Giant Days by Non Pratt Pub Date August 21st

Thanks to NetGalley and Amulet Books and ABRAMS Kids for my Advance Readers copy in return for my honest review!!

Let me start by saying If you haven’t read the graphic novels of Giant Days, then you are missing out! Go check your local library or local comic shops and get a couple of trades and read these now! You will not regret it!

When I saw This pop up in my NetGalley feed I literally flipped. I knew I had to read it! Pratt does an excellent job with these characters. The book follows Susan, Esther and Daisy, along with their friend Ed and Susan’s frenemy McGraw during their first semester of university. A lot of the book is essentially what the first trade was. We really enjoyed it tho! Stick with it, because it picks up towards the end.

The book is fun filled with emotion and lots of heart.

We are giving the book a solid 3/5 stars. Why only 3 stars if you loved the comics? The comics were what I fell in love with. Duh

So, give this book a try! Check it our at your local library or purchase it!

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Angemon

In the last year, I discovered the graphic novel series Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Whitney Cogar. I fell in love with the illustrations of the characters and the different personalities of Daisy, Susan, and Esther. Each character was vibrant and extreme: Daisy the innocent, organized, and colorful; Susan the sardonic, frumpy smoke addict; and Esther the dramatic, gothic attire wearer, and skipper of classes. Often the “college girl” is seen with a stereotypical appearance. The graphic novel broke that representation by giving diversity to its characters. I also liked that the characters faced real issues. So, when I found out that there was going to be a novella based on those same characters I felt I had to get my hands on it.

The novella delves deeper into portraying the characters and the issues they face. While I did miss the lovely illustrations that the graphic novel offered, Non Pratt captured university life with the gang beautifully. Often when a new work is released, and it is based off something else, the original gets lost. Sometimes there becomes a battle between the original and the new. With this novella, that is not the case. I felt Pratt kept the characters’ actions and thought processes closely to the original graphic novels. I loved both interpretations of the characters.

Giant Days was so much fun. Although I feel like I know the three friends; Daisy, Susan and Esther pretty well from the couple of Giant Days comics I have read, it was great to have more time with them n this full-length book. Although you definitely don't have to read the comics to enjoy this book.
Overall it was a really fun and enjoyable book about three friends at Uni and their usual high jinx. It was nothing groundbreaking but a great read all the same.

While nothing can compare to the perfection of the comic, this novelization of Giant Days comes close!
Heartfelt, funny, and glowing with the strong bonds of friendship we've come to expect from Susan, Esther, and Daisy.
Fans of the comic should give this a chance, but know it's a different experience.
Folks who dig this book definitely need to check out the comics for more fun adventures (and all the feels).

A fun tale of feminism and first years at university. So much of this story was eerily familiar, capturing perfectly the environment of some of my own times as a fresher, so I can't help but have a soft spot for it. Story-wise, things rumble along between a series of vignettes with three ongoing story threads which are resolved towards the end, so this probably isn't for you if you are looking for something more narrative focused. I liked the episodic nature of a lot of the action, how it felt more realistic in capturing university experiences, and while I haven't read the comics (I now intend to), I'm assuming this is also a throwback towards the original stories which inspired the book. Not entirely sure where I'd categorise this as a genre: it feels very YA, but at the same time, a lot of my enjoyment came out of how perfectly it captured finding new friends at university, so I'd be tempted to say this is the perfect book to go buy as you struggle through the first few weeks of being a fresher.

Though I had never read the graphic novels upon which this book is based, I was still all in from the very first page. As soon as I was introduced to these three ladies, I knew I wanted to know them better.

• Pro: This book was pure fun. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I read it. Giant Days was a combined great characters, snappy banter, and pitch perfect tone to produce a fabulous reading experience for me.

• Pro: I loved how different each of the women were, yet how well they complimented each other. There was a great synergy, when they were together, and I loved watching this friendship take shape.

• Pro: Non Pratt captured those early days at university so well. The feeling of being out of place, being a little lost, missing home and your old life. All of this plus academic demands can be quite stressful, and I thought that came across really well in the book.

• Pro: The whole Yogic Brethren plot was sort of hilarious. I couldn't help but think of the Scoobies during those scenes, which just added to the fun.

• Pro: There was a ton of satire in here, which delighted me to no end. Well done!

• Pro: This book had the three Hs: humor, hijinks, and heart, which always makes this girl happy.

Overall: A fun and entertaining look at the lives of first years, which does a fantastic job capturing the highs and lows of university life. I hope we get to explore more Giant Days with Daisy, Susan, and Esther.

I couldn't get through this one which really sucks because I love the Giant Days comics. It's a realistic view of college and college life, with a little bit of hyperbole. But when bad things happen at this age, it really feels like the world is ending. You're under immense pressure and you can see that in the frames.

Esther, Daisy, and Susan are a dynamic trio who can face anything together, even if it takes them time to get their heads out of the sand. The personality of each girl really comes out in the comics with their facial expressions and little details. I love when the art is drippy and exaggerated when they're drunk. The art is what makes this story even more special and the experience isn't the same without it.

I found switching between narrators exhausting and I feel like the girls' voices were lost. They didn't sound like their signature selves nor was I invested in their journey. It fell flat to me and had none of the signature flair of a Giant Days comic. Not to mention constantly hearing their inner thoughts was exhausting. I can see what they're feeling and thinking in the comics which makes the read easier and more unique. I found myself trudging through this book. The comics, however, I inhale like a can of Pringles.

One day about two months ago, I was browsing the YA section of Netgalley, as I do, taking in all the new and interesting titles for request, when something caught my eye: Giant Days, by Non Pratt. My heart started to flutter, my eyes widened (probably to the size of saucers) and my fingers could not click the request button fast enough. Could this be?? My FAVORITE graphic novel series being adapted into a full length novel? Oh yes, it most absolutely could.

Let me just start out by saying you don’t have to have read the graphic novels to understand this book and enjoy it. The characters are introduced in a way that it’s easy to fall in with them without there being too much info dumping. The college setting is for lack of a better word, set up perfectly, and the plot is just wacky enough to still be believable, which is one of the things the Giant Days graphic novels excel at so well.

I was pretty sure going into this I was going to love it, and I can now one hundred percent say that I did. I loved this book so hard.

As a lover of the graphic novel series, this felt like getting one giant omnibus of the story at one time instead of waiting month to month for a new issue, which is what I have been reduced to after binge reading all the bound up volumes last year. It’s a good thing I live down the street from a comic book store. The plot itself is completely new in regards to the already existing story, feeling more like a side story arc that could have taken place in the early pages of the graphic novel, but off screen/page. There are mentions to things that did occur in the graphic novel (such as a particular time my favorite, Susan, plays a somewhat humiliating prank on my other favorite, McGraw) but not in a way that makes it hard to understand anything that’s going on. The references just act more as Easter eggs, planted for the fans of the graphic novel.

Susan, Esther, Daisy, McGraw, Ed, and all the supporting characters are written beautifully and fully embody and feel true to their original iterations. This book one hundred percent felt like reading an issue of the comic, just without the graphics to go along with the story, which I feel is the key to any successful adaptation.

This book left me laughing and crying and smiling and yearning for more, so I very much hope that as the graphic novel series continues, this YA adaptation also continues. I will absolutely be here to keep reading both.

*Thank you to Amulet Books and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I love the Giant Days comic, but I was a little apprehensive about reading this novelization. However, Non Pratt does an amazing job of capturing the tone and characterization of the three friends. This book is delightful!

This was a bit of a departure to Non Pratt's usual style but I really enjoyed it. The scrapes that Esther, Daisy and Susan got into reminded me of my university days, and I loved their relationship and their banter. I've not read the graphic novels, so I can't compare them, but this book was a highly entertaining romp through the first year of uni, with an added bit of mystery and mayhem. What a hoot.

I had never read any of the Giant Days graphic novels, so I was worried I would be lost when I read the novel. Not so at all! The only thing that happened is now I KNOW I need to read the graphic novels because I loved this book. The three main characters were clearly developed and I felt like I knew them. I enjoyed their more mundane college life issues, fire alarms and cafe food, as much as the bigger things, maybe drug deals and no contact contracts! I would love for their to be more books in this series because I think these three girls and their friends are destined for many more adventures. I recommend this book to pretty much everyone. It was a great way to think back on college life for this thirty-something, but would be relatable for those currently in college or thinking about heading there soon. Overall the perfect book to read when you want something that feels like old friends and is just a really good time!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this was just so good. As someone who has the Giant Days graphic novels and seriously enjoys them so much, I was excited and worried about a chapter book being released. Excited because they're making a chapter book about a great series, and worried would the author be able to authentically capture each characters uniqueness to the characters we already know and love. There was nothing to feel worried about. The book takes place before the first issue of Giant Days was ever released so it was really nice to kind of see how the girls were still stepping on ice and figuring out each others idiosyncrasies. This book just solidified that all three girls compliment each other so well and that Susan is still my favourite. I am glad the author made Daisy the one go through the trouble, Since she was homeschooled it made perfect sense for her to get easily sucked into peoples nefarious plans and that because of this Esther starts to lose her selfishness and Susan comes out of her shell tp rescue her.
I do believe that those who read the graphic novels will enjoy this new take on their beloved characters and those who haven't won't feel overwhelmed because the book introduces the characters and gives us a good plot to follow that not only separates itself from its predecessor but can still be included as part of the original series.

Overall this is a great addition to a beloved Graphic novel series that holds its own against its behemoth success.

What a fantastic yarn about transitioning into college life, finding yourself, and finding your people during one of the most turbulent times in a young person's life. While Susan, Daisy, and Esther may be a bit over the top, that's what makes them all the more compelling and interesting. They are the right balance of hilariously fictitious and real, that teens will easily be able to see themselves in one of them, or even a combination of the three. Much like the characters themselves, Non Pratt also does an exceptional job of intertwining the silly with the serious creating moments that make readers laugh, think, and maybe even shed an ironic tear. Although I haven't yet read the comic books, Pratt's novel has inspired me to just that and I'm looking forward to more adventures with this fantastic trio.

All-in-all: this was so much fun and teens who appreciate a dry, darker sense of humor will have a field day with this and those who don't, well, they'll still enjoy it too! An absolute must have for YA and personal collections.

"Based on the hit graphic-novel series from BOOM! Studios, the publisher behind Lumberjanes, Giant Days follows the hilarious and heartfelt misadventures of three university first-years: Daisy, the innocent home-schooled girl; Susan, the sardonic wit; and Esther, the vivacious drama queen. While the girls seem very different, they become fast friends during their first week of university. And it’s a good thing they do, because in the giant adventure that is college, a friend who has your back is key—something Daisy discovers when she gets a little too involved in her extracurricular club, the Yogic Brethren of Zoise. When she starts acting strange and life around campus gets even stranger (missing students, secret handshakes, monogrammed robes everywhere . . .), Esther and Susan decide it’s up to them to investigate the weirdness and save their friend."

It took me awhile to warm up to the graphic novel series, but now I'm a huge Giant Days fan, so I'm very curious for it's transition away from the medium... but mainly the cover just freaks me out because Susan looks like a deformed Gru from Despicable Me...

these characters and wold are much more dynamic and punchy in comic form; i highly recommend sticking to that in the future

A wonderful story of friendship and that weird, wonderful time of life that is the first year of college. A great adaptation of the comic that deepens each character.

Being a fan of Non Pratt's other books, I knew for sure I'd have to check Giant Days out despite not having read the graphic novels. The result? A fun, totally Non style, easy read! I loved reading about what the characters were getting up to, especially lovely, innocent Daisy! This book did feel a bit mish mash at times and I'm unsure whether that's down to having an advanced eCopy. I also couldn't read much of it in one go as I just couldn't get too into it. While Giant Days won't become my favourite of Nons books, it's definitely worth a read.
Thank you to Amulet Books (Abrams Kids) via NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3 1/2 STARS
I've read other books from Non Pratt so was intrigued as to if I could recognise her style within a book that is more commonly known as a respected Graphic Novel series. As I have not read any of the graphic series I can not compare how closely she follows any of the original characters or stories.
The story follows American university friends , Esther, Daisy and Susan. Esther, a Goth is trying desperately to become friends with the other class goth, Daisy combats her social anxieties by signing up to every club going and Susan struggles to move on from her past. Of coarse, even with all their differences they are friends with hilarious and heart warming moments.
Im not sure if it was because I read an ARC but I found it hard to read this book at the beginning, it was a bit bitty, too quick and random, this may also be because of its Graphic Novel roots.
Although I have given this book 3 stars (probably closer to 3.5 but I couldn't bring myself to hit 4 stars) I will buy this book for my secondary school library and recommend it to students as Non has a wonderful ability to make everyone feel included whatever their situation or un - conventuality.

*I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
I initially started this book with a lot of trepidation. I absolutely love the Giant Days graphic novel series, and was very worried that it wouldn't translate well into novel format. However, I am happy to say that I was wrong!
The story follows university freshmen and new friends Daisy, Esther and Susan. Each character has their own distinct storyline that ties well into the plot of the book: Esther is trying to show her fellow Goth classmate that they should become best friends, Susan grapples to open up about her past, and Daisy has combated her social anxiety by signing up for every club imaginable. What happens next is just as hilarious and heartwarming as the original series. Since I read the graphic novels before picking this up, I was able to picture the plot as a comic in my mind's eye. I would definitely recommend this book for any lovers of the comics or anyone interested in a quirky college story!

Giant days is one of my all time favourite graphic novels and it makes me so happy to see it in a novel format. I highly recommend giving the book a chance since it is funny, realistic and absolutely adorable!