Cheer UP: Love and Pompoms is exactly the kind of my book my queer heart hopes for every time I pick up a book with LGBTQ+ characters. This was quite possibly the sweetest thing I've ever read; it literally had me squealing with the utmost joy every couple of pages.

Cheer Up follows two childhood friends, Bebe and Annie, who drifted apart. Now teenagers, Bebe has come out as transgender and joined cheerleading as the first trans girl ever on the team, while Annie has become a social loner with a fiery temper and a tendency to make people dislike her. Annie is forced by her mother to join the cheer squad, and the two rekindle their friendship after Bebe stands up for her. What follows is a heart warming story of two girls who are polar opposites, helping each other to unlearn the worst parts of themselves while uplifting each other through the trials of being a queer teenager.

I truly adored this graphic novel. Everything from the characters, the writing, the art style, to the story were all done with so much love and care poured into it. I love the stark contrast between Bebe and Annie, and how they were able to play off of each other's strengths and learn so much in such a short amount of time. I deeply appreciate seeing the experiences that Bebe goes through as an out trans girl, and how the author showed that even those who are well-meaning can do and say hurtful things. The fears that Bebe has of making a scene, or being too loud in a place where she is already the centre of attention just for existing, is so relatable to me as a visibly queer person. I loved the conversations that were had surrounding boundaries, and seeing the reactions of others. The characters and their relationships were complex and so very real, and I loved every second of it. I think this is going to be a book that will be celebrated by the LGBTQ+ community, and I can't wait to see everyone fall in love with it as much as I have!

It's more like a 4,5 rating. I loved this graphic novel.

In this beautiful story we have Bebe, a trans girl who hates to be the center of attention, she just wants a normal life, but can't find her voice to speak up, to say what she really thinks or wants. And Annie, a tough girl who doesn't know how to treat people in order to make friends, she scares everyone away, but inside she's a lovely person. Both of them join the cheerleading team and that's how they get to know each other better. They learn from the other how to make friends, how to say no, and how beautiful life can be when you are true to yourself and have good friends that have your back when needed.

THIS WAS SUCH A HEARTWARMING BOOK. I'm honestly really sad because I read it so quickly! I was liking it so much, and when I wasn't expecting it, it was over.

The book has a lot of diversity, and we love to read it. And oh my god, the drawing is gorgeous, the design of the characters and the colors and everything was very beautiful. Also, this has some really funny moments, I found myself laughing out loud because Annie is such a hilarious character.

I really thought this was a series! I don't think it is, but if the author and illustrator want to expand this story, I'M IN! The only thing that I didn't like was that it was so short, that I felt that maybe the romance was a little bit rushed, but don't get me wrong, I LOVED IT, and that's why I need more!

Thank you to Netgalley & Oni Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book!
Content Warnings: transphobia & fatphobia

Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms is a contemporary graphic novel featuring cheerleading, an angry plus-size lesbian main character, a biracial queer trans girl main character, and a bit of a romance between both these girls.

Based on reviews of this book I’d previously seen, I was expecting it to be pretty light-hearted than it turned out to be - specifically, it was a bit more heavily focused on one of the main characters’ experience with transphobia than I had anticipated. That being said, once I adjusted my expectations a bit, I really loved this graphic novel! The topic of transphobia was explored very well, and I loved the two main characters & their romance.

Overall, if you enjoy graphic novels I’d highly recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy.

Cheer up is an uplifting and sweet story of two young girls and their own personal struggles and how they find in each other the joy and acceptance found in unconditional love.

Annie is loud, rude, incredibly smart & anti social (she’s also known to bite) she is not accepted into social circles and quite frankly couldn’t give a damn, until she is told her antisocial traits could hinder an otherwise incredibly college application. So with the pressure from the adults in her life she is pressured to join the cheer team. Enter Bebe, kind, pretty and over pleasing captain of the cheer team Bebe feels she has to work extra hard to keep every one happy, both in her actions and her appearance. They are the Ying to the others yang and give each other what they need to help them come into their own person.

Cheer up is an endearing and uplifting story with an incredibly important message, i feel with the art and the story line this should find its way into all school and public libraries as it contains a message which is informative and could really help young people who are also struggling with the same issues as our two protagonists.

Highly Highly recommend reading this if you need a bit of Cheering up.

I absolutely adored this book. I mean a fat, grouchy lesbian and a trans woman who is scared of speaking out. This book was just yelling at me. Aesthetically, the art was beautiful and I think it really portrayed things well. Character-wise, I adored everyone. We really got to learn about these characters despite it being a graphic novel, which generally don't have much time. Plot-wise, it also worked for me. This book was just so so good.

Trigger Warnings: Fatphobia, Transphobia, Microaggressions, Sexual Harassment, Controlling Parents and Mentions of Biting

Cheer Up is a super sweet and heartwarming graphic novel with wonderful representation. I adored all the diversity, including race, body diversity, and gender identity. I absolutely loved the development of Bebe and Annie's friendship to their eventual romance! Even more, I loved seeing each of them come into their own and gain confidence in themselves. They had such a lovely arc together, as well as individually. I only wish this graphic novel were longer!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an early copy of Cheer Up. I loved this,it was such a quick read, the plot was really good, I loved the characters and I cannot wait to read more.

Such a sweet story, the characters and the illustrations are all fab and I loved how seamless it was. The mum character was honestly amazing, total goals! I can see this being a big hit

This was delightful, everything about it was fun and adorable and so well done. Absolutely recommend.

What an incredibly wonderful and powerful graphic novel!

All the more powerful for it's way of discussing issues ranging from fat-shaming to explorations of how it can be for a trans girl just wanting to be herself in highschool, Bebe and Annie (our two main characters) are both so different in terms of personalities but are both so awesome in their own unique way. We have Annie, all bluster and temper, ready with her spitfire to call out injustice, Then we have Bebe, who I absolutely adored, trying to navigate highschool 'quietly' because she doesn't want even more attention on herself since she is the first trans girl in her high school. Through Bebe's experiences, we see how she negotiates her identity within a space that is not overtly supportive or safe for her. But what Bebe's character really shows is the fake 'wokeness' of people. One of the main character arcs for Bebe is standing up for herself and letting people know what she actually wants. She doesn't want to make a scene, she hates being the centre of attention - and the constant need for others to put her in the centre of attention to demonstrate how 'okay' they are with her is actually effecting her in the opposite way. She feels all the more disconnected from her peers. I loved Bebe so much.

Bebe and Annie's relationship was absolutely adorable. I was cheering (hah, get it?) for them from the start! I just wish that we actually got to spend more time with them as a couple. It felt kind of rushed and I just wanted more.

Overall, I highly recommend this graphic novel!!!!! Perfect for fans of Check, Please! and Heartstopper.

I knew this book was about a trans girl and a teen romance with some cheerleading, and it sold me! I read this in an hour, and loved the art style, the story itself, and how it grew. This book is beautiful and lovely and I am so glad NetGallery and the publisher gave me a shot to read this one. Thank you.
I will definitely pick up the next book by Frasier!

Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms é uma graphic novel com protagonismo queer, onde somos apresentados a Bebe uma garota trans que se torna capitã da equipe de líderes de torcida, mas sofre por não conseguir dizer NÃO com medo das pessoss se irritarem com ela e ligar isso ao fato dela ser trans, e também com a pressão e superproteção dos pais. Annie é uma garota com exterior de durona, antisocial e briga com basicamente todo mundo na escola, mas decide seguir o conselho de sua mãe e entra para a equipe de lideres de torcida buscando ser mais sociável.

Bebe e Annie foram amigas há alguns anos, mas se afastaram, e essa nova aproximação, por conta da equipe, traz à tona muitas questões que elas escondem sobre si mesmas e como agem com outras pessoas, assim trabalhando nesses pontos que elas escondiam tão bem. Além disso, a união da equipe as tornam ainda mais fortes, mesmo que em alguns momentos elas se unam pela Bebe de forma equivocada, mas dá para perceber que é por amizade.

Eu amei ver a evolução dos personagens, não foram apenas Annie e Bebe que aprenderam e evoluíram, mas as pessoas ao redor delas também. É uma leitura muito rápida, mas me deixou apegada a elas que eu queria ler mais sobre a trajetória das duas.

Aviso de gatilho: transfobia, assédio sexual, gordofobia e controle parental.

I've seen people talking about this graphic novel and I've wanted to read it too. This was definitely one of the cutest graphic novels that I've ever read. I read it in one sitting and I smiled and felt pure happiness about Bebe and Annie. It was short and the story has a strong message too. Overall, I'll recommend who wants to read a wholesome story.

Rating: 4.25
I was so pleasantly surprised by this graphic novel! I’m not someone who’s interested in Cheerleading but I love me some LGBTQ+ graphic novels so was excited to pick this up! And it was wonderful. There’s so many diverse characters and stories being told. However I felt like some of the other cheerleaders didn’t get much spotlight, and I would have loved just a few extra pages to really get to know some of our side characters. I feel like this would have explained their motivations / actions towards the main characters better.
This is super sweet as well as dealing with some important and difficult topics. A lot of these topics revolve around our main trans female character and it was fantastic to read from this perspective. I feel like I learnt a lot. The main relationship in this is also super sweet and made me squeal with happiness!
Think Heartstopper cross A Map to the Sun. If you’re a lover of either of these graphic novels, I feel like this is right up your alley. And if you’re looking for some more LGBTQ+ graphic novels to pick up - this one would be perfect too!

Well, now, I am obsessed.

I do love a found family, and if anything this ‘squad’ is definitely a found family for these incredibly warm and brilliant characters that shine on every page of this comic. Annie, a girl who is grumpy and academic student who joins the team to add to her college application and Bebe her former friend who has transitioned build a really cute and lovely romance on these pages that just charms you from the start of the novel.

The art style is just so nice and the colours allow the characters and the places to pop throughout, the mood of the scenes are really displayed through the use of colour that makes it such a joy to look at as much as it is for this to be read. The diversity of the characters really shows through the excellent art and I really love how the story is told throughout. This is such a beautifully delivered comic that just makes for a lovely read.

I loved every moment and I need more from this group of characters - it reminded me of two of my favourite graphic novels (Lumberjanes and Heartstopper) that leads me to think we have so many more wonderful things to come from this writer!

(I recieved an ARC from Netgalley for honest review).

TWs: transphobia, fatphobic comments, sexual harassment 

When I requested this from NetGalley I had really been hoping to get approved since it's sapphic!!! cheerleaders!!!! and Cheer Up: Love and PomPoms definitely didn't disappoint. Like most graphic novels, it's a pretty quick read, but it's so cute and left me with such a feel-good energy when I finished it.

Love and Pompoms follows ex-best friends, Annie and Bebe, as they have to learn how to get along again when Annie joins the cheer squad. As they grow closer, they both learn and grow from what they learn from one another, and their squadmates, and start to have feelings for each other.

I loved the character development in this story so much, Frasier did an excellent job with how everyone grew, including the background characters. This was peak grumpy girlfriend and sunshine girlfriend which always warms my cold dead heart, and will literally never get old. I do wish the story had been just a little longer to develop the romance between Annie and Bebe, but honestly, this is me nitpicking. I also felt like Frasier did such an excellent job of showing how awkward and alone you can feel as a teen, and the microaggressions and exhaustion that trans and non-binary people have to deal with on a daily basis.

If you're looking for a feel good graphic novel, definitely try picking this story up! It's super fun and cute while touching on some important topics. I'm definitely going to be requesting it at my library so queer teens can find and read it.

Antisocial Annie is a lesbian starting her senior year of highschool. Her mother encourages her to join the cheerleading squad to make new friends and round out her college applications. Beatrice, the team captain, and Annie's former best friend, is a trans-girl who is constantly trying not to draw attention to herself. Her parent's put a lot of pressure on her for their support in her transition. As the two girls rekindle their friendship, they begin to realize that there may be more between them than they once thought.

This was such a sweet graphic novel, with such loveable characters. I love how Annie didn't care what anybody thought of her, and how unapologetically herself she was. I loved how Annie stood up for Bee, and taught her to do so herself. The character development of not only Annie and Bee, but the entire cheer squad was wonderful to see. The story deals with many serious topics, such as transphobia, fatphobia, microaggressions and harassment in a very sensitive manner that I really enjoyed. I also really loved the art style of this! It pulled me right into the story and I was thoroughly invested in the first few pages.

The biggest complaint I have about this was that it was WAY TOO SHORT. I want more, and I want it now.

Cheer up- Love and poms poms is a graphic novel that talks about the relationship between Anne and Bebe who identifies as Trans.
.
Anne is being brash and not on her best behaviour and her mother suggests her to join the cheerleading squad to utilize the pent-up energy towards something constructive.
.
That is where Anne meets Bebe who is the captain of the cheerleading squad.
.
But that's not all to the story. The graphic novel focuses on the preconceived notions set by media and how a trans woman or trans man is sometimes comes in the spotlight by the cisgendered world for the wrong reasons.
.
The art work and the graphics beautifully captures the expression and what one often forgets in graphic novels that the words are not needed on every page.
.
I like how the artists and the writers also talk about the slow building up of relationships and the sisterhood that exists in a cheerleading squad.
.
Bebe was such a strong character and in the end when she asserts is what made me actually shout F*CK yeah!

Oh this was a wonderful, sweet and yes, adorable coming of age romance between an out trans girl, BeeBee, who is part of cheerleader and a stubborn lesbian with anger issues, Annie who while good at studies, is not exactly liked in her school. So her mother, and the principal give her an ultimatum to try out for the cheerleading team.

Annie and BeeBee were friends before; and now that Annie is trying out for the cheerleading team, that she only gets through because BeeBee in her infinite goodness takes responsibility for making sure Annie doesn’t create a whole lot of problems.

Both BeeBee and Annie are a joy to read - together they make such a wonderful and really cute friends and then later a couple. Plus, I loved the inclusivity of the members of the cheerleading team as well as the school itself.

Wish this was a series; but it was a short, cute and adorable read that will keep you company for a couple of hours; when it releases in August 2021!

I thought this was such a cute and fun graphic novel. Once I got started it was hard to put down. I love all the characters and the plot of the story. I love how BeeBee is a trans girls who came out in her high school and she has a great support systems from her parents and the cheerleading squad and she gets her friend Annie to be on the squad even though she is only there at try outs to please her mom. Overall I love the friendships and the lessons the story has about accepting people and standing up not only for yourself, but to be able to know that you have great support in your friends.