CBR15Passport,(other format food as fiction story) If you want a teen graphic novel that is a funny, cute story of how food helps three friends deal with the ups and downs of being a senior in high school, a friend, and family member you need Supper Club. Jackie Morrow’s story has one of those aged 10-to-14 feeling, but the subject matter is slightly on the older side (13/14 up). Still, I think a strong 10- to 12-year-old would be fine, as I am sure they are dealing with some of the issues as well (such as the party, homework, friendship, and parent issues).
There are some triggers, such as an illness of a parent, anxiety attacks, a party scene (drinking, discreet looking (but not sounding) vomiting, and a drinking and
driving scene) and some slapstick comedy (one girl, no matter what sport event watches, she is hit in the face with a ball, and there is a great scene at the end that reference this), but for the most part everything is in good humor and with love. This story is a friendship story. It is three girls dealing with their senior year of high school and being a person (home life, school life, friendship, and the next chapter). But we get more “highlights” than any one area getting a “deep dive.” This story is familiar (the teen years), but the use of the Supper Club shows how the girls (with a couple other friends) find ways to spend time together and have a “safe place” for them when life is going on, allows the theme to be fresh.
Fun, sweet, goofy, and perfectly detailed (though sometimes can be a smidgen busy) illustrations tie it all together. And I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. When I first saw it, the cover really threw me off, and I didn’t want to read it. And then when I started it, something was still “off” and even though I did had trouble keeping a few people straight (names were similar, or the image was not clear to me who was who), I finally got into it and found a book that will be in my Top 10 favorite reads this year.
A couple recipes that were mentioned are included, but a few other extras at the end. And I picked several images/related images to Nora as I felt she was the focus of the story (or I just related to her more). Yet, each girl has her place and story arc.