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Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Graphix/ Scholastic
Publication Date: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 978-1338617436
When Charlie meets Nick in his new homeroom class, they immediately hit it off. A fun and supportive friendship ensues; Charlie who is openly gay knows he has a crush on Nick who he assumes is straight. Nick can’t stop thinking about Charlie and how great he is–which leads him to wonder what it means about himself…could he be gay too?
Heartstopper is a graphic novel that unfolds with sparse text and a limited color palette but plenty of emotional appeal. Readers are immediately pulled into the conflict between Charlie, Charlie’s ex-boyfriend Ben, and Charlie’s developing feelings for Nick. The characters are endearing and plotlines include important topics including bullying, consent, and discovering one’s own sexuality.
This book will appeal to readers who love romance and/or graphic novel formats. Recommended for fans of books such as Bloom by Kevin Panetta & Savanna Ganucheau, The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang, and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell. Readers who previously read Solitaire, also by Oseman, will enjoy this story about Tori’s younger brother, Charlie, and the origins of his romance with Nick.
–Marie A. LeJeune
