Skip!: A Graphic Novel

Gr 5-8–When shy and socially awkward Jay meets driven and outgoing Beah, this graphic novel takes off with immediate and authentic emotional development for the characters, and empathy delivery for readers. Beah, who is “big, bouncy, and Black,” has a girl posse she has invested in supporting her obsession with double Dutch rope jumping. Nonbinary Jay is devoted to their poetry and with keeping a low profile at school and at home. There are events aplenty—from prepping for a big tournament to Jay losing their poetry notebook—and a cast of characters diverse in ethnicity, pecking order concerns, and showmanship. But driving the story is how Jay and Beah influence each other toward becoming better individuals through their friendship. The colors and physical expressions pop in nearly every panel. Burgess is already a masterful visual storyteller and will be fun to watch.