Starred review from October 1, 2021

Gr 4-8-Olivia "Livy" Siu Leen Tong, a new student at Alison Berry Middle School, is achingly lonely. She has new friends, but they tease her for eating fried rice and salty fish, and she wonders what they'd say if they knew her father is a janitor and that she carries a stuffed unicorn in her backpack. At home Livy tries to be a dutiful Chinese daughter, but after her relatives visit from Hong Kong, the weight of their expectations almost crushes her, and she fears that her dream to become an artist would disappoint her family, much like her cousin Leonard's mysterious moods, which resulted in him being sent to England. Stuck in her head, Livy struggles with feelings of anxiety, fear, and unworthiness that manifest themselves as Viola, an evil twin-like figure who affirms her destructive thoughts. This is an intimate and unforgettable work that focuses on themes of belonging and identity. Confronting mental illness in a perceptive, tangible way, Fung offers a visual window into Livy's world; personifying her anxiety allows readers to understand Livy's reality. Tones of reds and purples illustrate Livy's varied emotions, and the crowded speech boxes give the book a suffocating feel. VERDICT This deeply moving graphic novel will shake middle grade readers to the core and have them rooting for Livy. An essential purchase that illuminates the mental health issues with which many young people grapple.-Claire Moore, Manhattan Beach Lib., CA

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Starred review from October 25, 2021
After transferring to the “ ‘better’ school in the district” to pursue her family’s lofty expectations of eventual career success, sixth grader Olivia “Livy” Siu Leen Tong struggles to adjust in this slice-of-life graphic novel, inspired by Fung’s experiences growing up in Canada as the daughter of Hong Kong immigrants. Viola, a dark periwinkle twin representing Livy’s anxieties, perpetually assails her with large, warping speech balloons that steal Livy’s concentration and confidence. Joyful activities such as making dumplings with her mother and drawing keep Viola at bay, until Livy befriends classmates Maddy Mehta, cued Indian; Beth D’Agostino, cued white; and Charlotte Zhang, also Chinese Canadian, and the trials of friendship, class, and race begin to affect her self-perception (“You’re still okay, Livy, even if your food is Chinese-Chinese. You’re still kinda normal-Chinese,” Beth says). Interspersed Cantonese, plus loose, brushlike ink strokes colored in warm reds and oranges, enliven Fung’s story. Livy’s culturally specific concerns, including her family’s reluctance to discuss mental health, will resonate with diasporic readers, though the exceptionally poignant moments that arise from her work navigating her anxiety reinforce the importance of asking for help for any reader. Back matter features an author’s note and a Cantonese-English glossary. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 9–12.

November 1, 2021
Grades 4-7 When new kid Livy enters middle school, she doesn't yet have friends, but she's not exactly alone. Viola, her identical blue shadow no one else can see, never leaves her, but she voices every poisonous thought, insisting Livy is a "total disaster" doomed to be "forever alone." Viola disdains Livy's Chinese lunches, dismisses her art, insists she can't compare to her doctor-to-be cousin, deems her immigrant parents and their home embarrassments. Livy's sadness overwhelms, but confiding in her parents finally provides much needed hope--and help. Fung presents her affecting debut in vibrant, full-color panels overflowing with energy and motion, not unlike Livy's attempts to cope alone with destructive Viola. Fung reveals in her author's note that the story is semi--autobiographical; her acknowledgment of her own panic attacks that started, like Livy's, in sixth grade, reads like an empathic balm to her intended middle-grade audience that they're not alone. In a world of growing distancing and isolation, especially for youth, Livy provides a gentle but solid reminder that change and happiness are indeed possible.

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Starred review from August 15, 2021
Do you have a voice in your head telling you to doubt your self-worth? Enter Chinese Canadian Olivia Siu Leen Tong. She loves art, books, and making dumplings with her mom, but she struggles with being carefree and happy like her peers. Even harder, her parents enroll her in a new, better middle school, where she struggles to make friends. As immigrants from Hong Kong, her parents have sacrificed so much to give her opportunities, but with this come high expectations to be the perfect daughter. All the pressure causes her self-doubt to manifest as Viola, a shadowy version of herself. Viola spews insidious, undermining messages, causing Livy to fall into depression and have panic attacks. Although she finally makes some good friends and even starts enjoying school, Viola lurks in the back of Livy's mind and sabotages her at every turn. As her life starts unraveling, she must decide whether to reveal her secrets and ask for help. In a debut inspired by her own life, Fung uses bold illustrations in warm shades of red and orange; whenever Viola appears, the palette darkens to purples and grays as swirling, negative thought bubbles overwhelm Livy like waves. Fung delicately balances the heavy subject matter of mental health issues, microaggressions, identity, cultural differences, and belonging with humor and heart. Elevates the graphic novel genre with its heartfelt focus on mental health and immigrant experiences. (author's note, Cantonese glossary, character sketches) (Graphic fiction. 9-13)

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"Elevates the graphic novel genre with its heartfelt focus on mental health and immigrant experiences."