*This isn't quite a comic! But it includes some comics! Close enough! By Phoebe Wahl. Published by Little Brown. Hardcover, 464 pages, Prose with B&W illustrations and comics, 2023 Drawn from real life, here is a bracingly honest illustrated diary of a teenage girl that captures the explosive turmoil and joy of adolescence. Meet Phoebe. She’s cool and insecure, talented and vulnerable, sexy and awkward, driven and confused, ecstatic and tragic. And here is her diary, packed full of invaluable friends and heartbreaking crushes, spectacular playlists and vintage outfits, drama nerds and art kids, old wounds and new love."In her emotionally vulnerable YA debut, Wahl (Little Witch Hazel) revisits her high school diaries to deliver a fictional adaptation of her adolescence. Descriptions of her experiences performing in school plays, making new friends, and enduring awkward family vacations give way to complex musings about art, crushes, and her identity as a fat Jewish girl. Pacing mimics the inconsistencies of young adulthood, varying with each entry based on the teen’s emotional investment in individual topics, skillfully presenting a raw, unfiltered story about growing up and taking risks that will surely resonate."—Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review ★ "The story, illustrated throughout, captures the anguish of wanting to belong, to feel at home in your body, and to give and receive pleasure. Wahl’s distinctive, instantly recognizable art adds humor and heart to each page. An earnest, relatable, and affecting celebration of teenage yearning."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review ★"Filled with sprawling, detailed drawings and comics panels and replete with references to early aughts indie culture, this vividly captures the voice of a teen curious about herself and her future, all in an intimate tone, as if talking to a friend unabashed about what’s on her mind." —Booklist"Phoebe's Diary honestly captures teenage angst, confusion, and the yearning for love and identity. In parts funny and philosophical, it speaks to every person on earth."—Maira Kalman, award-winning and bestselling author, artist, and designerNational Indie BestsellerAmazon Best Book of 2023Recommended for Ages 14+
