Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

This follow-up to graphic novel Invisible Emmie again alternates perspectives, with (Emmie's best friend) Brianna's story rendered via large cartoon-panel drawings, and artsy-dreamer classmate Izzy's in smaller, border-free vignettes. Izzy's grounded but sneaks off to perform in the talent show. Brianna, meanwhile, reluctantly steps in for someone at the show and connects with her drama-teacher mother. A twist reveals an emotionally rewarding surprise. Libenson captures middle-school dramas with candor, fast pacing, and relatable characters. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

This reader-friendly graphic/prose hybrid explores the lives of two very different girls who have an unexpected connection.Izzy and Brianna both, separately, navigate difficult middle school experiences. Brianna, whose story is told entirely in sequential panels, is studious, reserved, and a little lonely. Izzy, who tells her story in paragraphs broken up by illustrations, is an unreliable middle sister with a love for performance and a lot of indifference toward schoolwork. Izzy sneaks out against her mother's wishes to perform in the school talent show, while Bri's mother (also a teacher at her school) convinces her to fill in for a sick actor. Both girls juggle complex family dynamics, shifting friend groups, and boys in the hours leading up to their performances. The story is light but resonant for middle graders, with constant comedic asides in the illustrations. Both girls appear white (based on the color cover), with multiracial supporting casts, and both threads of the story skirt larger issues. The opening pages, in which Bri complains about labels, hint at a larger theme that recedes into the background as the two girls struggle with their interpersonal relationships. Readers primed by the back-cover blurb will spend the whole book waiting for the two stories to intersect, with a surprise reveal at the end that may call for an immediate reread.A solid, not particularly daring addition to the hybrid format for middle-grade readers, mixing drama with heart. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 9-12)