This was a delightful book. As a middle school teacher, I feel like this is an excellent representation of what my students go through. The illustrations are adorable and the internal and external dialogue is written very well. Although the book explores the complications of growing up, you can’t help but feel a warmth that permeates the novel. I can’t wait for more!

This is a charming, sincere graphic novel about twin sisters finding their voices together and individually through music in junior high. If you're a fan of Tegan and Sara's music, you'll appreciate how the story is inspired by their relationship to each other and their family during their junior high years. But it's got a lot for middle grade readers to explore as well, like navigating complicated friendships, balancing family and school responsibilities, and speaking up for yourself. The illustration style is sweet and colorful, and I love that it's done by Tillie Walden, who is also a twin!

Before Tegan and Sara were singers, they were just normal middle schoolers. This semi-autobiographical graphic novel follows Tegan and Sara as they traverse the hallways of middle school.

My favorite part of this book was the interludes between the chapters where you could see inside the girls' heads. I think this book will be so relatable to a lot of tweens and teens.

Absolutely loved this book and seeing Tillie Walden experiment with some different panel layouts. I can’t wait for the interview to go live next week, and I’m definitely recommending this title to Prism Comics.

A worthwhile expansion of Tegan and Sara's memoir universe (including the original memoir and subsequent TV show), with lots of heart amongst all the struggles that are being a young teen. The ups and downs of their friendships and relationship with each other are immediately recognizable for anyone who has had the experience of growing up and figuring themselves out.

*3.5 Stars*

Tegan and Sara: Junior High is a novelized memoir of the Junior high years of Tegan and Sara.
I really loved the illustrations in this, Tillie Walden is an incredible illustrator, as we know. The story, however, felt a bit all over the place and the novelization as well as the fact set it was set in current times put me off. It wasn't bad though, it had some good parts and I found the relationship between the sisters interesting. I just wasn't as captivated as I thought I'd be and I don't know if I'll read the next ones...

Highly enjoyable! Reading this brought back my own memories of middle school - the awkwardness, the fun times, the friendships, the fights, and all the first experiences that seem so earthshaking in the moment. The story is really relatable and is perfect for middle grade readers. Tillie Walden's art is lovely as always, with a special softness that communicates feelings so well. Tegan and Sara's story is full of early self discovery, questioning, and trying new things. The girls are confronted with new challenges - being in separate classes, making different friends, facing a class bully, family changes, and miscommunication. But no matter what, their bond remains true, and they're always loved and supported by their parents. I especially liked that the parents manage to be cool and passionate about their interests while also maintaining boundaries and rules. And, of course, they still do embarrassing parent things! As someone who works with middle schoolers every day, I'm excited for them to get a chance to read this graphic novel and see how it compares to their experiences!

“Playing guitar makes me feel weightless high up in the sky, the sound of strings is like the sound of my thoughts. Singing cracks me open. I’m pouring out. I’m here, I’m me, and I’m growing up.”

Tegan and Sara are an indie-pop twin-sister duo. This graphic novel is based on their true experiences of Junior High before they became icons.

I loved the sibling dynamic. It must be so cool to have a built in best friend that you can do everything with, but I can see how that would also be challenging. I loved the themes they tackled with the story, from starting a new school, making new and separate friends, discovering your queerness, and openly discussing periods. Then we obviously get a glimpse into how they started their band together.

“I never realized that there would be people you could meet, and sometimes when you’re with them, you act in ways you don’t expect, like you’re a different person.” -Tegan
“I never thought about how it would feel to have someone really important in my life who isn’t you.” -Sara

The parts of splitting time between parents was very relatable for me. I was about the same age when I started spending the weekends with my dad and his new girlfriend. I felt those super awkward scenes with my whole being.

It’s so cool that Tillie Walden is also a twin, so she brought another dynamic to the story with her art and experience as a twin. And I’m just a huge Tillie Walden fan and she is the main reason I picked up this graphic novel. I’m already looking forward to the sequel.

My only qualm is that the story took place during present day, instead of the 90’s. I would’ve loved to see all the nostalgia through their eyes. There were small things, like playing video games on a PS1, their stepdad’s “vintage” collection, and even getting the chicken pox. The art was even giving 90’s vibes, but there were also modern references like Billie Eilish. I’ve never listened to Tegan & Sara, or Billie Eilish, so I can’t compare them, but I would’ve loved to see who their true inspirations were.

I can't wait to recommend this book to students! I know graphic novel fans will love this one, especially fans of Raina Telgemeier's books. It was funny and very representative of many of my students.

Well this is an absolute must for my middle grade library. It's an honest, heartfelt look at being a girl in middle school and all the messiness that comes along: sibling conflict, changing friendships, mean girls, periods, crushes, ALL THE THINGS.

Tegan and Sara are nervous about starting 7th grade, and right off the bat they find themselves in different classes and with different friends. They soon find that despite being identical they are on very different paths...until they discover their step-father's old guitar.

I'm so excited that this is going to be a series, because I feel like there's so much more to explore with these characters.

Junior high school is that time where one starts a finding their true selves. It’s a strange in-between place, where you are constantly conflicted between acting like a kid or an “adult”. But everyone has gone through this, from the most average of people to — in this case — a pair of lesbian twins who’ve played to audiences all over the world. Tegan and Sara: Junior High tells the somewhat true story of the Quin sisters, with some relishing of the truth for the sake of the plot.

Although it was 1991 when Tegan and Sara were in middle school, this version of their story instead places the twins in the modern day. With their parents separated and their mom dating a new-but-nice guy, there’s already a bit of heaviness in the lives of the sisters. But upon entering junior high, both Tegan and Sara find their way to overcome obstacles, be it as a duo or on their separate paths. Of course, this also means that the sisters bump heads over the new people in their lives, especially when it comes to possible bullies and love interests.

It’s clear that one twin has it rougher than the other. Tegan’s shyness in the beginning makes it a struggle for her to make friends, whereas Sara easily gels with her classmates. But with them being twins, the weird questions start coming out, ranging from telepathy skills to, well, questioning their very existence. However, things get a little weird between the sisters when Avery enters their lives, a girl who bullies one but befriends another.

Much of Tegan and Sara: Junior High focuses on the duo’s first year in their new surroundings. They deal with their share of academic issues, their first bras, and experiencing puberty in the most awkward of ways. Going to see their original first friend Faiza acts as a comfort zone for both, but — as long-distance friendships go — they start drifting apart and changing in ways that make them look like a much different person from before. It’s also the time when the twins start figuring things out about themselves. Well…okay, one does, at the very least.

Its narrative has a very going-by-the-motions way of being told, in a way that makes it relatable to young readers. Grudges and sisterly rivalries take some time to get over, with the bruises and scars of past fights lingering on for much longer. But it’s when Sara starts feeling things for classmate Roshini that are more than friendly vibes when Tegan and Sara: Junior High gets its plot fully going. And then, there’s the discovery of the mother’s boyfriend’s guitar.

This isn’t exactly a tale about how the twins became the Tegan and Sara we know today. With that being said, there’s a good chunk of the narrative that feels like they’re the stepping stones towards the kinds of songs the duo would create in their future. There are some funny moments showcased that make the tough relatable parts easier to stomach, especially when Sara has an incident in a local bowling alley.

Visually, Tegan and Sara: Junior High captures that time in one’s life like some solid notebook doodles. Drawn by Tillie Walden, the style fits with the personality, the vibe, and the mentality of going to middle school. There are times where it’s very hard to differentiate between Tegan and Sara (though this might be intentional), but one can start telling them apart when their personalities begin to show.

Tegan and Sara: Junior High is a good look into the singing duo’s early life. Although it shoves them into a modern setting, the attitude fits well with the 90s era. It doesn’t lift the curtain completely when it comes to both coming out of the closet (that’ll probably be saved for the next book, tentatively titled Tegan and Sara: Crush), but it does a good job with showing some of the early realizations of same-sex romance. If you’re a longtime fan, Tegan and Sara: Junior High will satisfy those yearning to see a youthful perspective of the famous Canadian singing twins.

I enjoyed this graphic novel and think many middle school students will be able to relate, especially twins that are used to being together at all times.

Before becoming the popular band Tegan and Sara, the Quins were just two twins trying to find their place in the world. Moving to a new school in junior high definitely doesn't help with that. Originally, junior high was something that the two sisters were going to face together. After all, that's how they've always done life. Together. They're not quite sure who they are without the other one, after all.

However, sometimes growing up means growing apart. When Tegan and Sara start making different friends, they realize that maybe they don't have to be together all the time. And maybe they can figure out who they are without the other. But their discovery of music might just be what brings them together again.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's for an advanced copy of Tegan and Sara: Junior High Ilby Tegan and Sara Quin to review! Illustrated by Tillie Walden, I knew I had to pick this one up. Tillie Walden is one of my favorite graphic novel creators. Love some queer middle grade graphic novels, too!

The art: phenomenal. Of course, we wouldn't expect anything less from Walden. I just love her art style, and this one incorporates what looks like watercolor. The layouts and the illustrations lend themselves well to this particular story, and the use of color for the different sisters helps show who is speaking.

However, the writing felt a little all over the place to me. Some of the storylines were a bit difficult to follow, and some of the pages felt a little to wordy. The themes hit on classic middle school themes, with the added context of them being twins. I was also confused as to why they decided to change the story to present day? The story might have worked better if they would have kept it set in the 90s. Kids would still dig that! The 90s are in, apparently. I think it would have helped make the writing feel less like it was all over the place.

All in all, loved this for the illustrations, just wish the writing would have been a little tighter.

A sweet, somewhat fictionalized autobiographical graphic novel about Canadian musicians/twins Tegan and Sara. In a contemporary setting but (according to the author's note) containing experiences and feelings from their actual adolescence and the start of their forays into forming a band together. I can definitely see this appealing to Raina Telgemeier fans, though it's more melancholy.

A cute, well written story that middle grade readers will enjoy. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC for review!

Wonderful middle grade graphic novel struggling with friendship themes, becoming who you are and who you choose to love. Great addition to any middle grade graphic novel collections.

Tegan and Sara (the musicians) go back in time, remix it, and modernize their time in middle school which will span multiple volumes. In this first volume, the twins are starting middle school. It's a new home, new town, and new school and both are struggling with the changes. One makes new friends. The other wants to keep only their old friend. When they find a guitar in the garage, they start working together to create songs, with the book ending in there musical debut and making some decisions about what they want. Fans of Sweet Valley High comics will find much to enjoy in this story of starting middle school, first crushes and loves, and navigating growing up.

I thought this book was so cute! I love Tillie Walden and Tegan & Sara so expectations were high going in. I read this on my black and white kindle so I've definitely missed out on the stylistic details and also all colors, so I'm excited to get a physical copy once it comes out.

I loved how it had elements of memoir and also speculative fiction (almost a collaborative speculative memoir?) since it was set in present day, not when Tegan and Sara were kids.

As with many graphic novels about twins, I found it difficult to visually tell them apart and also kept getting their characteristics etc. mixed up with each other, but I still enjoyed it.

I think this will be a solid addition to the school story middle grade graphic novel canon and I look forward to recommending it to patrons!

Going into this graphic novel I did not have much knowledge about Tehran and Sara or their music beyond the song “Closer.”
It was still enjoyable and fun without the background knowledge! It is like many of the popular middle grade graphic novels that are slightly fictionalized coming of age memoirs.
It is in a fictionalized modern setting but still has strong influences from the 90s when the artists grew up.
It rings true to the struggles of growing up, sibling (and twin rivalry), going to a new school, identity, and sexuality.
The song writing and learning to play guitar is inspiring to those interested in Pershing music as well.
I would recommend it to folks who liked Bad Sister, Twins, Smile, Real Friends, and Click.

This was a perfectly fine graphic novel for fans of Chmakova's Berrybrook Middle School, but I wasn't quite sure who the intended audience was. While this is a fictionalized memoir of a singing duo formed in 1998, it's set in the present time. I've never heard of the group and don't know that my students have either, so perhaps it is aimed at teachers and librarians who are in their early 40s? The artwork is okay; it looks like Walden usually does YA or adult graphic novels. For fans of the Chloe graphic novels or Simonson's Junior High Drama. Junior High always seems like a 1960s term to me, since few schools of which I am aware are 7-9, and the school I attended in the 1970s was 5-8 and called a middle school.