cbr14bingo Adapt (Camel) Level 2
If Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier book becomes a series (or is a series already as several books today have started as webtoons), it could become the next Heartbreaker series/sensation. However, I like how the book ended and would be fine without a sequel. Or if there is a series, maybe focus on another character, as there are a few that would be fun to learn about.
The friendship story we know (best friends drift apart, and find a way back to each other), but the details are different. One girl is a trans girl who is always reminded of that. She is used as the “mascot” for “how woke of me to acknowledge you” and her trying to just figure out the path she needs to take without causing waves, to try and keep herself safe, to try and not be “the (fill in the blank: angry, crazy, pretending) because she doesn’t follow the rules trans girl”. One girl is an anti-social, lesbian that must learn to play nice with people and not bite (even if that was only once). The two girls travel the ins and outs of friendship with humor, understanding and a lot of bad-a$$ery!
Both girls must adapt to the change in their lives. Annie, must toss aside her preconceived notions how her friend “should” act, how cheerleads do act, and that even if you have the best intentions at heart, sometimes you put your pompoms in your mouth. BeeBee must adapt to how her family and classmates have changed since transitioning, she needs to adapt to not being the quiet person who was unhappy trying to be a boy and become the happy girl inside of her. Not to mention standing up for herself on her own terms. And the Cheerleading Squad has some adaptations of their own: Beebe is not a “pet” or their “project” and even if Annie did bite one of them, she should be given a chance. too.
While this book is not perfect, it is a fun graphic novel and Val Wise knows how to support that with their illustrations. Slightly stereotypical graphic novel imagery with bubbly images and colorful colors, but it is also fresh with a diverse cast. They are cozy and visually enjoyable.
