Pardalita

February 15, 2023
In this introspective graphic novel translated from Portuguese, a girl reflects on her changing sense of self. In loosely interconnected vignettes, award-winning author/illustrator Estrela introduces readers to 16-year-old Raquel. Her life thus far has been fairly uneventful: She lives in small-town Portugal with her divorced mom; hangs out with her two best friends, Lu�sa and Fred; and has a new boyfriend, Miguel. But changes are underway. At school, Raquel notices Pardalita, a colorful and artistic older girl, and becomes increasingly intrigued by her. As her interest in Pardalita grows, she ignores texts from Miguel, who eventually breaks up with her, to Raquel's relief: "I switched to airplane mode / but it feels like I've landed." Fred and Raquel join the local theater troupe that Pardalita is involved with, allowing the two girls to develop a friendship. As Raquel moves beyond projected daydreams about her object of affection, she's fascinated by every little thing about the real Pardalita, a girl who, when she pulls her hair back, "pats the top of her head twice to make sure she's picked up every strand." Raquel recalls moments when there were hints about her emerging sexuality that now take on new meaning. The digitally created black-and-white art is bold and slightly abstract, matching the stream-of-consciousness text that effectively conveys adolescent turmoil, the heady intoxication of first love, and sweet moments of connection as young queer love blossoms. The book's strength lies in its careful presentation of telling details. Quietly resonant and sincerely told. (endnotes) (Graphic fiction. 12-18)

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Starred review from February 13, 2023
Told via interwoven slice-of-life comics and intimate-feeling prose poems oscillating between past and present, Estrela (My Own Way) recounts one teenager’s struggles defining herself amid a period of rapid change. Sixteen-year-old Portugal native Raquel is unsure of what she wants for her future until she encounters senior schoolmate Pardalita, an artist. Raquel finds herself inexorably drawn to Pardalita and, as their friendship develops, Raquel begins to see her own sexuality in a new light, straining her relationship with new boyfriend, Miguel, before he eventually breaks up with her. Somber flashbacks to Raquel’s childhood detail formative experiences with her divorced parents (“Every other weekend I’m with my dad./ ...this annoyed him, because he/ wanted to go out and I wrecked his plans”). Poems speaking directly to Pardalita (“I tried to sit as far away/ from you as possible.../ Not the best plan”), rendered in Raquel’s yearning voice, cultivate an earnest blossoming romance that feels as if it was pulled from someone’s private journal. Estrela uses a bold, inky line to depict both cozy moments bursting with warm detail and dynamic scenes that boast energy and youthfulness. Through a fledgling queer romance, the creator presents a story of change, connection, and transformation. Ages 12–up.

Starred review from March 1, 2023

Gr 8 Up-Sixteen-year-old Raquel is growing up in a small town in Portugal, and her divorced parents always seem to be focused on anything except her. But Raquel has her boyfriend of six months, Miguel; her friends Luisa and Fred; and the high school classmate and object of her increasing fascination, Pardalita. When a community theater production brings Pardalita and Raquel more squarely into each other's lives, the two strike up a friendship that helps Raquel to untangle her thoughts about her sexuality. Raquel's story is told in a hybrid format, presented largely in comic form interspersed with short prose passages, with memories from throughout Raquel's life offered as evidence of how Raquel started questioning certain facets of her identity. Narration is provided by Raquel to, and often about, Pardalita, and prose sections often revolve around a particular verb (conjugated via school grammar lessons), creatively serving as the theme for that passage. The story utilizes minimalist, high-contrast, black-and-white illustrations that are loose and imprecise in their execution. Concrete images often transform on the pages until they're nothing more than abstract shapes and lines, giving the impression of Raquel getting lost in thought. A powerful use of white space helps to draw focus to the here-and-now feelings of the moments on page. Characters are assumed white and lack notable body diversity. VERDICT Highly recommended for collections where readers are looking for a leisurely, emotional stroll through a slice-of-life story that explores identity and sexuality in an authentically sweet and subtle way.-Alea Perez

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Starred review from February 1, 2023
Grades 8-12 *Starred Review* The elegant simplicity of this book belies the artistic depth and emotional resonance contained within. Here 16-year-old Raquel's parents have divorced, her father is remarrying, and most important, she's experiencing her first all-consuming queer crush on artistic older classmate Pardalita. The story mostly takes place in small-town Portugal, though the setting fades into the background, along with everything else, as readers are pulled into Raquel's mind. An incredible intimacy is achieved through the terse, quiet, often figurative language and the form--or, rather, the combination of forms. Promoted (not unfairly) as a graphic novel, this reads more as a verse novel that frequently employs comic-book tools. Pages are composed of either poetic journal entries--whether containing flashbacks, ruminations, or imagined letters to Pardalita--simple splash pages, or gridded panels. When panels are employed, though, they still read more like poetry, set under voice-over narration while playing with pertinent imagery, serving more to accentuate a metaphor than ground the reader in physical space (although this is also achieved). Meanwhile, the text, seamlessly translated, is either hand-lettered or printed in a custom font, giving the feeling that the same thick-tipped pen could be writing the words and composing the artwork. It all brings you closer to Raquel, always with the lightest touch, often set off with notes of humor, longing, or warmth. The perfect ending will leave readers in quiet, piercing satisfaction.

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