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Saturday, July 8, 2023
The Tryout
Juvenile graphic memoir
In a beautiful coincidence about a week after I found Play Like A Girl I discovered Christina Soontornvat's The Tryout, another sports related 7th grade memoir. The sport in this narrative is cheer leading.
Cheer leading is huge in Christina's school. The eighth grade team members in their uniforms seem larger than life. Making the team seems to be an instant popularity portal. She and her best friend, Megan, set their hearts 💕 💞 on it.
Trying out is an arduous months long process. All aspirants learn a cheer 🤗 and pair up for the first tryout. Megan and Christina make the first cut. The group is pared down from forty to eighteen. Each pair is given a stunt to learn and perfect before the final elimination. Only eight will be chosen.
Christina's greatest fear is that either she or Megan (but not both) will achieve her goal and that that will be the end of their close friendship.
Race enters into the narrative. Although Christina was born in Texas her father is from Thailand. Microaggressions ranging from peer insults to teachers not trying to pronounce her last name right are a too regular part of her school days.
On a purrrsonal note, I can't believe the stupid mistake I made. The kids had planned the late Father's Day cookout which is a family tradition. I was sure it was scheduled for tomorrow. When I got up Eugene asked if I wanted to go for breakfast. We went to Governors. Then he asked if I wanted to go for a ride. Like an idiot I said yes. We drove all over. We stopped at some yard sales. We got subs and had a picnic lunch. It turned out that the barbeque was today. So we didn't make it. Which totally sucks because now we may not be able to get together as a family until next summer. I so miss the Great Before when we got together more regularly including winter holidays. Christmas 🎄 2019 we were starting a new tradition of getting together to open gifts. FUCK COVID!!!!!!!
Jules Hathaway
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Friday, July 7, 2023
Play Like A Girl
Juvenile graphic memoir
"I wish someone had told me middle school would be so hard. It might not have changed how everything went down. But I would have been more prepared."
No doubt about it. Middle school 🏫 is a huge change for kids. Academic responsibilities increase. The physiological and psychological changes of puberty are kicking in, much more quickly for some kids than for others. And new social expectations can be confusing, especially for kids who are different in any way. Misty Wilson's Play Like A Girl is her memoir of her often frustrating and bewildering seventh grade experiences.
Misty was a big time football fan. "It has strategy, teamwork, and best of all, you get to tackle. In other sports I get in trouble for barely touching people." So when her male friends, who are getting ready to try out, tell her that football isn't for girls she sets out to prove them wrong. Challenges abound from the grueling nature of the practices to the resentment of some of her peers when she makes the team.
Misty's best friend, Bree, is with her on the field at first, but quickly loses interest and eventually drops out. She spends more time with Ava. Whenever Misty joins them they gang up on her relentlessly.
Kids going through a less than idyllic middle school experience will benefit from the real life experiences of a survivor.
On a purrrsonal note, it's a scorching end to the school and work week. I'm looking forward to retiring to my outside reading 📚 chair with a popsicle and a good book after supper. And I'm super looking forward to Sunday. I'll get to see all my kids. We're celebrating 🍾 Fathers Day Late with a barbeque. (Jules)
It is much too 🔥 hot. Will the scientists please do something about climate change for those of us who wear fur coats 24/7? (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to you, our readers, with best wishes for a super weekend.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
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