Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
By Amanda Nojadera,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Beautiful graphic novel about relationships and self-worth.
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What's the Story?
In LAURA DEAN KEEPS BREAKING UP WITH ME, 17-year-old Frederica "Freddy" Riley believes Laura Dean is her perfect match. She's cute, confident, and one of the most popular girls in school. But Laura Dean can also be selfish, mean, and passive-aggressive. Freddy's friends don't understand why she keeps taking Laura Dean back, and when Freddy tries to get over Laura Dean again, her best friend Doodle encourages her to get love advice from a mysterious medium called Seek-Her. As the drama and dysfunction in their on-again-off-again relationship continue to grow, Freddy questions if Laura Dean is the right girl for her. With new friends by her side and guidance from an online advice columnist, Anna Vice, Freddy might be able to break up with Laura Dean for good
Is It Any Good?
Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell's beautiful and emotional graphic novel thoughtfully explores friendship, love, toxic relationships, and self-worth. Teens will enjoy Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me's diverse cast of characters -- in race, gender, body type, and sexual orientation -- as well as the different representations of love and relationships. The concise writing and gorgeous illustrations perfectly capture Freddy's desire and desperation for Laura Dean's attention, her guilt when she recognizes she's been an awful friend, and her happiness when she realizes that she deserves better. As Freddy finds the confidence and strength to break the cycle of emotional abuse, teens will see how important communication is in healthy relationships.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the romance in Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me. Do you think it's important for authors to depict LGBTQ and other diverse characters in mainstream books?
Are the friendships in the book believable? Which ones seem the most true-to-life?
How do the characters demonstrate communication? Why is this an important character strength?
Book Details
- Author: Mariko Tamaki
- Illustrator: Rosemary Valero-O'Connell
- Genre: Graphic Novel
- Topics: Friendship , High School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: First Second
- Publication date: May 7, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 18
- Number of pages: 304
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Award: ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated: October 30, 2020
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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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