Viola is the manifestation of Livy's anxiety. While I appreciated the way anxiety and is personified and depicted in this graphic novel, the overall story didn't move along at a great pace. It felt a little dry at times.

This book is a great example of what it is like to live with anxiety. How it feels when you can't stop the nagging voice from whispering in your ear. I loved being able to see myself in this children's book. It is so necessary to have books like this available for young people so they know that this type of thing is not new and not just happening to them. They also need to know that there are people to help us through it and that they are going to be ok.

Graphic novel exploration of the clinical anxiety many young teens suffer from as well as how to find support to manage it. It's hard to be the new girl in your middle school. It's also hard to live up to the expectations of your parents. Livy has to face both these challenges while living with Viola, the shadowy twin who fills Livy's mind with fear and doubt. As Livy embraces her talents and new friends at school, Viola quiets down. But then Livy faces difficulties which could cause her to lose. A beautifully drawn comic that demonstrates how the format excels at communicating mental and physical experiences. Highly recommended for ages 11 and up.

I received this book from NetGalley as an eARC in exchange for a review.

I’ll be honest I don’t feel like I can fully fairly review this book because the formatting is the ebook file was so odd that I couldn’t really understand what was going on plot wise. Visually the story was done super well and I loved the art style.

Being a kid is no easy task. Being a kid with anxiety is even worse. In this genera defining look at children’s mental health, Livy sees her anxiety as her shadow or her other self with its own name and personality: Viola. Viola is loud and mean, and really hard to ignore. But Livy gives it her best. Livy’s family are immigrants in Canada and things are not as easy as they thought, and the extended family is always nit picking at Livy and her parents. Livy does a good job handling Viola, but admits she needs help. And thank goodness her parents ignore tradition and get Livy help. What makes this book so success is how it portrays anxiety, how it attacks, how it lets go. It also shows it’s not only okay to ask for help but to get help in return. Sometimes it is needed and that is okay. This book however, is way more than okay. It’s well done all around.

This was pretty cute! I enkoyed it and thought that the art is beautiful! Wish I had gotten a graphic novel like this one when I was younger.

Many excellent elements here: anxiety, parental expectations, culture clash and pressure. It's sensitive and relatable. While it's a bit predictable, the characters are sympathetic and the illustrations are engaging.

Olivia is a new girl at school and her overwhelming anxiety takes the form of Viola (Olivia, jumbled around a bit), who's always there to exacerbate her anxiety and worries. A relatable, well-written story with resources on mental health at the end.

This is a profound look at how personal anxiety is exacerbated by external situations. It's an important, albeit not comfortable, read. It's heart-wrenchingly brilliant.

Olivia is the child of Chinese Immigrants. At her first day of middle school we meet Viola, her demonic alter ego, who fills Olivia's head with self loathing and fear. Gradually Olivia becomes part of a group of friends, but even when things are going well, Viola never lets go of her grip on Olivia. When friend drama sets in, Viola completely overwhelms her.

Olivia's feelings of inadequacy are connected to gatherings with other Chinese Immigrant families. Rosanna Fung shows us a group of high powered adults who have high expectations for their children. The expectation is that their children will become doctors, lawyers, or engineers - the kind of career that would end in a three figure salary, just like their parents. Olivia and her family don't fit in. The family fakes their life so that they don't lose face. Her father works two jobs to make ends meet. Olivia is a gifted artist who dreams of a career connected to being able to draw.

Thankfully, Olivia's family are mostly loving and accepting. Her artwork is posted on display around their home. When her parents realize what is happening, they arrange for her to see a therapist. She learns coping strategies so that while Viola will always be there, Olivia learns how to keep her under control. Eventually she returns to school and reconnects with her friends.

This book is intense. As a testimony to its emotional authenticity, I had to take a break from reading it because it triggered so much anxiety in me. I might have a wee Viola of my own. It brought to mind former students of mine. Perhaps their anxiety was not so debilitating as Olivia's, but I still worried about them then, and worry about them now. Thankfully this book has a positive, hopeful ending.

In this video Rosanna Fung talks about how the book is based on her own life experiences.

https://youtu.be/LRC8xNy-HeI

Living With Viola is already on Canadian lists for one of the best graphic novels of 2021. It garnered a starred review from Kirkus and SLJ. I predict more accolades will come it's way and am certain it will be a contender for a Cybil award next year.

I agree with SLJ, it is indeed an essential purchase.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This is a fantastic graphic novel for kids in middle school and tackles several vital things like bullying, mental health, and anxiety.

Many of us have experienced an occasional voice in our head saying: you are weird, bad things happen because of you, no one likes you ... for Canadian 6th grader Olivia, this anxiety manifests as a shadowy "twin" named Viola who hovers nearby, pulling Livy out of the moment with reminders that validate her deep self-doubts. Livy worries that her lunch smells strange, that she's "too Chinese" or not Chinese enough, and that she is a disappointment to her family (her parents are immigrants). As Viola gains strength and volume, the negative dialogue seriously affects Livy's confidence and friendships. It also undermines her enjoyment of her hobbies, including drawing, reading, and making dumplings with her mom. Fortunately, with a solid support system, Livy learns that "sometimes, the very strongest and bravest thing you can do is to ask for help." Debut author Rosena Fung depicts Livy’s anxiety, depression, and panic attacks through dusky, bruise-purple panels and flowing rivers of negative thoughts. Happier, lighthearted moments and school scenes occur in a warm, autumnal color scheme. This excellent middle grade graphic novel creatively delivers the most important message of all for young readers: you are not alone! Livy may always have anxiety, but she can also thrive. Fans of Guts by Raina Telgemeier will love it!

Thank you to netgalley for providing an egalley for review. I enjoyed this very human tale of a 10 year old dealing with anxiety and panic disorder. The graphic representation was key. I hope the full version keeps the detail that the beginning of this book had, as the details went away towards the middle and end of the arc. Otherwise the story is very important and necessary.

A beautiful and heartwarming story filled with wonderful illustrations. This graphic novel is an examination on mental health and cultural differences. Livy is a Chinese Canadian middle school girl who loves to draw and read books. Viola is her shadowy twin, a manifestation of her anxiety that follows her around. Livy is hoping to make new friends but is having a difficult time fitting in at school due to Viola's relentless judgments. 

Rosena Fung did an amazing job in capturing the claustrophobic feeling of anxiety and how it infiltrates every aspect of our lives. She did an accurate visual representation of one's experiences in anxiety and panic attacks. I especially appreciated how it is accessible to young readers but very relatable to adult readers like myself. This is an essential read for everyone that will benefit both parents and children. It also spotlights the importance of seeking help and not to feel alone. Unfortunately, there were some issues where the dialogues were not filled in the bubbles but I still got the gist of the story and still was engaged. I would love to pick this one up and re-read this story again in the finalized version. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a powerful graphic novel! Livy is a tween who has been living with Viola. Viola is what she calls her negative thoughts. The visual representation of Livy's depression as a ghost who won't leave her alone will help readers understand what it's like to live with depression.

Livy is new in town and struggling to make friends. She's also striving to live up to the high expectations of her extended family. As Livy's depression starts to overwhelm her, she, thankfully, reaches out to her mom who helps her start therapy sessions. It's incredibly important for young people to see examples of tweens reaching out to their caregivers when something feels wrong. The normalization of therapy and the inclusion of grounding techniques is also wonderful.

Favorite Quotes:
~"Somtimes the very strongest and bravest thing you can do is to ask for help."

I read this in one sitting and honestly it took me back to when I was in the 6th grade. The only difference is my parents weren't great and I didn't get help with my anxiety until my late 20's. I wonder how different my life would have been if I have sought help. Excellent read, the subject matter was handled nicely and I recommend everyone with anxiety to read it. The artwork was good as well.

An interesting look at mental health focusing on a middle schooler. It is serious with moments of funny. I would recommend it to middle school aged children.

Beyoncé has Sasha Fierce when it comes to her performances. This story is no different, only this story is not about a incredible performances on stage. This is a story about a middle grade student named Livy. Livy comes from a Chinese immigrant family in Canada. Livy is raised in a family with lesser financial means as well. She tries to navigate being "normal" and fit in middle school.... but really, what is normal? Yet fitting in is always hard for that age group.

Viola is the negative persona that comes out and takes over Livy's thoughts in these moments. (Don't we all have a Viola every now and then?) Viola first comes in little spurts but then eventually completely knocks Livy out from schools for days on end until her family intervenes.

This is a graphic novel and because it was a digital ARC, I am not entirely what the colors will be throughout the story as it the ARC was partially colored. Given the little color scheme that I did see, it was great how Fung used color themes to resonate with feelings.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would recommend to all middle grade readers figuring out that fitting in is not all what it is cut out to be or for anyone not able to process and discuss their anxieties, feelings, and calming down techniques.

***Many thanks to #Netgalley for the free digital ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.***

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read and review.

This is such an incredible and powerful book. As a parent to a 9 year old daughter with some anxiety tendencies, I think this will really help her understand her own brain a little more. It will definitely help us open up a dialogue about how we feel and ways to cope when our thoughts are overwhelming.

This book was lovely; Olivia has so many overwhelming thoughts and feelings and it was great to see her work through them and acknowledge that she needed help dealing with them going forward. I love that Rosena used her own personal experiences to tell the story. I think this book will help generations to come deal with their anxiety and panic disorders. I loved the Cantonese glossary at the end of the book, it is always fun learning words in other languages.

This is exactly the kind of graphic novel young girls need to be reading! Mental illness is a subject rarely touched upon in YA literature and that leaves a lot of young people feeling very confused and alone, especially at a time when they don’t have the resources to know whether their feelings would be classified as normal. The drawings were beautiful and I loved that Viola’s depression was basically an alter-ego — it shows that this thing is something separate from you and it doesn’t have to consume you. I loved this one!