaches. She is soon diagnosed with Cushing’s disease, a disorder in which her body produces too much cortisol, and learns that it’s likely being caused by a tumor on her pituitary gland, which is treatable with surgery. But the disease—and the feelings of isolation it causes—negatively impacts her mental health. The purple-gray hues of the overarching narrative are punctuated by metaphorical b&w portrayals of her symptoms: depression is shown as a giant weight that plunges her down a dark hole, while insomnia is visualized as cogs springing loose and bursting out of her brain. Though Lordon’s health concerns aren’t resolved as easily as she initially hoped, depictions of her experience managing her illness are filled with mirth and positivity as she finds solace in her art and friendships, making this a resonant story of resilience. Ages 14–up. (Oct.)