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“A must-read that portrays one teenage girl’s struggles to find—and stand up for—herself.”

– Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“An insightfully honest exploration of teen girlhood.”

– Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“This spot-on story adeptly c­aptures the struggle of finding one’s own identity while constantly being told by others what that identity should look and act like, whether one is cis or transgender…A ­standout graphic novel that belongs in every ­collection for artful ­storytelling, beautifully expressive imagery, and a heroine who is admirable and fully ­human.”

– School Library Journal, Starred Review

Girlmode: A Graphic Novel

Written by Magdalene Visaggio
Illustrated by Paulina Ganucheau
Published by HarperCollins

The last thing Phoebe Zito wants is to be noticed. The newest kid at Sally Ride High School, newly arrived in Los Angeles, and newly transitioned, she’s just trying to blend in while she figures out exactly who she is. But with her mom checked out, her dad still adjusting to having a daughter, and no guidebook on how to be a girl, that isn’t going to be easy.

Enter Mackenzie Ishikawa. She’s the girl who all girls want to be, and all the boys want to be with—and, Mackenzie has decided, Phoebe’s new best friend. Mackenzie knows what it takes to survive and thrive as a girl in high school, most of all that no matter who Phoebe wants to be, or who she wants to date, she’s going to need someone having her back.

Phoebe soon realizes what Mackenzie knows too well: Being true to yourself is going to mean breaking some hearts. But as Phoebe discovers what kind of girl she is—and what kind of girl everyone around her thinks she’s supposed to be—she worries one of those hearts will be her own.

Primary ISBN: 9780063060661
Publication Date: October 2024
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Young Adult, Age 14 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States (Los Angeles CA)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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