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All's Faire in Middle School

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
From the author of the Newbery Honor winner Roller Girl, a heartwarming graphic novel about starting middle school, surviving your embarrassing family, and life at the Renaissance Faire that's perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier. Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with two parents working at the Renaissance Faire, and she's eager to begin her own training as a squire. First, though, she'll need to prove her bravery. Luckily Impy has just the quest in mind-she'll go to public school after a life of being homeschooled! But it's not easy to act like a noble knight-in-training in middle school. Impy falls in with a group of girls who seem really nice.until they don't. For the first time, she's embarrassed of her thrift shop apparel, her family's unusual lifestyle, and their small, messy apartment. And when her new friends encourage her to do something mean, Impy goes along with it. Before long, Impy doesn't even recognize herself. Is she the dragon in her own story or the heroic knight? As she did in Roller Girl, Victoria Jamieson perfectly-and authentically-captures the bittersweetness of middle school life with humor, warmth, and understanding.
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  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from July 17, 2017
      Jamieson doesn’t disappoint in her first graphic novel since her Newbery Honor–winning Roller Girl. Imogen Vega’s parents perform at a Renaissance fair in Florida, immersing the family in a world of jousting and archaic language (“Thou qualling toad-spotted clack-dish!”). Imogen has been homeschooled all her life; now, at 11, she’s headed to public school. In her first weeks, she falls victim to the wiles of a mean girl, hurts a girl who might have been a good friend, and throws her younger brother’s treasured stuffed animal into the lake. As Imogen undergoes a period of self-enforced solitude, the extended family of the fair community offers unexpected support. Jamieson’s sturdy artwork (her figures are decidedly unglamorous, as if to offer regular kids reassurance) and sharp dialogue make it easy to care about her characters. Readers will also appreciate the irreverent humor of the fair’s adults: as a treatment for bullies, one recommends “a large quantity of chicken feathers and a few pots of honey.” The fair emphasizes adventure and theater, but its unconventional performers teach Imogen about kindness, too. Ages 9–12. Agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      An ensemble of narrators brings the bustle of a Renaissance fair, the vagaries of middle school, and the tribulations of a homeschooling family vividly to life. For 11-year-old Imogene Vega, the start of sixth grade and the opening of the Renaissance fair where her family works converge. Imogene is anxious about heading into a public school setting and eager to learn about the role of an English squire. The narrating team keeps listeners on their toes. Switching between the fair and school takes concentration on the part of the listener. Memorable aspects of this production include Imogene's reticence as well as her warmth for her parents; the cattiness of her classmates; and the humor inherent in contrasting Renaissance diction with contemporary language. A.R. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:460
  • Text Difficulty:1-2

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