Just Roll With It (Just Roll With It #1)

by Veronica Agarwal (Author)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

Starting middle school is hard enough when you don't know anyone; it's even harder when you're shy. A contemporary middle-grade graphic novel for fans of Guts and Real Friends about how dealing with anxiety and OCD can affect everyday life.

As long as Maggie rolls the right number, nothing can go wrong...right? Maggie just wants to get through her first year of middle school. But between finding the best after-school clubs, trying to make friends, and avoiding the rumored monster on school grounds, she's having a tough time...so she might need a little help from her twenty-sided dice. But what happens if Maggie rolls the wrong number?

A touching middle-grade graphic novel that explores the complexity of anxiety, OCD, and learning to trust yourself and the world around you.

"A charming, compassionate story that's sure to resonate with anyone who's ever stayed up worrying." --Gale Galligan, adaptor and illustrator of the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel series

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Publishers Weekly

Despite her initial concerns, sixth grade starts strong for Maggie Sankhar: she makes a new friend who shares a love of her favorite book series, joins a school RPG club that plays her favorite game, and discovers a newfound passion for science. But the transition also brings new worries, including bullies in the halls and a mysterious monster lurking on school grounds. Maggie is already overwhelmed by her older sisters' academic prowess, and she develops a constant fear of making mistakes, assuaged only by rituals such as toggling light switches and rolling a 20-sided die for direction. When her sister puts a name--obsessive compulsive disorder--to Maggie's behaviors, the suggestion further ups her anxiety. Offering messages of self-acceptance and tackling one task at a time, Durfey-Lavoie thoughtfully weaves the way Maggie's OCD presents into this solid middle grade story with a sympathetically earnest protagonist. In familiar, accessible art that highlights an array of skin tones, Agar- wal conjures Maggie's warm, supportive growing friendship as well as her loving family, which reads as South Asian. A comforting read that fits right into the contemporary middle grade graphic novel tradition. Ages 8-12. Agent (for Durfey-Lavoie and Agarwal): Susan Graham, Einstein Literary. (Dec.)

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7--Sixth grader Maggie is anxious about starting middle school and following in the footsteps of her accomplished older siblings. A fan of role-playing games, she carries around a 20-sided die that she uses to help make decisions about friends and school. But when her obsessive-compulsive tendencies overwhelm her as she lets the die make her choices for her, fantasy merges with reality. Maggie and her loved ones realize she needs help, and she seeks therapy. Maggie and her family are cued as South Asian, and the story showcases a welcome diversity in her friends. Durfey-Lavoie's compassionate story depicts mental health issues and treatment in a positive light. With anxiety and depression rising in teens, this book will let readers know that they are not alone. Agarwal has crafted winsome characters who are inspired by anime and chibi animation. VERDICT For fans of Raina Telgemeier's Guts, this charming graphic novel about coping with anxiety and learning not to be overwhelmed by fear is a recommended purchase for middle school library shelves.--Nancy McKay

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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Veronica Agarwal
Lee Durfey-Lavoie, a college dropout who was able to find a career in writing, loves role-playing games and spending time with his cat. Just Roll with It is his debut graphic novel.

Veronica Agarwal is a cartoonist and illustrator from NYC. She graduated from SVA with a BFA in cartooning, and she loves plants, summertime, dogs, and her three cats! Her work focuses on mental health, coming-of-age stories, and friendship. Just Roll with It is her debut graphic novel.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781984896995
Lexile Measure
370
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Random House Graphic
Publication date
December 14, 2021
Series
Just Roll with It
BISAC categories
JUV039240 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Depression & Mental Illness
JUV008040 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Action & Adventure
JUV008080 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Fantasy
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Schools
Friendship in children
Graphic novels
Middle schools
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Cartoons and comics
Anxiety

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