MAYBE AN ARTIST

A Black cartoonist looks back at her school years and her path to career success.

Montague opens her graphic memoir as an adult working through a creative block by remembering how she came to be an artist. On Sept. 11, 2001, she was only 5 and living in New Jersey. In the following years her dyslexia became obvious. As Montague moved on to middle school, she began to see journalism as her path, but her thoughts were consumed by struggles with academics and fitting in. While receiving praise for her artwork, she also realized she had a talent for track. High school brought its own challenges, as Montague felt invisible and overwhelmed as she grew to understand both the pressures of being a racial minority in her suburban community and the expectations to make the most of the opportunities provided by her parents’ sacrifices. In college on a track scholarship, Montague took an art class and found a fulfilling and successful direction for her life, breaking through as a published New Yorker cartoonist at age 22. The author maintains a youthful voice throughout: Her descriptions of school and social struggles are well done and will resonate with readers. Her growing self-awareness is handled with insight and wit. The lively, expressive drawing style combined with a soft color palette and clean white background works perfectly with the tone of the narrative.

A delightful combination of text and images delivered with humor and heart.