A FOR EFFORT

High school freshman Jay Violet steps out of his comfort zone and onto the stage in this semiautobiographical graphic novel.

Apart from his older sister, Jay doesn’t know anyone at his new high school. To make matters worse, he gets stuck with theater as his elective instead of art. At first, he hopes it will be an easy A, but all his classes, including theater, require way more work than last year. Jay’s parents pressure him to start preparing for college, and his new friends pressure him to compete for the highest grades. Despite how anxious Jay feels speaking in front of a crowd, the challenge of becoming better at theater draws him in more than he expects. On top of Jay’s academic woes, he’s also grappling with friendships and with finding the confidence to express himself. This sequel to A-Okay (2021) introduces a new conflict and a new cast of characters, apart from Jay and his family, but familiarity with the first book will provide helpful background, particularly for the continued exploration of Jay’s asexuality. The art reflects racial diversity in the student body around Jay, but most of the central characters read white. The varied panel layouts and animated character movements balance the introspective nature of the conflict.

A vulnerable and encouraging school drama.