Inbetweens

Gr 5-8–Twins Sloane and Ash have dreamed of becoming animators ever since they rode the animation ride at Disney World as kids. The summer after eighth grade, they get to live their dream by attending an eight-week animation course at the prestigious Ormidale College, where they will be taught by the world-renowned animator Douglas Frye. Unfortunately, animation isn’t as magical as they imagined. Mr. Frye prefers the male students’ work, complimenting their friend Nisha’s projects until he realizes that Nisha is a girl. Ash struggles to keep up with her classwork and finds animation to be much harder than she thought. Sloane gradually realizes that while she loves art, animation isn’t for her. After Ash is told by Mr. Frye that she doesn’t have the “special spark” to be an animator, she is at a loss about what her future holds. Hicks has crafted a poignant graphic novel that touches on themes of feminism, courage, and the ­bittersweet struggle of pursuing—and sometimes changing—one’s dreams. A strong female role model, explorations of powerful emotions, and references to classic animated films will keep young teen readers engaged, regardless of their interest in art. Those with a passion for animation may also pick up on many parallels between the fictional elements and the real studios and artists who led the Canadian animation industry in the late 1990s. Hand this to fans of Dan Santat’s A First Time for ­Everything and Matt ­Tavares’s Hoops. ­