Cub

Gr 4-7–In this wholesome graphic memoir, Copeland recounts the ups and downs of middle school life in the early 1970s. Twelve-year-old aspiring writer Cindy always had trouble fitting in at school, but she cracked the code to the wild kingdom of Litchfield Junior High School: avoid the attention of the mean girl clique (aka the predators) by acting boring and “playing dead.” After her teacher Ms. Shultz sets her up with an internship with the Torrington Register, Cindy spent seventh grade shadowing local reporter Leslie Jacobs. As the year unfolded, Cindy developed her skills as a cub reporter and thrived in the face of evolving friendship worries. Eye-catching design elements such as copyedited article rough drafts and comics panels that look like snapshots make Copeland’s experiences especially absorbing. Subplots involving bullying and first crushes are blander but still relatable, and the jungle analogies will ring true with readers who are navigating similar middle school drama. While the narrative will empower many readers, dated, cartoonish illustrations that are more appropriate for a picture book limit the emotional impact.