Allergic: A Graphic Novel

This is a review one of my students wrote for the book:It is Maggie’s birthday, and she wants a dog most of all. She can’t exactly get one though, because she is allergic to anything with fur or feathers. In fact, a big part of the book is her going to the doctor and getting shots. She has two little brothers, and they are about to become big brothers. She is upset because her brothers Noah and Liam have each other, her mom and dad have each other and are also about to have the baby, but she doesn't have anyone. Maggie makes a new friend named Claire. Later on, Claire gets a dog without realizing Maggie’s shots don’t fix everything.Therefore, I love this book called Allergic! It is sweet and sort of funny. One thing you should know is that it is a graphic novel. My favorite people in the book are the twins Noah and Liam; they are very funny. One thing I remember is that the parents were talking about the baby and Noah and Liam said,” When is it gonna be born it is taking forever!” There were still about three more months!Lastly, I think this book should be for someone with allergies, or in third through fifth grade. I highly recommend this book.

A great graphic novel for my 10 year old who loves animals. She immediately asked for another one!

If you like The Baby-Sitters Club and Raina's books, then you'll probably like this one, too. It's about allergies and so much more.I think this book could be very comforting for kids who are coping with life changes, difficult feelings, and especially limitations beyond their control. Topics covered include fitting in at home and at school; forming and maintaining friendships; dealing with challenging feelings (jealousy, disappointment, and more) with resilience; and discovering new passions and interests. I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting. All of this might sound kind of heavy, but it doesn't come off that way at all. Everything is handled in a reassuring and encouraging way. It never gets sappy or preachy, or overly dramatic.I really appreciated the gentle honesty in the book. Maggie has allergic reactions and undergoes allergy testing and allergy shots; in these scenes, both the visuals and the text help readers understand what's going on. Allergies are explained in an accessible way, and EpiPens are even discussed! I love how the book addresses both the physical and emotional impact of having serious allergies.Maggie is likable and relatable, a sweet girl with plenty on her mind. She tries to be optimistic even when it's not easy, and she manages to bounce back after setbacks. She sometimes makes mistakes, too--which is important, because in reality, nobody is perfect. Her occasional missteps are part of what makes her relatable.The other characters are well-developed. Maggie's dad is a real standout; he is thoughtful, understanding, and very involved in his kid's lives. Maggie's friend Sebastian is also particularly good; I really like that a character with different allergies was included.Loved all the details in the artwork. As soon as I saw the early Charlotte's Web reference, I knew I liked Maggie. Loved the two-page spread comparing Maggie and Claire's houses. Loved the page showing Maggie and her dad enjoying ice cream together. Loved the entire last chapter, especially the last several pages--those panels are extra gorgeous!Overall, VERY highly recommended. This is a good one!

While I’m not by any means a “middle grade reader” so much as I am a young adult, I still enjoyed this story a lot! I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a kind, lighthearted story about a dog-loving girl with allergies.I bought the Kindle e-book version.#1 Story (no spoilers):I’m a huge graphic novel fan as well as an art student, so I’m always on the lookout for new books to read/ get inspiration from. Initially when I saw the solicits for this book, I wasn’t sure how a story about a girl with allergies would really be engaging. It just seemed like a rather flat concept. But I decided to give it a shot, and I actually liked it a lot more than anticipated! In fact, I’ve read it twice now. :) the story follows ten year old Maggie as she discovers she has developed a severe allergy to animals just as she is about to adopt a puppy for her birthday. Some reviewers say that the story is a little “random” with the fact that her mom is also having a baby, but honestly, I think it ties the story together perfectly. All in all, the book seems to be about change, so I think including that bit was important. (It also bears some thematic significance at the end.) One criticism: I wish that Maggie’s relationship to the character Sebastian was developed more. It seemed a little rushed, and the only defining trait I could really gather from him was that he “also had allergies”. The last chapter also felt really quick and read more like an epilogue than an actual part of the story. But I suppose that was intentional, so I can’t really knock it.CONTENT WARNING: As treatment for her allergies, Maggie is consistently shown receiving a series of allergy shots. I actually had to avert my gaze on those pages because I have a huge needle phobia and it made me a little anxious. 😅 That’s just me being squirmy, but I think it’s still worth mentioning if you or your kid are sensitive to that kind of thing.#2 the art:The artwork in the book was lovely and had a nice color pallet. It’s not as “anime” as some graphic novels these days, which I think is perfectly fine. I just like that the style is unique and consistent.Final thoughts: I give it 4.5 out of 5. I think this book definitely works for the age range it’s meant for, and then beyond. The art was engaging, and the story was well written! 🙌🏽 Well done!

The main character was really good and I loved the thoughts and feelings. And I had this in my mind for days after.

Absolutely awesome, so great for reading and interesting, I seriously could not put it down! 😊

I love the book so much because it's like Beautiful and I just love it cause it's You get to show off who you are and it doesn't matter if you're allergic it's That you always have something that you can love

My oldest loves grafic novels and this was right up her ally. We have a hard time getting her excited to read and this book she read in a day. Highly recommend if your struggling to get your children excited about reading. We now own several.

Perfect book for a child who has an allergy themselves, helps them see they are not alone. Lovely story with great illustrations. Recommend.

I don’t know who liked this book more - me or my two daughters (ages 7 and 9). It was difficult to put it down and go to bed. The illustrations were beautiful and the storyline kept us wanting to continue reading. Heartwarming and very relatable for anyone, who has experienced life with allergies. Loved it!

Good

Highly recommend this book. My daughter loves to read all kinds of books. She loves this one too