Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir

Gr 9 Up—Prince knew from an early age that she was not a typical girl. The only pictures of her in a dress were from when she was a baby and could not protest. She hates dresses and all things "girly." Fortunately, she had supportive parents who did not force her into traditional gender roles and who let her wear the kinds of clothing she wanted. Most of Prince's friends were boys, and her fantasies and playtime were devoted to being a hero, not a princess. Her wardrobe choices made her the target of ridicule and bullying in Boston and in Santa Fe, where her family moved when she was in early elementary school. In their first neighborhood, most of her friends were boys, but she found some girlfriends after the family moved. It was the first time she found girls with similar interests in comics and Ghostbusters, and it was also when she realized that she did not want to be a boy but, rather, wanted the freedom that came with being one. Meeting a good friend of her mother's, who encouraged her talent and interest in comics, and transferring to a very small, highly experimental high school helped her become comfortable with her choice as a tomboy. Although Prince has created a work that will affirm the choices of tomboys, the black-and-white illustrations show little variation among characters, and the text is sometimes difficult to read. The chronology is also confusing, as Prince often jumps from childhood to adolescence in the space of one frame and then jumps back to childhood again. Purchase where graphic novel memoirs are in demand.—Suanne B. Roush, formerly at Osceola High School, Seminole, FL