The Real Riley Mayes
by Rachel Elliott (Author) Rachel Elliott (Illustrator)
A Stonewall Book Award Honor!
Funny and full of heart, this debut graphic novel is a story about friendship, identity, and embracing all the parts of yourself that make you special.
Fifth grade is just not Riley's vibe. Everyone else is squaded up--except Riley. Her best friend moved away. All she wants to do is draw, and her grades show it.
One thing that makes her happy is her favorite comedian, Joy Powers. Riley loves to watch her old shows and has memorized her best jokes. So when the class is assigned to write letters to people they admire, of course Riley's picking Joy Powers!
Things start to look up when a classmate, Cate, offers to help Riley with the letter, and a new kid, Aaron, actually seems to get her weird sense of humor. But when mean girl Whitney spreads a rumor about her, things begin to click into place for Riley. Her curiosity about Aaron's two dads and her celebrity crush on Joy Powers suddenly make more sense.
Readers will respond to Riley's journey of self-discovery and will recognize themselves in this character who is less than perfect but trying her best. And creative kids will recognize themselves in her love of art and drawing.
While often funny and light, Riley's exploration of what it feels to be an outsider and how hard it can be to make a friend break your heart in the best way. And with all of Riley's hijinks and missteps, this story is laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish.
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School Library Journal
Gr 4-8--In this delightful story, fifth grader Riley Mayes is trying to find her place. Her friend has moved away, and she is bouncing around from group to group trying to find friends who understand her. Her teacher certainly doesn't; Riley's class interruptions and constant doodling land her in trouble on a regular basis. When the class is assigned to write a letter to a well-known person, Riley chooses to write to Joy Powers, a comedian she admires, but she gets stuck on what to write and how to say it. In the meantime, the new kid in her class, Aaron, seems okay, and classmate Cate begins to befriend Riley. Things are looking up until the other kids start harassing Riley and calling her "lesbian." Would that be so bad? How does a person know they're gay? Riley is filled with questions. Though confused, she has a tremendous support team in her parents, her older brother Danny, and her newfound friends. Through many ups and downs, Riley begins to find her footing and, most importantly, recognize that she has plenty of people to go to. This realistic and heartwarming story, filled with humor and angst, has a little something for everyone to enjoy. Readers will readily empathize with Riley. VERDICT The simple and endearing artwork with soft colors will fly off library shelves and be a hit for readers who enjoy Raina Telgemeier's books and Jennifer Holm's "Sunny" series.--Esther Keller
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"An exploration of self-identity that is both LOL funny and touching.... Elliott brings readers crisp linework, a bright palette, expressive body language, rich narrative details, and (bonus!) kitty comics. Best of all is inimitable Riley, who endears herself to readers with her budding self-awareness and undeniable moxie." — Horn Book (starred review)
"Readers—especially fans of Jeff Kinney and Amy Ignatow—will love the mixture of realism and imagination that fuels Riley's world. This story is real—and really great!" — Kirkus Reviews
"There is a lot going on in this story—finding real friends, first crushes, discovering gender identity—and all of it is handled tenderly and with respect for each of the main characters.... A fun, funny story that rings true." — Booklist
"This realistic and heartwarming story, filled with humor and angst, has a little something for everyone to enjoy.... [A] hit for readers who enjoy Raina Telgemeier's books and Jennifer Holm's "Sunny" series." — School Library Journal
JUV039100 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Peer Pressure
JUV060000 - Juvenile Fiction | LGBT
JUV008110 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Humorous
Graphic novels
Middle school students
School children
Coming-of-age comics
