VERY BAD AT MATH

She’s failing math, which could force her to step down from student council and lose the class presidency she’s worked so hard on. Now she’s stuck in an “experimental math pod”—a special two-person class with Lucile, the grumpy ex-BFF of class vice president Bree—in a race against time to bring her math grade up. Very also faces distractions, including a fundraising fiasco and a quest to emulate her political idol, State Rep. Hazel Shaw. Very is a lovable, distinctly drawn protagonist whose various scrapes have a lighthearted tone. Her ultimate worst enemy isn’t other people but rather her own hubris and choices. Refreshingly, Larson avoids preachiness, and she shows Very’s life and personality as being larger than her learning disability. Very’s diagnosis of dyscalculia is handled with a light hand and given equal weight to her interpersonal struggles, such as her well-realized relationships with Bree and Lucile. Larson’s command of the medium is apparent in the dynamic, easy-to-follow layouts and panel flow and the funny, specific character designs. The balance between the writing and visuals enhances Very’s journey, and her colorful Asheville, North Carolina, environs lend a cozy, reassuring air. Red-haired Very is light-skinned, Bree has brown skin and Afro-textured hair, and Lucile has light brown skin.