Gr 4–9—Garvey is not an athlete like his older sister, which makes it hard to bond with his dad. But Garvey’s friends
help him find his voice—figuratively and literally—by joining chorus, which helps them connect through music.
Grimes’s tanka poems from the original book translate beautifully in the graphic novel format; Taylor’s night sky
illustrations are especially striking.

It's a good book, it's about a boy's relationship with his father and the differences they have. His dad wants him to play sports but he loves to be creative and loves science. ( )

First sentence: Mom's got a talent
for origami, but she
can't fold me into
the jock Dad wants me to be.
At least, she knows not to try.
My thoughts, part one: Garvey's Choice (the original) is a verse novel by Nikki Grimes. I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE crazy love this verse novel. It is perfectly, perfect in every way.

Did we need a graphic novel adaptation? If I'd answered BEFORE reading, I'd have said probably not. BUT after reading the graphic novel, I think it is PERFECTLY, PERFECT too.

Premise/plot: Garvey is an overweight teen who'd much rather sing or read than play sports. There exists between father and son a gap that nothing seems to fill. At least at first. Garvey tries--unsuccessfully--to fill this gap with food. Garvey's dad may talk about sports--a lot--but I don't get the impression that he's actually cruel to his son. The two just aren't speaking the same love languages. In the novel, Garvey makes several choices. Will he choose to try out for chorus and risk rejection or humiliation? He ultimately decides that he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. After all, he's already being teased by his classmates; he's already hating lunch time. What he finds out is that he's really talented at singing; and his singing not only makes him happy in the process, but makes others happy too. That and he makes a second friend. Another choice he makes regards his weight. Will he try to lose weight? Should he try to lose weight? How should he go about it? What can he change in his life to be healthier and happier?

My thoughts part two: EVERYTHING I loved about the original--the turns of phrase, the imagery, the emotional journey, the heart and soul of it all--is present in the graphic novel. Including some/much of the original text.

Favorite quotes:
Stories are breadcrumbs.
Just follow the trail of books
and you will find me
lost among the galaxies
of scorched stars and ships to Mars. (14)

Over breakfast, Dad
eyes me like an alien
never seen before.
Sometimes, I could swear that he's
hoping to make first contact. (34) ( )

This is a rare look at a boy with body image issues/eating disorder without being overly mature. Garvey’s head is in books despite his father’s wishes for him to pursue athletics. He gets teased about his weight and starts trying to change himself in drastic measures. After finding a creative outlet and a new friend, Garvey finally makes a choice, the right one for himself.

I really liked “Facing the Mirror.” This is just our spaceship, y’know.
( )