Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell

Freddy (Frederica) is totally on the hook for Laura Dean. They’re dating—... read more

Freddy (Frederica) is totally on the hook for Laura Dean. They’re dating— sort of—but Laura kisses other girls and only pays attention to Freddy when it suits Laura. Biracial (Asian/white) Freddy gets upset, cries to her friends, and then inevitably goes back to Laura when Laura wants her attention. It’s a miserable cycle, and it’s affecting Freddy’s friendships, especially with her best friend Doodle. In fact, Freddy is so wrapped up in her Laura drama that she’s oblivious to the fact that Doodle is going through a crisis—she’s pregnant and could use Freddy’s support. Acutely accurate portrayals propel a graphic novel in which Freddy finally realizes that she—and her best friend—deserve more. Freddy’s self-absorption is so believable, as are all of the finely drawn characters and relationships—for better and for worse. The art is done primarily in black- and-white with light pink as an accent throughout. (Age 14 and older)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2020

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