A First Time for Everything

Starred review from January 9, 2023
Conveying milestones that include first Fanta, first kiss, and first disco, this emotionally perceptive graphic novel memoir from Caldecott Medalist Santat follows a teen’s arc from invisible to invincible. “Life was good” throughout Santat’s childhood in small-town Camarillo, Calif., where the only child helped his mom with errands, hung out with friends, and “did normal kid stuff.” Middle school, however, is one mortification after another, and Santat feels trapped by his self-imposed isolation—a protective measure against bullying. But in the summer of 1989, just before he starts high school, Santat’s parents nudge him into a three-week European tour, and life is never the same. Interstitials in a simplified color palette flash back to prior school humiliations, while exuberant full-color panels in Santat’s signature style convey the trip, including the dreamy reality of early freedoms, the nervous comedy of teen antics, and the wonder of viewing “things I’d only seen on postcards, in textbooks, and in movies.” As Santat finds friends and a way of being himself, what slowly emerges is one person’s hope in and relief at experiencing the world as a bigger place, finding a space in it, and realizing that both adults and peers are rooting for him. Ages 10–14. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House.

Starred review from January 1, 2023

Gr 5-9-In 1989, 13-year-old Santat headed off to Europe for three weeks at the insistence of his parents. They couldn't travel much anymore on account of his mother's lupus and wanted him to have that experience. Santat was less than thrilled, having just wrapped up junior high with more negative experiences than positive ones. Like the title indicates, this memoir explores young Santat's first coming-of-age experiences. We see his first time away from home without parents, first discotheque, and first taste of beer in a German beer hall, among many others. One particular highlight is his first chance at young love with a golden-haired girl named Amy. This was also a trip for Santat to take his art seriously and share it with others without fear of being bullied. Santat's artwork in the story is as great as you'd expect, with the European cityscapes often bathed in golden hour light. All the loveliness is juxtaposed with the strong and often hilarious reactions of teenagers. Flashbacks done in a moody blue show the reality of Santat's former life. An author's note indicates how the story diverges from real life details and acknowledges that travel as a teenager in 1989 was much different than it would be today. Santat's emotional journey is easy to track and culminates in a surprising experience at Wimbledon. While Santat's story is his own, readers will have a worthwhile time relating to him. VERDICT A thoughtful memoir with lots of humor and heart. Hand this to fans of Real Friends and the "Berrybrook Middle School" series. Recommended for all.-Gretchen Hardin

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2023
Santat, Caldecott winner for The Adventures of Beekle, shares his own adventures in this graphic memoir that focuses on a trip to Europe the summer before high school. He dispenses with his fraught middle-school years in two emotionally charged opening scenes: a humiliating speech and a disastrous party. The heart of the story is the life-changing three-week school trip, which his parents see as an opportunity: "We never got to do this when we were kids. You should feel lucky!" But for thirteen-year-old Dan, being invisible is his best coping strategy, and the trip forces him reluctantly out of his comfort zone. The visual narrative sticks to Dan's perspective, and his growth is treated with empathy and humor. This is Santat at his best: his signature palette emphasizing muted greens, browns, and nighttime shades; a variety of vertical and horizontal panels (many with no words or only sound effects and speech bubbles); and the spare text supporting the lively visuals. That summer may have been his first chance to see the cultural treasures of Europe, but for Dan it was other firsts that made indelible impressions -- first Fanta (and first beer); first girlfriend; and, thus, first broken heart. Readers see Europe's landmarks, but they're background to the book's human dramas. Back matter includes an author's note and a "Recreating Old Memories" section. Dean Schneider

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2023
Santat, Caldecott winner for The Adventures of Beekle, shares his own adventures in this graphic memoir that focuses on a trip to Europe the summer before high school. He dispenses with his fraught middle-school years in two emotionally charged opening scenes: a humiliating speech and a disastrous party. The heart of the story is the life-changing three-week school trip, which his parents see as an opportunity: "We never got to do this when we were kids. You should feel lucky!" But for thirteen-year-old Dan, being invisible is his best coping strategy, and the trip forces him reluctantly out of his comfort zone. The visual narrative sticks to Dan's perspective, and his growth is treated with empathy and humor. This is Santat at his best: his signature palette emphasizing muted greens, browns, and nighttime shades; a variety of vertical and horizontal panels (many with no words or only sound effects and speech bubbles); and the spare text supporting the lively visuals. That summer may have been his first chance to see the cultural treasures of Europe, but for Dan it was other firsts that made indelible impressions -- first Fanta (and first beer); first girlfriend; and, thus, first broken heart. Readers see Europe's landmarks, but they're background to the book's human dramas. Back matter includes an author's note and a "Recreating Old Memories" section.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from February 1, 2023
Grades 6-8 *Starred Review* Within five pages, Dan is plunged into the ultimate middle-school nightmare, forced to recite a poem in front of the entire student body without any warning. It doesn't go well for him and proves only the first of many humiliations--everything from being publicly shot down asking a girl out to suffering the aromatic, ostracizing consequences of getting barfed on. It's inconceivably terrible . . . and completely familiar, sure to engender instant empathy in any middle-school reader, even those who've only experienced such agonies in their imaginations. As it turns out, long before he was an award-winning artist, Santat was a little afraid of the world outside his door. But in the summer before high school, a sponsored trip headed by a thoughtful teacher will take him from the tiny town of Camarillo, California, through six European cities and, as the title promises, expose him to many firsts. A first airplane ride, beer, cigarette, coffee, date, love, and broken heart will all point him in a more hopeful, open direction. The warmth and specificity of his art, both in the way emotions flow from faces and in the evocation of places, highlight his memoir's lesson and make it a great read among a crowded field, especially for sensitive middle-grade boys.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from December 15, 2022
A 1989 summer trip to Europe changes Caldecott Medal winner Santat's life in this graphic memoir. Young Dan hasn't experienced much beyond the small Southern California town he grew up in. He stays out of trouble, helps his parents, and tries to go unnoticed in middle school. That plan gets thwarted when he is made to recite poetry at a school assembly and is humiliated by his peers. When eighth grade is over and his parents send him on a three-week study abroad program, Dan isn't excited at first. He's traveling with girls from school whom he has awkward relationships with, his camera breaks, and he feels completely out of place. But with the help of some new friends, a crush, and an encouraging teacher, Dan begins to appreciate and enjoy the journey. Through experiences like his first taste of Fanta, first time hearing French rap, and first time getting lost on his own in a foreign country in the middle of the night, he finally begins to feel comfortable just being himself and embracing the unexpected. This entertaining graphic memoir is a relatable story of self-discovery. Flashbacks to awkward memories are presented in tones of blue that contrast with the full-color artwork through which Santat creates the perfect balance of humor and poignancy. The author's note and photos offer readers more fun glimpses into his pivotal adventure. Full of laughter and sentiment, this is a nudge for readers to dare to try new things. (Graphic memoir. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.