***ARC provided by Netgalley and Oni Press in exchange for a review***

Aw, this was so darn cute!

Cheer Up is a fairly short, super cute graphic novel about two MCs, a people-pleasing trans girl and her anti-social lesbian ex-best-friend who re-bond over cheerleading. Cheerleading isn’t the forum I’d expect two diverse characters to show up in - admittedly my knowledge of American high school cheerleading is derived from YA books and Glee, but I always thought that cheerleading was basically like the opposite of diversity? Maybe things are changing though, because the cheerleading team in this book were very inclusive.

The plot covered a lot of ground in relative few pages - there was sexuality and gender, family dynamics, romance, microagressions, consent, sexual assault as well as a pretty good plot that didn’t dip into preachiness. I think there was a danger this book could have become like an after school special on Isn’t Inclusivity A Good Thing, but it managed to avoid doing that. The characters visibly grow and develop too, which I wasn’t expecting for such a short book.

Book: Cheer Up
Author: Crystal Frasier
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Description:
Annie is a smart, antisocial lesbian starting her senior year of high school who’s under pressure to join the cheerleader squad to make friends and round out her college applications. Her former friend BeeBee is a people-pleaser—a trans girl who must keep her parents happy with her grades and social life to keep their support of her transition. Through the rigors of squad training and amped up social pressures (not to mention micro aggressions and other queer youth problems), the two girls rekindle a friendship they thought they’d lost and discover there may be other, sweeter feelings springing up between them.
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🌼 The book is about two girls, Beatrice who recently came out as a trans and Annie who is a loner and is extremely smart. Beatrice needs a tutor whereas Annie needs to get involved in extracurricular activities for college applications. The start of the novel seemed like Work it( a Netflix movie).
🌼 The book discusses love in various forms of care and affection. The love between the cheerleading team where they stand by each other always. The love and care of Beatrice parents and the budding relationship between Annie and Beatrice. All of them felt so pure.
🌼 It was so simple yet so meaningful. It was able to discuss many topics within its short length. The coming out of a person and breaking the barriers to finally feel free. The people who supports them and also the ones who opposes them. It discusses the feeling a trans person feel in order to not stand out from the crowd. The book was diverse where no one looked same as each other. Each individual with an individual identity.
🌼 The artwork was great. It was clean and interesting without any mess and confusion.
The colours were also beautiful.
🌼 The book was too short tho. I wanted more of it. I hope we can get sequel to this amazing book.
🌼 Overall an amazing read. I can recommend it to everyone.

This graphic novel was one of the sweetest things I’ve read in a while. Firstly, the art is gorgeous and incredibly well done. I liked how detailed the style was without feeling messy or overwhelming. The color palette was really gorgeous for this specific novel. The story was heart warming and amusing, with a ton packed into the short graphic novel. This is a full story, which I appreciated a lot. There is not cliffhanger to leave you frustrated and wanting the next story immediately. The way this novel addressed different identities and setting boundaries with other was really wonderful!

TW/CW: Transphobia (some contested), sexual harassment, fatphobia, microaggresions, bullying

When I randomly downloaded this title on Netgalley, I didn’t think this story would have such an impact on me. I saw that gorgeous cover, read that it was a sapphic romance with other LGBTQIA+ themes, and didn’t really read much farther - and honestly, I love that I went into it kinda blind. Cheer Up is the story of two teen girls who used to be friends. For an unknown reason (that I wish the story had gone into!), the two stopped talking a few years before the story starts.

Beatrice is a cheerleader who has become popular ever since she came out as transgender. Annie is a loner who’s extremely smart but doesn’t have any friends.
Beatrice needs a tutor to keep her grades up so that she can continue transitioning and Annie’s mom wants her to get more involved in extracurriculars for college applications.
So, of course, they decide to work together.

This story is full of love - platonic love, familial love, and romantic love. The cheerleading team, while often misguided, means well. They love each other so much and by the end of the book will do anything to protect each other. Beatrice’s parents want her life to be as easy as possible and tend to be very protective of her. Annie and Beatrice’s budding romantic relationship made me cry at 2:30 AM when I finished this book.

It’s also a story of identity and discovery. Annie explicitly states that she’s attracted to girls (she never explicitly says she’s a lesbian like the synopsis does, but I’ll take it). Beatrice admits that because she’s been so focused on her gender identity journey that she hasn’t even gotten to think about her sexuality - but Annie helps her along with that. One of their cheerleading teammates comes out thanks to Beatrice.

Not only does this graphic novel have all of that going for it, but it’s also incredibly diverse in other aspects. No background or side character looks the same. Different body types all around, hijabi background characters, and so many characters of color.

This graphic novel holds a lot for being less than 200 pages. From heavy and important moments like discussing how performative activism is harmful, to the light and fun aspects of high school such as homecoming dress shopping, this book seems to have it all. It holds a variety of deep conversations and concepts all while being balanced by its fun, beautiful, and brightly colored pages.

I feel like I could talk forever about this book, so I’m gonna stop here before I just melt into keyboard smashing and all caps. If you’re looking for a book that is destined to make you feel good, this is it. Please read this book; I hope you love it as much as I do.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Oni Press for the ARC!

“I spent 17 years hiding. And I can tell you: it doesn’t fix anything.”

CHEER UP: LOVE AND POMPOMS is a perfectly adorable and tender queer YA graphic novel. Annie, a grouchy tomboy nerd, has to join a sport to round out her college applications; the cheer team is her best option. Beatrice, or Bebe, the first trans girl in the state to join a cheer team, is adjusting to being out and taking up space. Reunited after a few years of not being as close, Annie helps Bebe learn to stand up for herself and say what she wants, and Bebe teaches Annie how to be gentle and make friends.

This book is an adorable coming-of-age story and sapphic romance rolled into one. I really loved how the author addresses the nuances of supporting someone transitioning and coming out - there’s lots of folks in the novel who love Bebe but don’t respect what she wants, or are allies for selfish reasons/in ways that don’t honor Bebe, and I like how it’s drawn out and resolved. There’s lots of positive representation in terms of queerness, race, and body size. My heart was so full after reading it and I can’t wait for everyone else to experience it too. Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for the ARC! You can pick up this cupcake of a book on 8/10.

Content warnings: transphobia, anti-fat bias

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC.

If you enjoy graphic novels like Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, The Prince and the Dressmaker or Fence; Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms is exactly what you need right now! This graphic novel written by Crystal Fraiser and illustrated by Val Wise is the perfect combination of charming queer characters, fresh dialogues and romantic plots that will steal your heart.

Annie is a lesbian teenager who has trouble making friends. She just started her last year of high school and she feels pressured to make her college applications look their best in order to get a spot in the university of her dreams. It’s because of this that she joins the cheerleader squad where she reencounters BeeBee, a childhood friend who is always helping people and trying to have a perfect life because she thinks that this way no one will judge her transition. Annie and BeeBee will reconnect thanks to cheerleading and their day-to-day queer struggles, discovering that they might see each other as more than just friends.

One of the things that I liked the most about this graphic novel is its simplicity. The story is very realistic and I also think that books such as this one (or Moxie, to name another example) could be the fire starters for (very much needed) high school social revolutions.

The story has a very diverse ensemble of characters, most of them being BeeBee’s friends. BeeBee is for me the real protagonist of this graphic and also my absolute favourite character.

BeeBee is a trans girl who has learnt to prioritize other people’s needs instead of her own. She doesn’t just feel the need to please everyone but also to look perfect in their eyes so that everyone will see her as a “real girl”, a perfect girl. BeeBee experiences hundreds of microaggressions every day, even from her own friends who want her to be the cheerleading captain in spite of her opposing to it, just so they can seem more diverse.

Annie is her main ally and the one to help her change all of this, she teaches her how to raise her voice and stand up for herself. Little by little the relationship between them grows without them realizing it and suddenly they become each other’s main support and the best versions of themselves when they’re together.

One of my favourite scenes of this graphic novel is when BeeBee finally expresses her feelings to her friends and tells them that even though she’s a trans woman she doesn’t need to be the center of attention at all times and she definitely doesn’t want to be prom queen just to prove her value. What BeeBee wants is to be a normal teenager, exploring and living her life at her own pace.

I think it is very important how this graphic novel shows that we should create a safe environment for trans people so they can express themselves freely. And how as allies we should just stop and listen, leaving our own feelings and thoughts aside so our trans brothers and sisters can feel heard and understood.

The only thing I didn’t like about this graphic novel was the lack of character development in the secondary characters. I would have liked to know more about the cheerleaders and BeeBee’s parents and I didn’t get to see them grow as much, but that is something common, and understandable, when it comes to short graphic novels. In spite of that, I do think they contribute to BeeBee’s storyline and character development.

Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms is the perfect graphic novel to read on a Sunday afternoon with a cup of hot tea. It is very enjoyable but it also shows us how important it is to consume culture with all types of representation. With this graphic novel we can learn how trans teenagers often feel trapped by stereotypes and preconceived ideas about how they should be, and it does it in the most caring and sweet way.

If you need a book to make you smile and leave the room you’re in for a while, this is the one.

This book was absolutely delightful! The character development was great, and I loved the representation and message of this graphic novel. This is the type of graphic novel that I want to see become more popular in the industry.

This was hands down one of the sweetest things I've read in a long time. From page one you have Annie this spunky, angry, defiant person who is forced to try out for the cheerleading team so she can soften up and make some friends. Then you have Bebe, a trans girl who is just trying to fly under the radar and not cause any problems. She gets named captain of the cheer squad and uses her new powers to let Annie join the team. The two of them used to be best friends so when they start hanging out with each other again, new feelings start to flourish. With a lot of heart and a ton of girl power, this book shows that love and friendship are all the power we need to get anything done.

I really loved all the representation in this book. We have Annie and Bebe two queer girls (I believe Annie is a lesbian, Bebe is trans but no sexuality label was mentioned, but she does like girls), and Edie who is a non-binary character. I loved how everyone interacted and I loved the arc of Bebe's relationship with the people in her life. Her pain and her desire to be unseen are so real and sad, but she learns her strength and how to stand up for herself. Annie's mom is also an amazing character. So fun and fierce and loving, you love to see it.

The only negative thing I can say about this book is that it wasn't long enough. I want more! I want more about these girls and their lives. Hopefully there's a sequel, I know I'll be reading anything else this author comes out with purely because this ticked so many of my boxes. I love a f/f romance with two opposites attracting. If you aren't too sure about reading a graphic novel, I say just try it this once, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. There is so much heart in this story and so much growth from all of the characters, it's really just.... swell lol. Seriously though, there's not a whole lot missing from this so if it sounds even remotely interesting or ticks any of your boxes, READ THIS.

I want more! I found a lot of this relatable as I cheered from age 8 to 14 and I never really wanted to, but my family was heavily involved in the football program that went along with it. I adored the characters and I would love to see this story continue. Many more volumes please!

Cheer Up is such a cute graphic novel, I loved every bit of it!! Annie and Bebe are such endearing characters and I loved following their relationship through the whole story. I also absolutely loved the way the cheer team became such a tight community and showcased the bonds between the whole squad. The story also talks about really important topics around Bebe's identity as a trans girl and her experience trying to fit in amidst her friends and classmates while dealing with misconceptions and transphobia. Broadly speaking, I also really loved the art style, which was so sweet and perfect for the story. Overall, I thought it made for a really fun read and definitely recommend it!

Cheer Up is delightful. My comic tastes usually run to the super heroic, but I had been hearing a bunch about this teen/YA cheerleader comic, so I wanted to check it out. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I was able to read an eARC and I loved it! The characters are well drawn and three dimensional, and i can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!

“Cheer Up” is a short and sweet read about Bebe and Annie, two girls rekindling their friendship (and maybe more!) through cheerleading. It features a trans biracial character, Bebe, and really delves into her experience with coming out and living as the first trans girl to come out in her high school.

I loved the relationship between Annie and Bebe. It was tooth achingly sweet the way they treated each other with such kindness. Perfect for fans of “Check Please!” Annie is the strong willed and stubborn counterpart to Bebe’s people pleasing personality. I loved how they were the epitome of ‘opposites attract’ while also challenging the notion that they were really opposites. The art style suited the story brilliantly, with color changes accentuating mood and little details I really enjoyed stopping to look at (especially Bebe’s continuous love for koalas!).

Trigger warnings for transphobia, strict parenting, and sexual harassment (unrelated to the main relationship).

super cute super sweet graphic novel!! the rep was great. i rooted for the characters and i loved the dissection of micro aggressions and the way marginalized folks don’t always have the energy to correct. as with every single volume graphic novel, i’m always left wanting more. i adored the art style as well, the characters had a lot of personality.

Wonderfully sweet and inclusive story about two former friends and gymnasts who reconnect in high school on cheer-leading team. BeeBee is the trans cheer squad leader who struggles to say no and feels immense pressure to keep everyone happy all of the time so they remain supportive of her transition. Annie is a small, angry, antisocial lesbian who joins the squad to beef up her college application (and maybe beat her reputation for being the school biter). The pair rekindle their friendship and start a romance over the course of the story. Readers should be aware that the behavior of both BeeBee's parents and squad mates may be triggering for some. The former allow their fear for their child result in overly strict rules and one frankly cruel threat regarding poor consequences for poor grades while the other group are often revealed to not be the allies the claim to be. These sequences are heartbreaking and can be distressing, but the overall tone of the story is positive and playful.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this graphic novel!

I really enjoying this one! The art and colour scheme is stunning, the main characters are super loveable and I adore queer sports graphic novels.

But this is definitely a little on the heavy side, so here are some of the triggers I found in case anyone needs them; transphobia, controlling parents, sexual harassment, microagressions.

I’m super interested to read more comics about these characters, so I hope we get more in the future!

Ready? Ok! Cheer Up by Crystal Frasier tackles many tough topics for such a quick read! Annie joins the cheerleading squad to help her college application desirability. The cheer squad seems like a safe space for folx who don't fit into expected boxes, including their newly elected squad caption Bebe, a trans* girl.

As the story progresses, readers learn that some of this allyship is more performative in nature. Eventually, the squad discovers how they can actually stand up for their teammates and authentically celebrate the diversity that exists within their squad.

This is a must-read graphic novel that will make you laugh out loud and shed tears of empathy and joy.

Anti-social Annie has all the smarts but none of the people skills needed for her college and scholarship applications. Her only option? Join and team! And not just any team but the cheer-leading squad! BeBe, an old childhood friend of Annies, is a transitioning girl. She also happens to be the cheer squads captain. The two join forces. Bebe offers to help train and work out with Annie and Annie in return offers to help Bebe study and keep her grades up so Bebe can keep dressing like the girl she is. The two rekindle their friendship in the face of all of life's struggles and maybe a bit more than friendship...? Read to find out!

This is a very sweet queer YA graphic novel and one that I can imagine being really popular. The art style is super nice and I loved the use of colour to denote mood and set the scene. I also loved the central f/f romance, and the overall friends-to-lovers story arc. Super sweet!

Content warnings: There is explicit (and repeated) transphobia on page which some readers may find distressing, as well as an ongoing sexual harassment storyline, and there is also a fatphobic comment made by one of the characters near the beginning of the book.

Anti-social Annie is encouraged to join the cheerleading team by her mother and her school councilor as a means of showing college admissions boards that she's capable of being an active part of a community. Bebe is one year out from coming out as transgender and just trying to get by and be herself, and not suffocate under a mountain of expectations from her parents and well-meaning but unintentionally transphobic teammates. The two former friends find solidarity in participating in cheer together and learn to accept themselves and each other. Add in a splash of sweet romance, and this comic is a sweet look into life at high school for two lgbt+ girls doing their best. Recommended for anyone wanting positive trans representation, queer girls getting together, and women supporting women. An excellent read-a-like for Fence by C. S. Pacat or Camp Spirit by Axelle Lenoir.

It was a very fast read and a graphic novel that addresses important things in bright colors. It is a common misconception that cheerleaders need to be thin. However, cheerleaders come in all sizes. What is more important than size? Their ability and capacity and these are the main values presented to us.
The cheerleaders came to carry out an activity on the border between sports and art, little known, but which has a special charm. Even though cheerleaders are generally labeled as "pompous girls", those who have had the chance to see a representation of a professional team have concluded that it is something completely different, not an improvised or spontaneous activity.
There were moments that I anticipated, but also upheavals that did not cross my mind for a moment.