Stars in Their Eyes
Maisie and her mom are attending Maisie’s first fan convention, where teenage Maisie (brown-skinned) is looking forward to meeting her favorite actor on her favorite show, Midnight Girls. Like Maisie, Kara Bufano is an above-the-knee amputee with a prosthetic leg. It’s meant a lot to Maisie, whose leg was amputated due to childhood cancer, to see a TV character who is an amputee played by an amputee. On the first day of the con, Maisie meets nonbinary Ollie (white), who is attending with their dad. Ollie’s favorite show is Twisted Beasts, and they are excited about meeting the nonbinary actor playing the first openly nonbinary character on TV. The con is sometimes overwhelming for Maisie, who lives with fatigue and chronic pain. Luckily, Maisie’s mom, like Ollie’s dad, knows the ins and outs of con culture (both parents are charmingly enthusiastic in their geekiness) and Maisie makes use of the quiet rooms when she needs to. When Maisie and her mom and Ollie and their dad end up at the same panel discussion, Maisie and Ollie begin to forge a connection, one that blossoms into romance. The terrific dynamic between Maisie and her mom underscores both their lively, loving relationship and the matter-of-fact reality of Maisie’s disability, while Maisie and Ollie’s exchanges captures the excitement of new romance. The fan con setting is perfect for creating organic yet eager conversations about the importance of media representation in this entertaining graphic novel. ©2023 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Aska
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 11 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Graphic Novel
Subjects:
Acting and Actors
Affirmation
Celebrity/Fame
Illness and Disease
Journalism and Media
LGBTQ+ Persons
Love and Romance
Nonbinary People
Physical Disability
Diversity subject:
Brown Skin Unspecified
LGBTQ Character/Topic
Physical Disability/Condition
Publishers:
Graphix, Scholastic
Publish Year: 2023
Pages: 209
ISBN: 9781338818796
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 741.5 Walton