No Rules Tonight

Gr 7 Up–Centering on a transformative camping trip, this graphic novel captures the bravery of a group of South Korean students as they experience a weekend free from the repression and surveillance that wait for them back home. It’s 1984, and members of Anjeon University’s folk dance team are preparing for a hiking getaway when the group’s director is arrested for listening to music banned by the government. His arrest, combined with random police stops and the threat of informants, make the students eager to escape to the mountains and experience the freedom of Christmas Eve—a night traditionally unburdened by restrictions. Hyun Sook, who plays the janggu drum for the team, spends the evening struggling between her desire to lead a prohibited banned book club and her fear of discovery and punishment. The other members of the team use their night of freedom to express their anxiety about the future, find romance, and reveal secrets that they wouldn’t be able to back home. The charming and colorful illustrations capture the trip’s good cheer while also giving weight to the fear that surrounds the students’ daily lives. Sook and Estrada, the team that created Banned Book Club, deliver well-developed characters that have diverse backgrounds and motivations, with a story that includes affirming queer and trans representation.