This book gave me the same feeling and vibes as the Diary of a Wimpy Kid, or Captain Underpants series. Not just because it’s highly illustrated (though that is part of it), but because you get the same “regular kids just getting through the school day“ vibe to it.

J & K are rivals, even though they don’t actually know each other. They are in different fifth grade classes at DAPS (Dean Ashley public school), but Jay is known as the best artist in the fifth grade, and K is the best writer. When they both decide to enter the schools annual storytelling competition, they each try to sabotage the other with sneaky strategies to give each other the worst writing and drawing advice ever.

But as the boys get to know each other, they realize they actually have a lot in common, and they make a really good team! I love this. Especially now, when the world is so divided in so many “us versus them” ways. we need more reminders that things work out better all around when we take the time to get to know each other and find common ground.🥰

In this book, I especially love the meta framework as the rival authors, Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft, trade bars at one another through a series of author notes that interrupt the text. The playful “animosity“ highlights the point that we can find common ground and work together to create great things, even with our sworn Frenemies.