From the Publisher
An inspirational and poignant pictorial memoir that chronicles a teenage mother's sentimental education, as told through cartoons and searing text.
BUST Magazine
This book is beautiful, accessible, and soulful....The Amazing "True" Story of a Teenage Single Mom speaks to everyone who has ever been young and female, lost and overwhelmed in the world.
VOYA
This charmingly illustrated graphic novel is a modern fairy tale with no magic involved. Arnoldi wrote it to use with students in GED (high school equivalency) programs where her intent was to ensure that young single mothers become aware of the opportunities and support available for them. The heroine of the story lives an improbable survival adventure tale, in which everything that could happen does happen. Although Stacie's birth ends Kathy's dreams of college, travel, and an exciting career, Kathy focuses on Stacie's needs and on keeping both of them together and safe. With no support from her family or Stacie's father, Kathy drops out of school and works two jobs. She must rebuff a supervisor's unwanted advances; she becomes involved with a union; and she, now wary, nearly falls in love. He is abusive, and Kathy quickly walks out on him, even though this leaves her and Stacie destitute. A kind truck driver, fellow mothers in a park, and fellow students (as Kathy finally registers for college courses), all encourage her to recall her ambitions and keep working toward them. Although the purpose of this book is always front and center, the story would be a page-turner if the graphics did not lead the reader to look carefully at each frame. This is not a flaw. Kathy and Stacie are appealing, and evil, when it appears, is huge, dark, and terrifying. Kathy's single motherhood is neither admired nor condemned (except by her mother), it simply is a fact. This book is inspiring and reassuring, and should be in various school offices as well as on the library shelves of both middle and high schools. Illus. VOYA Codes: 4Q 4P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Broad general YA appeal, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).
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