Tegan and Sara: Junior High

Gr 5-8–Indie pop stars Tegan and Sara Quin team up with graphic novelist Walden to create a heartfelt, visually stunning coming-of-age story for tweens and teens. Twins Tegan and Sara have always been close, but after a move and a transition to middle school, they must contend with new friends, bullies, puberty, secrets, and worst of all—drifting apart. The story is largely based on their lives, but is set in present day (Tegan and Sara were actually teens in the 1990s). Walden’s art, paired with the authors’ lyrical words, create an emotionally resonant reading experience that is sure to mesh with adolescents’ big feelings. Walden uses different color schemes to highlight each twin, accentuating their points of view and their growing distance. Although the twins experience some anxiety and emotional turmoil through friend drama, new romantic feelings, and beginning to question their sexuality, this is largely a very wholesome, comforting read that celebrates the power of shared creativity to bring people back together. Supplemental material contains photos and notebook pages of Tegan and Sara with their first musical efforts.