Allergic
by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter
Graphic Novel
Realistic Fiction
Tween
* * * * * Stars (Amazing!)
Maggie is super excited that she’s going to be allowed to pick out a puppy for her birthday. But instead of a dog, she comes home congested and covered in hives. It turns out she’s allergic to dogs (and cats and probably other furry creatures, too), and this breaks her heart – she loves animals. Still hoping to find *some* pet, she researches and tries a bunch of other options, but none of them seems right for her. Meanwhile, she’s starting a new school, making new friends, preparing for the arrival of a new sibling, and getting allergy shots – and experiencing a lot of anxiety over it all! Over the next few months she has a lot of ups and downs as she adjusts to all of the changes and tries to figure out what to do now that she can’t have a dog.
Realistic fiction at its best! Maggie’s allergies (and feeling betrayed by her own body) are just the tip of the iceberg. There are family, sibling, and friendship issues that are nicely explored through her experiences. Loved this (and fans of Raina Telgemeier will love it, too)!
Reviewed by YA Librarian
