Maybe you remember your middle school years well or you have banished the memories from your mind. Dear Jackie will have you uncovering and reliving middle school shenanigans page after page. Readers of all ages will appreciate this story of fake love letters and true friends. Can't wait to share this one with my readers!

Jackie and Milo are two friends navigating the world of middle school and the changing priorities of their friends and classmates. To prove that she can be desirable, Jackie invents a secret admirer. She puts notes in her own locker and finds herself caught up in the popularity that the mystery brings.

This story is great, and I can see it really appealing to my 4th and 5th graders who are always asking for "middle school drama."

This book almost perfectly sums up the awkwardness of being a middle schooler. The attention we gave ourselves to make us seem like were like our friends, the fake notes in the locker, and letting our friends mock someone we care about and try to excuse it. All that is exactly what is going on in "Dear Jackie". Milo and Jackie have been bffs for years and when they get to middle school Milo joins soccer and makes friends. However, Jackie only ever had Milo and feels like she's been abandoned. They each have their own struggles. Milo's friends make fun of Jackie and even him on more than one occasion. While Jackie hangs out with Adelle and her friends who are obsessed with boys. Lots of teasing about Jackie not looking good and putting an impression out to the guys, she decides to become her own secret admire.

This is a perfect book on the importance of friendship and self discovery/coming-of-age. It's a book that I feel many kids may feel drawn to due to how realistic it really is.

Fantastic graphic novel highlighting the highs and lows of the awkward time that s middle school. I think that Dear Jackie is a book that students can relate to and see their stories portrayed.

Jackie and Milo have been best friends since forever. They did absolutely everything together. Now that they are entering middle school, things are changing now their friendship seems rather awkward. Jackie’s female peers talk about boys and dating. Milo’s male peers aren’t any better. Jackie and Milo try to navigate their friendship while trying to fit in with their peers. After all, they are just friends, not having those girlfriend and boyfriend feelings – or do they? To convince her “friends” that she is likeable by the opposite sex, she pretends that she has a secret admirer who puts typewritten notes in her locker. This only adds fuel to the fire as her friends try to determine who her secret admirer is.

This is perfect for those who are just starting middle school where one is trying to figure out how to gracefully grow up and yet retain some semblance of who they are … those truly awkward pre-teen/early teen years!

Dear Jackie is a fantastic portrayal of the awkward middle school years. Jackie and Milo are the perfect characters for this story. A must have for all collections serving middle schoolers.

This was such an interesting read! I usually don’t read graphic novels, this was my second one. I’m not a fan of the illustration, but the story was incredible though. I love the message you learn from this story, it’s important to accept others as they come. Why do we have to fit everyone’s standards? We can be girls & not wear pink & purple. Bullying really pushing others to do things that are not the best, these handful of people collectively made Jackie feel like she had to do so much to just fit in. It’s sucks.. in a way Jackie didn’t want to be seen, because being seen was causing her so many emotions she didn’t like. This was such an incredible story & I did enjoy the back showing how to fold a note lol!

Btw.. MILO made me so mad😭 I know this is a children’s book but chile.. I would never be his friend again. He was absolutely the worse.

Thank you NetGalley & Jessixa for the opportunity to read this incredible Arc!

The book started out a little slow, but as it went on, I got more into it. I always love when books have non-romantic HEAs, especially in YA books. This book was super cute!

A realistic portrayal of all the awkwardness, confusion, and messiness of middle school. I like how both Jackie's and Milo's points of view are explored and how expressive the art is.

not what i expected.
it was pretty good, and i liked all the freind aspects.
i wish the charectors had more backstory, though.
and when she talks to her parents about what she has been doing, it feels scripted. like how the perfect conversaion for that would go.
overall it was pretty good though.
i would have liked more scenes away from the freinds, though. it felt very, freind freind freind. to the point where it was, why does it matter?
pretty good overall though.

This was a great graphic novel exploring friendship and growing up, perfect for 5th-7th graders dealing with puberty and the other changes of middle school. It felt very realistic to what middle schoolers and their conflicts with each other are like, so I imagine current middle schoolers would find it very relatable. As an adult, it made me cringe a little remembering myself back then, haha. Jessixa Bagley did a great job once again, fans of Shannon Hale's Real Friends and the Awkward series will probably enjoy this graphic novel!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book is a look at what it’s like to be in sixth grade. How people start changing and it causes their friends group to fracture. It also gets into how people are still figuring out who they are, how gender roles used to be specific, but now not everybody fits into those. This book is very real. It feels like it could have come out of my school. Or out of my nephew’s school. The illustrations are typical of the age and genre. I do love that the illustrator did so much research into drawing a character in a wheelchair especially when that character is just a side character. But taken altogether, this is an interesting book that I think middle schoolers will find something in that they recognize. Also, good to know is that the author and I believe the illustrator are both indigenous Americans.

This middle grade graphic novel did an awesome job at depicting the confusion, misunderstandings, and impulsive decisions made by hormonal teens learning to navigate friendships, relationships, and individual interests/sense of self. Our major characters are not perfect, they're flawed and make mistakes that hurt each other and that they need to be held accountable for, but we also see the reasons those decisions were made and are able to have empathy for them as the other characters do. I loved the relationship between Jackie and her older sibling and how it showed that figuring out your identity is something that can happen not just in adolescence but even in adulthood. I think this is a wonderful book for anyone, but especially for teens entering or in middle school.

Dear Jackie by Jessixa Bagley is such a relatable and heartfelt story about figuring out who you are in middle school. Jackie is more into comfy clothes than frilly outfits, but people tease her for dressing “boring” or “like a boy,” which makes her feel like she can’t truly be herself. Starting middle school only adds to the challenges—suddenly there are crushes, shifting friendships, and the pressure of trying to fit in while still holding on to who you really are. Jackie’s journey of navigating all these ups and downs feels so real, and it shows just how tough (but also important) those early teen years can be.

What really stood out to me was how the story captures the messiness of middle school friendships. Jackie has to deal with the excitement of new connections but also the disappointment of realizing that not everyone is as kind or genuine as they first seem. There’s jealousy, confusion, and even the classic question of what it really means to “like” someone—all written in a way that feels natural and easy to connect with. I also loved the nostalgic touch of folded paper notes being passed around, which instantly took me back to my own middle school days before phones ruled everything.

On top of the heartfelt story, the artwork is so vibrant and colorful, making the emotions and moments really pop off the page. Dear Jackie doesn’t shy away from the struggles of growing up, but it also leaves readers with a sense of hope and encouragement to embrace who they are. It’s a fun, thoughtful, and super relatable read for any middle schooler (or anyone who remembers those days).

Book 192 of 350 ~ 2025

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I kinda relate to Jackie. As my friends were getting into makeup and the like, I didn't feel the same.

I wanted to remain me but peer pressure sometimes gets in the way. I didn't like the frilly dresses and mom did.

I definitely wouldn't have done what Jackie did.. poor girl.

I received a complimentary copy of the ebook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Jackie and her best friend Milo are starting middle school, and even though they've been best friends for their whole lives, things are beginning to change. For one thing, Milo joins the soccer team and starts making friends with his teammates, while Jackie is forced into a friendship with her mom's friend's daughter, Adelle. Adelle is preoccupied with things typically defined as "girly," like fashion, make up, and crushes, while Jackie is happy with her baggy jeans, oversized sweatshirts, and video games. As she begins to feel increased pressure and heightened expectations from others about what it means to be a girl, Jackie finds herself questioning where and how she fits in more and more. Then, it comes to her: maybe if she could prove that someone could like her just the way she is, her friends and classmates might too! That thought leads her to begin sending anonymous love notes to herself, but before long, things spin wildly out of control...

This graphic novel is sure to satisfy middle school readers who enjoy stories centering friendships, school dynamics, social pressures, fitting in, and finding one's people. It includes a thoughtful exploration of gender norms, expression, and identity, and Jackie is supported by her older nonbinary sibling, Jabari, who is able to offer some insight based on their own experiences. The story also touches on burgeoning relationships, crushes, changing friendships, and the pressure young readers may feel to alter, suppress, or perform their identity for others. While the characters are not always likable (who is?), the themes and conflicts explored here will be relevant to many upper middle grade readers.

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

As a mom of a middle schooler, this book certainly brought up a lot of worries that I feel most kids that age (and I at that age) experience. It highlights the insecurities we all experience as we try to find ourselves as we transition from childhood to adulthood. This book also showcases the need to accept others and learn from our mistakes, no matter the age.

As a reader, I did feel irritated about how clueless the parents (especially the mom) were in foisting their wants on their child and not accepting them for who they are.

I feel like middle school kids will really like this book and how authentic it is to their experiences.

I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5.

Navigating middle school can be tough, and "Dear Jackie" by Jessixa and Aaron Bagley perfectly captures that experience. This book is a true coming-of-age story about figuring out who you are, making (and sometimes losing) friends, and the pressure to fit in.
​The main character, Jackie, just wants to be popular. In a desperate attempt to gain attention, she starts sending herself secret admirer cards. But as her plan spirals out of control, Jackie has to figure out what's really more important: fitting in with the crowd or being true to herself.
​This graphic novel is a heartwarming and relatable read for anyone who remembers the awkwardness and uncertainty of middle school. It's a beautiful reminder that the best kind of friends are the ones who love you for exactly who you are.

The title for this book is perfect! The illustrations are also good. The characters look the age they are expected to be and they look as you would expect them to look. The clothing and hairstyles match the personality of each character.
I feel that kids can relate to this book. The friendships problems that children go through at that age are spot on, I like how the main character had a sibling she could talk to that was not your “typical” sibling. I feel this helped Jackie because either Jackie knew that her sibling was a bit different than her friends brothers or sisters, or Jackie thought everyone was that way.
I also liked how Jackie’s best friend also had family and friend issues.
Peer pressure is tough.
Each person deals with problems in their own way, but they both realize communication is important.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily. Content warnings from readers on Storygraph: Graphic: Bullying; Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism.

I always love a middle grade story that has many teachable moments. Dear Jackie focuses on middle school social navigation with a blend of humor and emotional depth. Part of that navigation is a fresh exploration of gender identity, more specifically performative identity. Jackie prefers wearing hoodies and jeans. However, her mother and “friends” constantly urge her to dress differently to conform to societal norms. The book’s non-binary representation and nuanced look at gender expression offers readers a chance to broaden their inclusive shelf.

The story of Jackie is also filled with humor and everyday realism. This lighter, contemporary take on identity as one is growing up is excellent for middle grade readers. It also depicts the changes in friendship as one grows up. There’s a big lesson here. If you try to conform for other people, you’ll be miserable. Stay true to yourself. In short, Dear Jackie is filled with everyday realism that readers want and crave.

I thought the artwork was very good throughout the graphic novel. It’s bright and colorful and adds to the overall story.