Juliet Takes a Breath: the Graphic Novel by Gabby Rivera
Published: December 2020
Novelist Grades 7-9
Goodreads: 4.11 stars, 1,175 ratings
Starred Reviews: none
A NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATION OF THE BESTSELLING BOOK! Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But don’t worry, Juliet has something kind of resembling a plan that’ll help her figure out what it means to be Puerto Rican, lesbian and out. See, she’s going to intern with Harlowe Brisbane – her favorite feminist author, someone’s who’s the last work on feminism, self-love and lots of of their things that will help Juliet find her ever elusive epiphany. There’s just one problem – Harlowe’s white, not from the Bronx and doesn’t have the answers. Okay, maybe that’s more than one problem but Juliet never said it was a perfect plan… Critically-acclaimed writer Gabby Rivera adapts her bestselling novel alongside artist Celia Moscote in an unforgettable queer coming-of-age story exploring race, identity and what it means to be true to your amazing self. even when the rest of the world doesn’t understand.
Flume and Isinglass Awards 
Based on some of the language, sexual situations, and the fact that the main character is pursuing an internship after high school, I’d recommend this for Flume and not for Isinglass.
The artwork was lovely and I enjoyed the story, although some of the viewpoints felt a little heavy-handed.
A gorgeous exploration of self discovery, QTPOC community building, and the danger of white feminism. This book is very mature – I’m sure it would be a perfect fit for some high schoolers, but to me it feels more “new adult” than YA. I think it’s an excellent book, but it may not be right for these awards.
I didn’t love this, it felt too unbelievable that someone following a mentor so progressive would have no idea about the LGBT+ community. It was a quick read and I appreciated the body positivity, though!