Olivia or Livy as she is called is entering a new middle school and is quite anxious about it. Livy anxiety is so severe that she creates a personality called Viola who psychological torments her about her inadequacies. Livy has to steer between accepting being an Chinese American in non-asian country and being honest to her parents about enjoy arts drawing and she has no interest in being a doctor or lawyer. I enjoyed the disclaimer the author gave about using some of her life in the fictional book. fabulous read.

Livy is dealing with social anxiety as personified by Viola. The author does a great job depicting how overwhelming anxiety can be and how paralyzing a force it is. Also important in the plot is showing Livy and her parents taking action: talking out your problems can help, with parents, friends and a therapist. This will be a good book for kids in upper elementary/ middle school who are dealing with similar issues. Recommended.

This is a marvelous book - perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier, Svetlana Chmakova, and Victoria Jamieson. The illustrations are gorgeous and the story is heartbreaking and funny. The panels with Viola’s voice swirling around and wrapping Livy up and crushing her are such a perfect depiction of anxiety and depression. It’s wonderful that relatable depictions of mental health struggles are becoming available for younger kids. Highly recommended for everyone.

I’ve already recommended this to someone because the story of childhood anxiety, the desire to fit in and the immigration experience hit so close to home. While I think you’d get more out of this being first gen, I imagine any child who feels like an outsider would find value in Olivia’s struggles and her overcoming of them

The anxiety depiction and trying to fit in was real and relatable. I appreciated how they dealt with it by going to a doctor and sharing some of the tips with the readers, even if it took me out of the story a little bit.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions expressed are entirely my own. I really enjoyed this book! I loved the mental health representation and how it expressed needing help and talking to others about what you are going through is really important. I also loved the message of the importance of being yourself and being a good friend. The only thing about the book I didn't love was the formatting. I understood a few of the pages were meant to seem chaotic to represent the chaos in the main character's head and I thought that was really neat! However, it also made a few things hard to read. Still, I loved the book and would definitely recommend it!

Livy is a ten year old sixth grader who was born in Canada to Chinese immigrant parents. She loves to draw and read, and loves anything with cats, unicorns and sparkles. She also lives with her shadow-twin named Viola, who follows her around making her life miserable.

While going about normal sixth grade things like making friends, starting classes and turning in assignments, Viola heckles, jeers and ridicules Livy. Sometimes Livy can tune it out, but sometimes she can't. Viola makes it hard for Livy to make friends and be honest with them and sucks the joy from many activities Livy loves. Her anxiety also makes it hard for Livy to see what is true in her own life, by twisting things in her mind until what was neutral, or even positive, becomes warped.

Despite this, Livy tries to make and maintain friendships. Livy is brave and speaks to her mom and asks to get help. The doctor gives Livy coping strategies that she works through in the story when Viola attacks her. Ultimately Livy has the personal fortitude to repair her relationships and speak up for herself.

This story is an absolute must read for anyone who has ever experienced Livy's struggle or knows someone who has. It paints a vivid picture of the added challenges that anxiety and panic disorders add to the everyday stress of life. The illustrations are delightful and colorful, giving insight into the inner and outer worlds Livy experiences. Though the story is emotionally intense in places it ultimately has a wonderful message.

I have struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember, I remember back when I was a kid it used to feel so isolating, and that no one could know what I was going through because I was afraid they would think I was weird or I would be a disappointment. Back when I was a kid mental health issues were just beginning to be talked about but for the most part were still a little taboo. So I spent a lot of time in my head and afraid to ask for help. There isn't a lot that I wouldn't do to allow my younger self to read this book. I just think that if I had the chance to read this as a 10 year old myself, I would have felt "normal" or at least seen. I am so thankful books such as this graphic novel are being made as I think it is finally allowing future generations to see that different doesn't equal bad, and that mental health struggles aren't embarrassing or shameful. This story overall just spoke to me on so many different levels, from the anxiety, not allowing yourself to do something you love out of fear of others opinions or perceptions, relationships with elders, and even friendships. I truly feel like even though I am an adult now and more comfortable owning my differences and struggles, this graphic novel still healed a little bit of the child that is inside of me that used to hate themselves for being so different or not being able to be normal. I work in the foster system currently, and plan on buying this book when it is published so that when I go on home visits I can share with the kiddos that I think could also see themselves within this character. I cannot thank you enough for this ARC, it is just what I needed.

Absolutely love this book! Will say I did cry, I love how there was so much representation <3 I could seriously see myself buying this in the future

This is the kind of book I wish I could hand to my younger self, as someone who can't conceptualize a time in my life where Depression and Anxiety were not ever-present in my life, and unlike Olivia's parents, who strive to help her, my mother's response that was that everyone felt that way, so I just needed to suck it up and go on with life,

This would be a great book for a young one who is just beginning to learn about their mental illness, as this is a beautiful story about growth, support, and learning to vocalize your needs.

I received this and as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Annick Press for giving me access.

Unfortunately there were some digital issues, it was difficult to grasp some of the storyline. Word and though bubbles weren't filled out and the dialogue was scrambled to where I wasn't sure who was saying what and the two conversations intermingled to create a sentence that would not make sense to anyone. Overall, I just used the images as my guide and read as much as I could.

Living with Viola covers social anxiety and depression issues that children face, and yes I was just like Livy. Even though I could't read much, I could still relate to how Livy felt. This goes over the stigma that you are 'bad' if you think like this, getting help, and getting it all under control. This is a good read for EVERYONE (once published as a final copy lol). Let kids know they are not alone, that help is good and that we adult's need to realize that it is not just us that can suffer from these things.

This lovely graphic novel explores life with anxiety and depression as a young teen/tween.
Livy is having a hard time in 6th grade. She's moved to a new school, her family always seems to be disappointed with her choices, and there's an invisible girl named Viola who follows her around and tells Livy everything she does wrong. Viola is the voice of Livy's anxiety and depression come to life. It's like having a ghost bully that follows you around.
Livy also struggles with being a first-generation Chinese-Canadian child, balancing her family life and society's expectations.

I really loved this story! Depicting life with mental health struggles can be a tricky balance. Rosena Fung manages it beautifully, showing Livy's struggle and her strength. Five stars!

Living with Viola is a #ownvoice graphic novel about Olivia "Livy", living with her insecurities. A struggle that is never easy for anyone, but for Livy her personal demons have their own form, Viola. Who follows her and always has something to say, always negative.

Livy has a lot on her plate. She's a new kid at school, the decision to move to a better school is something her parents continuously bring up. Because of the reminders, Livy feelings her family finical struggle is in part her own fault and their positions embarrass her.
Livy feels a lot of pressure form her family to be a "good" girl, to be smarter, well behaved, and always do better. She constantly feels there's always more expected of her and choices she makes on her own, aren't right.

The few outlets she has for individuality, stress release, and escape are reading and drawing. But books are expensive, something her family can't afford and drawing isn't an acceptable future for her.

There's definitely an additional burden to "be" a certain way. As first generation immigrants from China to Canada, Between her parents and extended family, Livy never really feels good enough.

After a group project Livy finds herself with friends. Although they all share different interests for once she feels included. Until she doesn't.

Over the course of the book both Livy and her mother in their own ways come to term with Livy needing additional support and resources to deal with mental health. Something that is highlighted so well to ask for help and health ways to deal with caring for yourself.

**Thank you to Annick Press and NetGallery for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. **

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book.

Simply delightful. It's familiar in a sense that we were all kids at once feeling alone. The other's sense of telling a wonderful story goes very well with the illustrations. I particularly enjoyed the dream like aspects of the graphic novel.

Even though it is set in a middle school I found myself still relating so some of the situations as the main character. I especially related to the author's "own-voices" writing style and incorporation of her culture. I believe readers of all ages will be able to appreciate this accessible story of a young girl trying to navigate through the hard and wonderful things in life.

My last thought is the food made me so hungry!

I received a free e-ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This #ownvoices graphic novel follows a Chinese Canadian sixth grader named Livy Tong who has an invisible twin sister named Viola. This twin is a physical representation of her invading negative thoughts. I liked how the author described mental health in this way. Since this is targeted towards middle school readers, I think this is one way to help kids at that age understand mental health and how it affects those that they may know in their own lives.

All day Livy’s invisible twin Viola follows her around, doubting compliments she gets and offers depressing thoughts which of course, make Livy feel bad about herself. At times Livy seems to keep Viola at bay by reading a drawing, eventually Viola to pops up at another inconvenient time. Her struggle with anxiety and panic disorder throughout the story mirrors the up and down emotions that people with mental health face on a daily basis. It prevents Livy from making friends because Viola tells her that she’ll always be a loser. On top of her mental health Livy has to deal with the cultural differences between her and her Canadian classmates. This makes her feel like an outsider and Viola is there to make things even worse in her head. Even her fellow Chinese Canadian friend is more Americanized than Livy, which also makes her uncomfortable when it comes to all the Chinese customs, mainly food, that her family still have. Luckily, her mom eventually catches on and I was so happy when she finally got the help she needed from a doctor. She learned how to improve her mental health, and being able to talk about it helped her feel better.

If you are curious about how mental health hurts those who have it, or if you suffer from it and can relate to Livy, I definitely recommend this book.

I received an advance copy of, Living With Viola, by Rosena Fung. This is a great book for people to understand what its like to have: anxiety, depression, and low self esteem. The voices in our head are not always nice to us.

* reviewed from uncorrected eARC via netgalley *

diverse children's middlegrade graphic novel - 10 y.o. Chinese-Canadian with extreme (undiagnosed) anxiety and panic disorder, trying to fit in at her new middle school; stigma surrounding mental health/depression.

As an adult who's read a lot about people's experiences with mental health issues, I can totally see what Olivia (Livy-Cat) is going through. I'm not sure that it will resonate as well with kids who have much milder forms of anxiety, but I hope that it does help kids out there who are going through similar things.

Gorgeously drawn, beautifully written, full of sparkle. I think even people who don't have the same experiences as Livy will love and relate to her, but this book will also be unbelievably special to those who do. Rosena Fung employs visual metaphors, even complex/multi-layered ones, in a really clear and satisfying way, and there are fun and captivating details on every page.

Olivia is the main character is a Chinese-American 10-year old who moved to a new school. Viola is her imaginary alter-ego, who could also be called "Anxiety" or "Social Pressure". The story is about Olivia trying to make new friends and cope with a new school while her inner voice (Viola) is a ball and chain trying to bring her down.

At first I thought this book was about being different from a race relations perspective. But then it took a completely different turn and was more about coping with anxiety.

The artwork is good, though very busy and anxiety provoking throughout. The story seems a lot more niche than I was expecting. Whereas graphic novels like "Smile" can take a personal experience and relate it to everyone's life, I can see this graphic novel being embraced by anxiety-ridden chinese-americans, but not sure it will connect with other who don't suffer from the same general anxiety disorder.

#netgalley #livingwithviola

This is an intense look at dealing with your inner demons. Olivia is new and just wants to fit in, but the voice in her head is always telling her she isn't good enough. She starts to make some new friends, but still has to work at keeping that voice tampered down. This is a good look at friendships and how they can affect how we feel about ourselves.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!