Welcome Back!

This week has been a bit hectic but I kind of expected it as August tends to be when things pick up for me with both work and school. However, I have still been having a good reading month, at least so far, it is only August fifth but I am currently on my fifth read of the month! Which is absolutely amazing! My new nightstand stack has kind of motivated me a bit because there are just so many books I am excited to read so seeing them next to me all the time makes me want to grab a book a read! The other day I decided to pick up a few graphic novels and one of those was All My Friends! I was super fortunate to have an E-ARC of this from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions, so I would like to give them a huge thank you! I have had the opportunity to read a few of Hope’s other graphic novels and I absolutely loved my time with each of them so I was excited to give her newest work a try!

SPOILERS AHEAD

Bina and her friends have formed a band! Outside of middle school, they spend all of their time practicing and hoping to make it big someday and they think they might close! They are finally going to play a show, so practicing is more important now than ever, but when the day of the show comes there are some things practicing could never prepare them for such as strings breaking on stage. So after a disastrous first show, the friends regroup and keep practicing when an unlikely deal falls on their doorstep! One of the people at the show, who sells merch gave their song to, to their parents and they would like to buy it for a TV show they work on! The girls are so excited but their parents want to make sure this is a fair deal and once it is confirmed they get their first big break! Their song will be on television, on one of Bina’s favorite shows! After this, they are offered an actual record deal! But after much deliberation, their parents are not going to let them take the deal. They are all super upset and come up with the idea to record their own record. But how does someone do that? What kind of money do they need?

This was such a cute graphic novel about music, friendship, growing up, and so much more. It was honestly just what I needed at the time to help me stay out of a reading slump and want to pick up even more books. On top of really enjoying the story and characters, the illustrations were really well done! I am definitely planning to pick up even more graphic novels by Hope Larson very soon, possibly even All Summer Long graphic novel (I think this might be part of a series)!

Goodreads Rating: 5 stars

P.S. Thank you so much to the publisher for sending an E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions!

Three girls form a band called Fancy Pink in this graphic novel. When their music is played on a tv show, they become noticed in school and see how overwhelming and fun the music biz can be. A label wants to sign them but all parents say no because “ that decision could control your life for years.” The girls secretly record guest vocals for a record, but they need money to do more. They decide to hold a benefit show to raise money, and they’re the secret headliner. Will their parents find out? Can they raise enough money?

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.

Publication date: September 28, 2021
My Thoughts:
This graphic series is about Bina, a middle-schooler who performs with her band and is making progress towards a record deal. Of course she is just a middle schooler. I had to keep reminding myself about that as they seem to be drawn older and put into situations that are not really middle school material. Anyway, she seems to be able to make a lot of very adult decisions and hide it from her parents. In other words, middle grades readers will love it.

From the Publisher:
Middle-schooler Bina has everything she's ever wanted. She has new friends and a new band whose song is about to be featured on her favorite television show.

But being in the spotlight is hard. When Bina and her band are offered a record deal, her parents are not thrilled. Now, Bina is barely speaking to her mom and dad. To make matters worse, Bina and her best friend, Austin, are still awkward around each other after their failed first date.

Can Bina untangle the various melodies in her heart? Or will fame go to her head?

Hope Larson is always a go-to for me when I'm looking for materials to recommend to middle graders that want to read about the things they're experiencing without directly asking for that - first love, dating for the first time, navigating old and new friendships, pursuing passions and dreams, etc. This one did not disappoint.

This one was my favorite of the series. I felt like everyone grew up and really came into their own. This has been a really fun series to read and I loved the illustrations.

Just as much fun as the others - it was great to see Bina and her friends grow and change. I loved watching her figure everything out and learn more about the music scene and who she is.

I really loved the first book in this series but as the series goes on I seem to like each volume less and less. This addition continues to follow Bina as she navigates music and relationships. Overall, I think the plot of this installment was just a little boring and I didn’t think the story was a strong as the first book. I know that my tweens will enjoy to continue reading in this series but I just found this a little underwhelming.

Really enjoyed this fun, music-centered graphic novel series. Loved the friendships and the band drama!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for a digital ARC of this book.

Pros:
-Spot on artwork
-Funny and relatable band moments

Cons:
-I would love to see it in full color instead of monochromatic
-The ending message regarding dating

I've very torn about this one. As far as the music/band side of the story goes, this is definitely great. But where it falls flat with me is the romance side of the story. I felt like the previous one was so strong ending with Bina not needed to date anyone, but we jump right back into dating in this one. Then she realizes she actually does like Austin because he remembered her In-n-Out order? Ugh! I guess if I was the target audience of this book I might want that, but as an educator of the target audience, I wish the overall message would have valued friendships over relationships.

It was so wonderful to see Bina grow in this book. I could definitely relate to her struggles between her parents concerns and her dream of being a musician. It felt a little rushed, though that may be because I always finish Hope Larson's books wanting more (in a good way!).

A fun finale for the trilogy! Bina's band is gaining more and more steam but she's still dealing with overprotective parents and awkward dates. When the band is offered a contract and their parents aren't on board, the girls work to come up with creative ways to try to make their dream become a reality. I've really enjoyed this series and how the characters have grown up throughout it. (Plus, it's fun to go "hey I've listened to that band!" when real life references are made.) I recommend this for later MG/early YA readers, as it will easily work as a bridge between the two types of graphic novel readers.

Bina has started a new band with 2 friends, and "Fancy Pink" is taking off. One of their songs was chosen as a theme song for a tv show and now she and her friends plan to record their own album. But first they have to come up with the funds. In addition to the album plans Bina is kind of dating the lead from another band, trying to keep the album a secret from her parents, and attempting to restore her friendship with Austin. I didn't like the monochrome of the graphics as much as I liked the vibrant color of the first book. However I enjoyed the way Hope Larson placed Bina in typical middle school situations, as well as atypical, but Bina handled them the way a middle schooler would. I believe a lot of young readers will relate to the characters.

I think this was the best one of the Eagle Rock series! I wasn't expecting to feel that way, because a lot of what I liked about the first 2 books was turned on its head in this one, but it played out really naturally and with a lot of heart. I liked the increased on the family relationships, and the boundary pushing that comes with growing up.

Bina's life as a musician had a rocky start in All Summer Long, but now things are running smoothly. So smoothly in fact that the band is getting gigs and even an offer from a record label. Bina, and the other girls' parents, are concerned that the girls are too young to get swept up in the professional music world. So how will the band rally in the face of these challenges without tipping off their parents to the plan? Only time will tell.

I enjoyed reading this follow-up to All Summer Long. Following characters as their story progresses is one of my favorite things to do as a reader. The art is well done and adds a lot of energy to the story. The story of kids following their dreams is always welcome in a world that tells more kids that they can't than they can. I will definitely add this to my middle school library collection.

This was definitely my favorite of the three! I loved seeing Bina’s character growth throughout the series. My favorite part though was when her parents used Kesha as an example of how cruel the music industry can be.

Another adventure with Bina and her musician friends! I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and definitely recommend reading them first, however, this works pretty well as a stand-alone. The art is great, the story is fun and engaging, and I like seeing the progress of Bina's personal relationships. Bina and her new band, Fancy Pink, are getting some great opportunities to play around town and perhaps even record a record! Bina also sees herself with a new love interest, and perhaps a love interest from the past. This is perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeire.

Solid story about a group of young teenage musicians rising up in the LA music scene. The story primarily focuses on 3 girls who decide to self produce a CD after their parents, concerned about handing over their children to the predator-filled music industry, prevent them from signing with a label. Despite the parents' concerns the music community the teenagers operate in is fairly clean, with most participants in the 15-18 year old range (which seems unlikely, but maybe up and comers are really that young?). I can't comment on the artwork because the eARC provided by the publisher had been altered to avoid plagiarism to such an extent only the outlines of characters were visible (and even then, barely so).

All My Friends is the third book in a graphic novel series by Hope Larson. The main character, Bina, is a young teen with a passion for music. She's started a new band and they are preparing for their first major gig. Bina is also starting to date and trying to determine if she has a crush on her best friend and next door neighbor, Austin. This is an enjoyable, lighthearted series that I would recommend to fans of Raina T's books or the Baby Sitters Club graphic novels,

Even though this is volume 3 of the Eagle Rock trilogy, it still works wonderfully by itself (but read all three because they're awesome!) Bina and her friends are offered a recording deal and her parents aren't feeling it. What a great middle school topic - it really nudges up against the teen angst my kiddos are experiencing. So much fun.