Hello and happy Monday. This is my last full week of vacation, and I feel proud of the number of books I have been able to read during July. However, I’ve mostly read either adult, new adult or young adult books, which means I’ve left the amazing middle grade titles out there unattended. That, of course, changed a couple of days ago when I read Measuring Up. This graphic novel written by Lily LaMotte and illustrated by Ann Xu is probably the cutest I’ve read.

Aesthetically, it is so pleasing, but it also was made with such care so that it can be easily understood by young readers or readers who probably are getting into graphic novels without it being overly simple. Like, it deals with topics related to moving out of your home country and adapting to an entirely new reality and culture, dealing with your parents’ expectations while figuring out what you really like, and navigating friendships. Next school year I will be teaching first grade, but if one of my former middleschoolers asks for a graphic nover recommendation, it will for sure be this one.