I loved that this came from the male perspective.  This will definitely be a relatable story for middle school and junior high students.  There’s a nice mix of feelings and humor to make this feel realistic and relatable.

Netgalley provided me a DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love, love, LOVE this middle grade graphic novel series. I was so excited to get a DRC, especially when I found out that Crush follows Jorge, one of my favorite side characters from Brave.

These books have SO many things going for them. The artwork is amazing (and adorable), the cast of characters are the most diverse I have seen in middle grade fiction, and the range of topics covered: crushes (and the drama that ensues), social media (and the drama that ensues), bullying, what it means to be a friend, judging others on their appearance, etc. I also love that this one includes a section regarding body autonomy. Everything is just so SPOT ON for middle school. 

I recommend them to everyone--whether you're a fan of graphic novels or not.

Having seen other books written by Svetlana Chmakova, I was very excited to read Crush.  (After reading, I plan on backtracking to read the other books as well 👍).  This graphic novel follows the school life of Jorge who is middle schooler known for his size, protective attitude, and quiet spirit. However, there is something about him no one knows - he has a secret crush!

This novel is the quintessential picture of middle school. Many relevant topics for tweens are brought forth, such as navigating relationships, cyberbullying, and standing for what's right. 

I would highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone who's either already read other titles by Chmakova or is navigating the world of middle school.

I'm familiar with Svetlana Chmakova</a> from her earlier work like Dramacon which was published by Tokyo Pop so many years ago. A friend of mine gave me a free comic book day issue featuring an excerpt from Crush. I read it and knew I wanted to read more. I haven't read the other entries in the Berrybrook Middle School series, <em>Awkward</em> or <em>Brave</em>, yet I read up on them enough to know that they are award winning graphic novels about middle school aged kiddos and that they are well loved.

I have twin god sisters who are finally in middle school and one of them--Rebekah--pops up with random questions and comments now, questions I've never heard before like: "Have you ever had a crush before?"  (To which I say 'Yes, of course. It's perfectly normal to have crushes on people) and comments like, "I'm just so SINGLE." (To which I say 'Yo, there's nothing wrong with not having a boyfriend or girlfriend. There is NO rush. ) Hearing these types of things from her remind me that Rebekah and her twin sister are growing up and growing up means experiencing new things like having crushes, widening your social circles, and being on your own figuring out what life throws at you.



What I adore about this book is the creator, Chmakova, can craft a terrific story. A few of the overarching themes in this book that make it great are having your first crush, navigating newer spaces with new rules (elementary school is a whole new playground than middle school), and maintaining friendships—new and old. Seeing kids trying to learn to balance newer responsibilities (like getting the more challenging homework completed) while juggling extracurricular activities (like clubs), and hanging out with different social circles was something I remembered at that age. I was also pleasantly surprised to see kids verbally reinforcing the message of consent by way of body autonomy to their peers after certain kids think it’s a joke to just ignore.

I loved Jorge Ruiz, our main character who is a sort of gentle giant, who is shy and such a good-natured dude. He’s nicknamed ‘Sheriff’ for walking through the hallways and stopping those who horse around a little too much at the expense of others. He’s entered middle school with his best friends Olivia and Garrett, and they've been hit by wave after wave of change from trying to impress the wrong crowd to rotating boys that end up as boyfriends. Can’t say I’ve seen many boys of color as protagonists in graphic novels, and he’s a welcomed addition. His middle school experience becomes something new and unexpected when he starts developing a crush on Jazmine, the bubbly girl who is a friend of a friend who always greets him with a smile.

The art style is manga influenced and fun, especially when seeing the variety of the facial expressions in this book. I also felt that the coloring was a bit muted, yet I did like lettering effects. On my second read through, I noticed that there were more kids of color than I initially thought in the book. I see them in the backgrounds on almost every page, and I even see some hijab wearing students and having them in more featured roles or places in visibility would have serve this book better. I would have also liked more of them to have names. Yet, they are here in the book: on James', the jock’s, posse and in the drama club—two groups we see often. I absolutely adored the P.E. teacher/coach, Coach Rasad—who wears a hijab as well and is no nonsense having, authoritative figure and is well respected.


Jorge himself gets to shine, and the writing shows this in wrapping up loose ends and giving us closure which is a blessing to read after how disappointed I was remembering Bethany, the Black friend of the main character in Dramacon. Jorge gets centered, and the supporting cast is full of some swell kids which include girls who reject outdated beauty standards and serve up a big serving of sisterhood by looking after each other. This also includes boys who weren't being their best versions of themselves and see the errors of their ways, trying to impress in the name of also outdated shows of masculinity.

Jorge goes from being out of sorts by discovering he has a crush to staying steadfast in being true to who he is and trying his best to be a good friend. He is the glue to this tale being sucked into all the drama that happens yet learning much along the way about himself, those people who make your heart flutter, and learning what type of person he wants to be: thoughtful, considerate and decent, someone you don't doubt, and someone folks will always want to see coming. It can't be understated that having a boy protagonist respect his female peers and hold other boys to that standard is excellent to see and something that I want to see more of. Seeing a boy protagonist view and treat girls as whole persons and not just the sum of parts is super cool in my book.

The pacing of this book flows fine ,but I was surprised to see the book’s length of 240 pages which is more than I usually see for graphic novels for this age group. This book also ends on a good note: on choosing your tribe—the people who are your friends and being chosen by them. I also really dug the respecting others--regardless of gender, regardless of if they're your BFF or just a passing kid in the hallway. There is also something to be said about endearing friendships and how people, not just you but also your friends, change after time--some of the changing being good and bad.

Growing up will eventually happen, and there is no official manual-- yet such a fun read like <em>Brave</em> comes along and makes me wish I had it way back when I was a terribly awkward middle schooler. Chmakova's <em>Crush </em> is an adventure for the tween/preteen age group that carries all the feels and makes the ordinary seem extraordinary by how relatable it is.

When I think about on my little god sister Rebekah, a freshly minted sixth grader and her never-ending well of questions about what dating is and what's the correct way to wear this or that and what to do when the kid that sits next to her that doesn't know they stink to high heavens, I'm going to be make time for those questions. And I'm going to slide her over a copy of this book and heck, the other entries of the in the Berrybrook Middle School series, Awkward or Brave because Crush has made me a believer.

Crush is a welcoming graphic novel experience with relatable characters and a fresh and colorful use of images.  The story is enjoyable and the art is a lovely complement to the text.  This is a book I would gladly share with readers, old and young alike.

A fine example of the graphic novel medium.

I'm crushing on this book SO HARD!
The feeling of this book is spot on for the middle school crowd and definitely puts older audiences reading it right back into those awkward, crushy, stressful years. 
Love love LOVED the message about consent added in there before a school dance. 
Overall fantastic messages and great read.

I received this book from publisher/Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

As I said in my review for the previous book, I was hoping this one would be about Jorge, and look! Look! It is! Yay!!! *fangirls*

Jorge is so adorable, how he is trying to be all like: Oh nobody got time for all that dating stuff and blabla. We are on a mission to stop bullying and the like. Then he spots Jazmine and gets totally flustered! Adorable!!!!!! And that is how it goes every time he sees her, or if she talks to him. He just goes into the zone (which reminded me of scenes of manga/anime with swoony romance), and I just loved it. Of course, I was quickly (very quickly, like after one scene of that) rooting for Jorge and her to get together, or at least give Jorge the chance to confess. Go Jorge! Sadly, we find out that Jazmine has a boyfriend! SHOCK! Poor Jorge, he finally had worked up the courage to talk to Jazmine, and then finds out she is taken!

Haha: “Do I… like Jazmine?” Yes, sir, you do. And quite a lot given the way your acting. Face the music, and welcome to love!

And so, the story continues, we see Jorge navigate the treacherous ways of school, and still falling madly in love with Jazmine (he is noticing her everywhere).

Ahhhhhhh, adorable! He just asked her! YAYYYYYYY! Well, OK, to the ball, but it is a start! YAYYYYYY! Finally dating! I don’t consider that a spoiler, come on, it was obvious. Even with the whole boyfriend at first, I just knew that they would end up together. Eep! I just love how well they fitted together, and I was delighted to see the little things they did to spend time together.

Plus, good job Jorge, for acting normal when your girlfriend cuts her hair. Given how tons of other people reacted, which I found really stupid, but then again, I know from personal experience how people act when girls have short hair. 😐

Of course, he is not alone in this book. We also have Garrett and Liv. I do have to be honest and say that I didn’t like how they bickered quite a few times during the book. But thankfully they also show enough times that they are the best of friends. They were quite fun together, bantering.

Liv was a pretty OK character, she has her heart in the right place, though she should be a bit tactful about things (like eating lunch with your current boyfriend while your ex is at the same table… is not what you want to do).  But she does have an amazing superpower of getting people to join or do things, which is pretty nice!

We also see that she has some troubles with her current boyfriend. Of course, we only see her side of the story, so who knows what Marcus’ story is, but still I wanted, just like Jorge, to destroy Liv. Hello, a relationship works from two sides. You can’t just expect her to go with you to stuff, but then find her needy when she wants you and her to go the ball.

Garrett, a new addition to the school, in his previous school he was quarterback, but here? He can’t even play much as there is already a star player who gets all the play time. I didn’t get why he was so hot about James, I just thought that dude was a skeezeball. But I guess he wanted to be in the group, and people do silly things to be in a group.

Zeke? Jazmine’s boyfriend? Sorry, but what? I liked him at times, but it is true what Jorge said, he does seem to have 2 sides to himself. We see one of that in the corridor (when Jorge saves him), and then later at the party (what a crappy move, you don’t do that to your girlfriend). Thankfully, Jazmine isn’t happy either, and it seems that some stuff happened before. I was glad to see him out of the picture.

James? Please just fall off a cliff and disappear. What a disgusting piece of *insert lots of expletives* Especially nearing the ending when he did that to Jorge.

I hated that everyone just believed that Jorge would do those things. Really? Guys? Like, you know this dude, you know how hard he tries to make sure everyone is happy and not being bullied. You saw him with Jazmine, you saw him with other girls. And then you just believe that? Not thinking about how technology isn’t always to be trusted. Anyone can pretend to be someone. Anyone can hack if they really want it. But I guess, kids are just dumb in that way. :{

The whodunnit? Aka the one who was posting as Jorge, well, I was quite shocked. What a dick move.

The ending made me smile so so much! It was just the best way to end this book. A bit of drama, but also happiness and love.

I loved the extra info at the ending, especially how the cover was picked. I am happy that they picked the cover that is now in use. That one just fits the best with this story. How Jorge only sees her, even though his friends are there, even though there is chaos. So sweet!

All in all, I am hoping we get a new graphic novel, featuring another character. Maybe Brooke? Or Nic? And I would highly, very highly, recommend this one!

Too cute and so relatable. As a middle school librarian, I can already forsee this being a big hit. There is something so genuine about the Berrybrook Middle School series. The voices are spot on for a middle school student and I think this one will help so many students gently navigate the awkward time of first crushes and friendships that fluctuate. The text is very accessible for all different reading levels so this is another multiple-copy must have for my library.

Books about teens and dating aren't my go to reads but something about Crush's cover and blurb made me click the request button on Netgalley. 

It's quite refreshing to get a middle school boy's perspective and Jorge is such a precious cinnamon roll. The female characters were all independent, self-assured girls and if I were attending Berrybrook Middle school, I would be carried away with Olivia's spirit, too. Jazmine, the love interest, is shy and sweet but she isn't a push over. In fact, she can kick her stupid ex's ass if she wants to. And Jorge loves her for being badass.

"It's official... I'm taking the awesomest girl in school to the ball."

I also love the art, the character designs and how the author drew the expressions. The humor had me chuckling and the dialogues and scenes were realistic. There were positive messages inserted here and there that worked well with the scenarios without being preachy. I also love how Svetlana Chmakova made the comic diverse by including a non-binary student, a Muslim coach as well as characters wearing hijabs in the background. Also major points on the hair thing. I agree that girls look pretty whether they have short hair, long hair or no hair at all

Crush is cute, fun and diverse, with tons of positive messages for every teenage boys, girls and non-binaries. Definitely recommended!

P.S.

I received a copy of Crush from Yen Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

 
 SOUNDTRACK
There She Goes
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Even though I haven’t read the author before, I liked it her style. It's a light reading, the illustrations are so cute and I loved Jorge.

The characters are diverse, and THE FEMALE CHARACTERS!!!, all the girls are strong and independent. I liked the messages that are given in the story. It’s a graphic novel that I would recommend to teenagers.

The only thing that I didn’t like was the issue with James at the end, that took away points from the story. Overall, an entertaining and recommended story.

I SO needed this as a palate cleanse after the last two horrific 1 star graphic novels I just read.  

This book is cute and sweet and everything I needed right now.  I read the teaser handed out at ALA Annual 2018 and knew that I had to get my hands on the entire thing.  I was right, it was so awesome!  I didn't realize this was the third in a series, so now I have two other books to look forward to, yay!!

This is a contemporary story from the POV of Jorge, a large middle schooler with two BFFs, Olivia and Russell.  It is their story of how they dealt with middle school, classes, teachers, fellow students, gossip, crushes, etc.  

Jorge and Olivia were my favs, though the gym teacher was AWESOME.  Russell was a bit of an idiot and I didn't like him, but he was true to a less self-assured pre-teen in middle school, so I can't hate on him.  Just hate his initial behavior.  He does grow and learn, so all is not lost. 

This book would be great for the middle school years and maybe a younger, precocious reader and upwards.  Highly recommended.  5, shiny, love Jorge and Olivia, stars!

My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press/JY for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

A pleasantly lunky giant with a heart of gold finds himself with unexplainable passions for a drama student at his middle grade school.  I'd guess the thinking of the modern schoolgoer is conveyed here.  To the adult mind some of the late drama was forcibly put on the page just to give a shred of doubt where none was existing – it was fairly obvious they'd get over the hurdle and end up together, after all – and some of it was very much edutainment about respect and "don't touch, don't even look, don't judge people like that because people have done it for millennia but it's wrong now, OK?!" and all that malarkey.  But on the whole it's a worthwhile, pleasant read.

It is time to return to Berrybrook Middle School, where things are just as cute and complicated as always. Everyone around Jorge seems to be pairing off, but he isn’t about that romantic life. His two best friends are going through their own growing pains. Liv is having trouble with her new boyfriend and Garrett is desperate to infiltrate the popular guy’s sports clique. Jorge soon finds that he actually does like a girl at school, Jasmine, if only he could gain the confidence to talk to her. Serious tensions begin to evolve around these characters when Garrett’s new friends bully/torment their peers. 

This graphic novel does not disappoint. The art and story are on point. The plot is realistic and relevant to today’s teens. I love the manga stylings of Chmakova. I love her diverse cast of characters and her socially conscious narratives, which support the growth of young girls. I know this one isn’t technically out yet, I know that the author just had a baby, but GAAHHH I want more!!

Crush is a charming look into the lives of young teenagers and their relationships--both friendship and romantic. Jorge is the boy we all aspire our children to become: honest, loyal, and genuine in his actions and he is faced with some tough decisions regarding his long time friends. Few books show kids that integrity is the real winner in all things, no matter how hard it is to uphold. Showing three very different friends and their reactions to very real situations gives a great example to children and the supporting characters cover a wide span of diversity that is refreshing yet not overwhelming. I truly enjoyed this read and look forward to recommending it to pre-teen readers in my library.

Yet another beautifully written graphic novel from Svetlane Chmakova!  As the third book in the trio awkward series, this one takes on several different themes and weaves a realistic middle story in the process. Chmakova deals with those crazy first crush feelings and the tongue-tiedness that comes with it in a sweet way as best friends change and grow and bullying continues to rear it's ugly head in school in a multitude of ways.  A definite read for any middle schooler or parent who forgets what it is like to be that age.

Simple great story. Students have enjoyed the other books by the author as well. Will purchase for the library.

Loved it! Crush is a great addition to the series. The author seemlessly integrates diverse characters into her stories. Love the themes of consent and traits of good friendships. I will definitely recommend this title to my middle school students and I can't wait to buy a bunch of copies.

It was a nice change to have a book about middle school crushes from a male point of view. I have always suspected that there are many middle school boys who are overlooked and have so much that they would like to share. This did remind me a lot of my experiences as a teacher; I just felt like it went on a bit too long.

Abosulutely adore this story. Love the use of cool tone colour palette throughout the book, particularly fund of the lilacs and taupes tones. I will recomend this book to all my students, not only for the target audience,because there are so many little details in the drawing and in the inclusitivy (race, gender, religion ...) of the main and background characters that we sometimes need to discuss in and out the classrooms. 
This book made me think of the original Degrassi series, where there are diffent types of personalities and groups within a society all with different problems and family issues that are put out there to be discuss in a very open minded way. 
In the other hand, I feel teenagers do not speak or behave like that in real life, but we can alway refer to this type of book when we need extra guidance specially where parents aren't very close to their own kids education.

This was my first venture into graphic novels and it did not disappoint. I am more of a fan of the traditional novel because I like full blown sentences, but I will review this for what it is: a graphic novel. 

As a 6th grade teacher this is the perfect book for my classroom. My students loved the first two books in the series and this one will be another hit. I enjoyed seeing middle school through the eyes of the tenderhearted Jorge as he struggled with his feelings and relationships. I thought the events were realistic and things my students can relate to. The conflicts in the story were handled well and the lessons learned are plentiful throughout. It is a quick read and full of humor and it is definitely heartwarming.

I will still preview graphic novels for use in my classroom, though I will continue to prefer traditional novels because of the structure of the text.