'Mixed-Up' is a cute and heartwarming middle grade graphic novel. Its main subject is dyslexia, and also friendship. It teaches the reader about both.
There's lots of geekiness and geek girl gaming included, which I love. The newly fifth-grade protagonist, Stella, and her best friends Emiko and Latasha, are into a witchy franchise called 'Witchlins', which is popular enough to get its own interactive online RPG, and its own section in bookshops! It is this aspect, among many others, like its coming-of-age theme, that 'Mixed-Up' reminds me of 'The New Girl' by Cassandra Calin.
Goddesses, how I wish there were clubs, and other open fans, of things like 'W.I.T.C.H.' and 'Sailor Moon' at school when I was a kid! I wish that geek culture was louder, prouder, and more popular and therefore more accessible (not to mention more inclusive), more than twenty years ago. It would have been easier for me to socialise and make friends.
What an abundance of proud geek love and happiness!
The artwork of 'Mixed-Up' by Brittney Williams is colourful, bold, adorable and brilliant. Nearly every character is a POC, to boot.
It's not perfect, mainly due to the rushed ending, and a friends-falling-out plot not really ending with an apology - it resolves itself with hugs, tears, and opening up and talking about problems, but no "I'm sorry" is in sight. The book is also rather too after-school-special-ish, and too positive and upbeat, with barely any conflict (there don't seem to be any bullies at Stella's school, at best we get a grumpy assistant librarian - where is this utopia she's at?).
But 'Mixed-Up' is a great graphic novel for children, and for school libraries. Realistic or not, it is a helpful, hopeful story that needs to be told. It is clearly a personal, passion project for parent Kami Garcia, as well.
It celebrates creativity, using your strengths to solve problems, and doing things your own way - creative writing and storytelling forever! - which further highlights it for me, making me sing its praises.
Oh, and asking for help and support, and being honest, are always important lessons to teach.
It is a lovely, contemporary comic, that isn't mundane at all. It is its own kind of magical.
Final Score: 4/5
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