SHINY MISFITS: A GRAPHIC NOVEL, by Maysoon Zayid and Shadia Amin, Graphix, April 16, 2024, Paperback, $14.99 (ages 8-12)
A girl is desperate to show the world her star quality in Shiny Misfits, a new middle-grade graphic novel by Maysoon Zayid and Shadia Amin.
Bay Ann wants to shine. No matter what.
She’s sure her moment in the spotlight has arrived when she wins the school talent show with a showstopping tap routine! But then her classmate and crush, Alyee Maq, causes her to wobble and almost fall. The video of him catching her goes viral, making Alyee an overnight sensation for “helping her.” Bay Ann is reduced to her disability and her talent is ignored.
Bay Ann doesn’t want her classmate to get all the fame, and she is NOT satisfied being anything but the best. She’ll do everything in her power to beat Alyee at his own attention-seeking game. With the help of her two best friends, Michelle and Davey Matt, she’ll go up against Alyee and his crew to prove she’s number one.
But as Bay Ann tries to find the thing that really makes her stand out, everything she tries goes disastrously wrong. What if the only way to beat her enemy . . . is to join him? —Synopsis provided by Graphix
Shiny Misfits is like a book on steroids. Each setup, each conversation, each scene is full of rapid-fire action that’s sometimes dizzying in application.
Bay Ann has cerebral palsy, and is tired of people not looking beyond her disability. She knows that if given the chance, her tap routine can make her a star.
To be honest, Bay Ann comes across as pretty self-centered. Everything is about her and her dreams. Grownups are evil, and her main competition is out to get her. There’s a lot of drama here. But honestly, that’s the character, and the book wouldn’t work otherwise.
There’s an underlying message about the negative impact of social media and the push to be popular, as well as the value of true friendship.
Illustrator Shadia Amin is definitely in sync with author Maysoon Zayid’s text, creating panels featuring a range of emotion — pure joy to humorous to angst — that really bring the whole story to life.
Shiny Misfits is a fast-moving graphic novel that reminds readers to focus on people as a whole rather than focusing in only on their disabilities or accomplishments.
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