A sweet book about feeling awkward in your own shoes and learning how to embrace it! Friends and family are both also major focuses throughout this third book in the series!

I am always looking for great graphic novels to add to our classroom library and this book definitely will be added to the collection! It comes with relatable characters for my middle school kiddos. Milo’s situation is very common among students this age and the way he overcomes his fears and learns to be strong is a positive message for all students to read. His strong family bonds with his parents and grandmother are so heartwarming and he has some really great friends as well! This is just an overall enjoyable book! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and I can’t wait to add to our classroom checkout library!!!

Milo Castillo is dreading the school winter formal because every time he has tried to dance, it has ended in disaster. He shares this fear with his friends Al from The Tryouts and Viv from Picture Day, as well as his parents, but everyone thinks he should still just try to do his best. His dad was a champion dancer when he was Milo’s age and encourages him to just enjoy himself. He tries, but when he has another disastrous experience at his friend Ollie’s Bar Mitzvah party, where he not only wears a suit to a beach themed party, but is also put in the spotlight to dance and freezes, he’s ready to give up. His abuela Dalia is moving in with the family, since the friend with whom she has been living since her husband’s death is getting married, and since Milo and his grandmother are very close, she offers to help him. Another chance to get better comes when a local dance studio partners with the school to offer lessons to the students, but Milo’s “curse” also puts the kibosh on that opportunity. Milo’s brother Max is away at college, but sometimes video chats with him to give him advice. Dalia steps up to help, and drives Milo and his friends out to a performance by a band that helps inspire Milo to “feel” the music and enjoy dancing. Of course, the grandmother is NOT supposed to be driving without an adult in the car, as she has become less reliable in navigating around town in her vintage car, Carla. When Milo finally feels better about his skills, he prepares for the dance, even wearing his father’s jacket from dance competitions in his youth. The original tie is missing, and Dalia is determined to pop out to get another one. Milo sees her leaving and decides to go with her, after texting his parents that she is driving. The weather is bad, and there are a lot of geese on the roads, and Dalia managed to drive off the road and get Carla stuck. Luckily, his parents arrive soon, and everyone is able to get to the dance, which ends up being a good time for all involved.
Strengths: Since I became grandmother, I’ve been having a lot of conversations with students about what they enjoy about their own. Dalia is a great character with a fascinating backstory and a fabulous car. Even though Milo’s household is upended with her move, they are all glad to have her, and her problems are fairly minimal. Since I had to take my father’s car away from him a few years before he died at the age of 88, the progression of this part of the plot rang very true. Younger readers will be more interested in Milo’s idea that he has a curse, and his embracing of dancing. It’s fun to see different characters from earlier books explored, and I’m curious to see if we will learn more about Ollie in the next book.
Weaknesses: I didn’t quite understand the objection to the Snowball Soiree theme of the dance, and felt I was missing something about the weather in Brinkley Middle School’s town. Also, there are a ton of geese where I live, and I’ve never had a problem with them in traffic.
What I really think: Miller’s Click series or Chmakova’s Berrybrook Middle School saga. I’d love to see more graphic novels with boys as the main characters, especially if they also involve sports.

Sarah Sax's graphic novel, School Dance, is a delightful and relatable journey into the often-awkward world of middle school. Without giving anything away, this book perfectly captures the anxieties, hopes, and humorous mishaps that come with navigating friendships, self-discovery, and the daunting prospect of a school dance.

Sax's artwork is vibrant and expressive, bringing her characters to life with a dynamic energy that perfectly complements the narrative. The visual storytelling is incredibly effective, conveying emotions and situations with a clarity that makes the characters' experiences feel immediately authentic. Readers will find themselves easily connecting with the protagonists as they grapple with universal themes of belonging and finding their voice.

What truly stands out in School Dance is its honest portrayal of middle school life. It doesn't shy away from the cringeworthy moments or the genuine struggles, but it always maintains a hopeful and ultimately uplifting tone. The pacing is excellent, keeping you engaged from start to finish as the story unfolds towards its anticipated event.

This is a fantastic read for anyone who has ever felt a little out of place, or who remembers the unique blend of excitement and dread that a school dance can bring. It's a charming, funny, and heartfelt graphic novel that reminds us that even the most awkward moments can lead to growth and unexpected connections. Highly recommended for young readers and anyone looking for a sweet dose of nostalgia.

I love the Brinkley Yearbook series written and illustrated by Sarah Sax. School Dance (Book #3) was no exception. Milo Castillo's family love to dance. He might love it too- if he wasn't cursed. Every time he tries to dance at a party, something embarrassing happens. His friends Viv and Al (the main characters from Picture Day and Tryouts) want to help him get the confidence to dance so he will go with them to the Brinkley Winter Formal. Milo doesn't believe he can break his dance curse until his Abuela Dalia moves in with the Castillos. They spend time together and his Abue helps him develop the confidence he needs to find joy in dancing while Milo shows her that she is still needed in their lives.

5 stars

Prediction: Milo will steal your heart. And then Abuela will, too!

I learned just before starting this charming graphic novel that it is the third in the Brinkley Yearbook series. It's important to know that I have not read the preceding two installments and that this book read just fine as a standalone. I enjoyed it so much that I'll definitely read its predecessors and will update this review if the previous two become fundamental to understanding this one in hindsight (though I suspect that will not be the case).

Milo is an utterly charming character, and he faces various issues that his middle grade audience will relate to enthusiastically. When readers meet Milo, he is on the way to a party, lamenting to his parents that his dance skills are so lacking that he actually believes he is cursed. While he does provide pretty good support for this theory, more seasoned readers will know that dancing with enjoyment requires some level of self confidence, and that is really what Milo needs to build.

While Milo struggles with finding and being himself, the best possible facilitator comes into his space: his abuela! Abuela is a hilarious and warm character, and she is just who and what Milo needs to mature in this particular way. Also, she brings so many added complications and important lessons into Milo's space, including when to tell the truth and how much of it to share, how to be responsible, and how to build empathy for and understanding of others. Milo also has great friends, a supportive brother, and solid parents, including a dad whose "gym talk" sequence is the funniest thing I've seen and read in a long time (as basically a gym bro myself).

I wasn't expecting to be so moved or to find so many layers in this middle grade graphic novel, but it obviously really got to me. I'll recommend this to my students, but I will also be recommending it to the target audience, teachers and guardians of that audience, and folks who love a graphic novel in general.

My favorite part about this is how expressive the main character is. The reader really feels for him as he struggles to find his confidence and break out of his shell.

Thank you for the ARC. I will purchase for my library.

Sarah Sax's graphic novels are a perfect reflection of the middle school self-consciousness, close ties of friendship, and bridge between childhood and teen years. Milo is going through some life changes with his brother away at college, and his grandmother moving in with his family. He finds himself partially parentified when he is asked to keep his grandmother's solo driving a secret, until it culminates in an accident.

At school, he is struggling with his identity and feeling confident in dancing while his parents hold expectations that he doesn't feel he can meet. Finding his way with the help of his grandmother and friends, Milo finds understanding and confidence with his personal and school life.

I have really enjoyed the Brinkley Yearbook books. They have all been so cute and they totally remind me of junior high. I am happy that we got a book with Milo as the main character. I love his relationship with his abuela. It is fun to read about a boy who thinks he can't dance, but really he just needs to get confidence with himself. What a fun book!

Milo comes from a family of dancers and he believes he is cursed. Every time he tries to dance, something horrible happens. With encouragement from friends and lessons from his grandmother, Milo finds his rhythm.

"School Dance" is the third middle grade graphic novel in the Brinkley Yearbook series by Sarah Sax. Milo is a middle school boy who wants to love dancing, like his father, but every time he tries to dance, bad things happen. His abuela has now moved in with their family and she is told not to drive without an adult family member in the car for safety reasons. When she takes Milo to her favorite style of dance to help break him out of his funk, he worries about getting his abuela in trouble. A beautiful story about family, friends, and learning about yourself, this is a must-buy for middle grade graphic novel collections, especially those with the other books in the series.

The Brinkley Yearbook series is slowly but surely gaining traction in my library from my Smile, Berrybrook, and Click readers. The third volume follows Milo, who is sure he is cursed. Milo cannot possibly attend the upcoming school dance, because dancing only leads to destruction for him. With the help of his friends and his dancing Abuela, can Milo overcome his fears and enjoy the dance?

This is another delightful addition to the Brinkley series. Milo's grandmother is a high point in the novel, and I think that many students can relate to having an elderly relative living in their homes.

Will be purchasing for my library.

Upper elementary/lower middle school graphic novel about learning to be yourself (and allowing others to be themselves too). This is the third book in a series, but familiarity with the other volumes is in no way necessary.