Thursday, September 2, 2010

How I Made It to Eighteen by Tracy White


"This is the story of what happened to me when I had a nervous breakdown at seventeen." Tracy White's simple line drawings and spare text create a very readable account of a messed-up teenager. She has switched her name to 'Stacy Black' and also given her friends pseudonyms. Four of these friends make regular appearances throughout the book, answering interview questions. Their cameos are a good counterpoint to the main story, set in a hospital. Flashbacks are made visually clear by presenting those panels on a grey background. It's a quick read, but her story is memorable. Readalikes: Perfect Example (John Porcellino); At a Crossroads (Kate Williamson) and Inside Out: A Portrait of an Eating Disorder (Nadia Shivack).

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