CANR
WORK TITLE: Just Jaime
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://terrilibenson.com/
CITY: Cleveland
STATE: OH
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME:
Second book, being published in May: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/ book-reviews/terri-libenson/ positively-izzy/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1970, in Kingston, PA; married Michael Davis (an information technology project manager), 1996; children: two daughters.
EDUCATION:Washington University (St. Louis, MO), B.F.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, graphic designer, and cartoonist. American Greetings, Cleveland, OH, humorous card writer. Creator of the comic strips, Got a Life and The Pajama Diaries; creator of the card line, “Skitch.”
AWARDS:Reuben Award for Best Newspaper Comic Strip, National Cartoonists Society, 2016.
WRITINGS
Contributor to websites, including AmericanGreetings.com, Egreetings.com, and BlueMountainArts.com.
SIDELIGHTS
Terri Libenson is a writer, graphic designer, and cartoonist. She previously worked at American Greetings as a writer of humorous cards. Libenson is the creator of the comic strips, Got a Life and The Pajama Diaries. In an interview with Rebecca Meiser, contributor to the Your Teen website, Libenson discussed the comic strips, stating: “Before I started the Pajama Diaries, I had a weekly newlyweds strip that I’d started right after I got married. Then once I had kids, writing about motherhood was just sort of the natural progression. At the time, a lot of literature and mom blogs were challenging the supermom myth of having it all and getting real about how motherhood is not all roses and sunshine. I connected with that and thought this sort of everyday challenge would make a perfect subject for a comic strip.” Libenson has published three compilations of The Pajama Diaries comic strips.
In 2017, Libenson released her first graphic novel for middle-graders, Invisible Emmie. The title character is a shy girl in eighth grade, who seeks solace in drawing. Her experience in middle school is juxtaposed with that of a popular girl named Katie. When a bully begins teasing Emmie about a love note she wrote, Katie stands up for her.
In an interview with a contributor to the Medium website, Libenson discussed the inspiration behind the book. She stated: “Many years ago, my older daughter was excluded from her middle school friend group in a pretty brutal way. I thought it was such a universal event, I decided to write a story loosely based on that. To add some depth, I wanted to show both the viewpoint of the excluded girl and of the perpetrator.” Regarding the protagonist, Libenson told Deborah Kalb, writer on the Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb website: “I wanted to base the main character, Emmie, on myself at thirteen because I had a very good memory of how I felt at that time—shy, yet yearning to express myself, which I did by drawing.”
A Kirkus Reviews critic remarked: “Classic middle school themes come alive, but they fail to really go anywhere.” In a more favorable assessment, Jennifer M. Brabander, contributor to the Horn Book Magazine, suggested: “Libenson’s clever tale will entertain readers in the throes of middle school as well as younger students.” “Libenson’s amiable illustrations … add plenty of comical flavor to the relatable story,” wrote Sarah Hunter in Booklist. Jennifer Costa, reviewer in School Library Journal, called the book “a highly relatable middle grade drama.”
Like Invisible Emmie, Positively Izzy also focuses on two middle school girls. Izzy loves being on stage, while Brianna is introverted and focused on schoolwork. The two come together when Bri reluctantly agrees to take the place of an actor in the school play who is out sick.
A critic in Kirkus Reviews called the book “a solid, not particularly daring addition to the hybrid format for middle-grade readers, mixing drama with heart.” However, Booklist writer, Hunter, suggested: “A poignant twist ending adds a heartening note to an already charming story.” Julie Danielson, contributor to the Horn Book Magazine, commented: “Libenson captures middle-school dramas … with candor, fast pacing, and authentic, relatable characters. Positively satisfying.” Reviewing the book in School Library Journal, Allison Tran remarked: “Libenson stresses the importance of being true to oneself, and readers will root for the characters to succeed.”
Just Jaime again presents the parallel experiences of two middle schoolers. This time, they are two members of the same friend group. Celia, the group’s leader, tells Maya that she must tell Jaime that she has been kicked out of the group. Jaime is initially hurt by the exclusion, but she quickly finds another group of friends. Meanwhile, Maya resents Celia’s attitude and considers leaving the friend group, as well. In another interview with Kalb, Libenson discussed the theme of the story, stating: “I think it shows how friendships in middle school can turn on a dime (for better or worse). To me, middle school is all about transition and fluctuation, and that especially goes for friendships.”
Reviewing the volume in Booklist, Becca Worthington asserted: “Libenson weaves a beautiful, accessible, layered story yet again.” A Kirkus Reviews critic described the book as “a delightful tale that navigates the precarious ebb and flow of friendship dynamics.” “This is a realistic, hopeful look at the ‘drama soup’ of middle school,” commented Costa in School Library Journal.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 1, 2017, Sarah Hunter, review of Invisible Emmie, p. 77; March 1, 2018, Sarah Hunter, review of Positively Izzy, p. 64; April 15, 2019, Becca Worthington, review of Just Jaime, p. 70.
Horn Book, July-August, 2017, Jennifer M. Brabander, review of Invisible Emmie, p. 136; May-June, 2018, Julie Danielson, review of Positively Izzy, p. 134; July-August, 2019, Julie Danielson, review of Just Jaime, p. 131.
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2017, review of Invisible Emmie; March 1, 2018, review of Positively Izzy; March 1, 2019, review of Just Jaime.
Publishers Weekly, March 6, 2017, review of Invisible Emmie, p. 61.
School Library Journal, April, 2017, Jennifer Costa, review of Invisible Emmie, p. 141; March, 2018, Allison Tran, review of Positively Izzy, p. 109; June, 2019, Jennifer Costa, review of Just Jaime, p. 77.
ONLINE
Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, https://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/ (June 10, 2017), Deborah Kalb, author interview; (May 7, 2019), Deborah Kalb, author interview.
First Careers, https://www.firstcareers.co.uk/ (July 18, 2019), author interview.
Heights Library website, https://heightslibrary.org/ (April 13, 2018), author interview.
Medium, https://medium.com/ (July 18, 2019), author interview.
Ohio History Central website, http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/ (July 18, 2019), author profile.
Scholastic website, http://kpcnotebook.scholastic.com/ (May 3, 2019), Nolan Pastore, author interview.
Terri Libenson website, http://terrilibenson.com/ (July 18, 2019).
Your Teen, https://yourteenmag.com/ (July 18, 2019), Rebecca Meiser, author interview.
Terri Libenson (pronounced LEE-ben-son) is the cartoonist of the internationally syndicated daily comic strip, The Pajama Diaries. She was also a long-time humorous card writer for American Greetings. She won numerous awards for her greeting cards and was the creator of a top-selling card line, “Skitch.” Terri has also written for AmericanGreetings.com, Egreetings.com, and BlueMountainArts.com.
Terri graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a BFA in illustration and a minor in art history. She developed her first professional comic strip, Got a Life, in 2000, which was distributed by King Features Weekly Service. The Pajama Diaries launched with King in 2006 and currently runs in hundreds of newspapers throughout the country and abroad. Pajama Diaries has been nominated four times for the prestigious Reuben Award for “Best Newspaper Comic Strip” by the National Cartoonists Society and won in 2016.
Terri has three cartoon book collections: The Pajama Diaries: Deja To-Do, The Pajama Diaries: Having It All–And No Time To Do It, and The Pajama Diaries: Bat-Zilla. She is also the author of Invisible Emmie, Positively Izzy, and Just Jaime, all best-selling illustrated middle grade novels by HarperCollins (Balzer + Bray).
Born and raised in Kingston, PA, Terri lives with her husband and two daughters in Cleveland, OH.
I never knew I had a kid’s book in me.
I’ve always been drawn to visual storytelling, but in a different way. I wrote funny greeting cards for 22 years and I’ve been writing my syndicated comic strip for over a decade. Its storylines are brief little snippets of life, and it showcases my current role as a working mom.
Then a few years ago I had a conversation with a cartoonist friend who writes best-selling middle grade novels. He thought I could do it, too. I mulled it over for a while, and then I said to myself (working from home, I do this a lot), “Why not?”
So I started writing Emmie. I did it without an outline or a clear idea of what the story would entail. This is weird because goes against my type A nature. I’m not sure how, but eventually it gelled.
Don’t get me wrong. It was hard and I often struggled with plot and character development. But I quickly grew to love the storytelling and its catharsis. It brought my 13-year-old self back to the surface. Not that I really wanted to see her again, but there she was.
Like Emmie, I, too, was a shy and introverted kid who would rather communicate with a pencil and sketchbook. It gave me the tiny bit of approval that I desperately sought from my peers. It made me stand out when I couldn’t otherwise. It also gave me reprieve from a boring and sometimes hostile world…especially since my inner world was so much more exciting and (surprise!) things tended to go my way.
I took every art course I could: private lessons, school classes, summer programs, and then eventually, a college major in illustration. But the one thing that always seemed to be missing was the actual “storytelling.” Eventually, I realized that cartooning combined the three things I loved: art, humor, and stories. And that’s how I knew I wanted to become a cartoonist.
Through cartooning, I found I had a “voice” of my own. And oddly enough, this solitary profession helped me build confidence and overcome my shyness. And now…well, just try to stop me from talking (to other people, I mean, not just to myself).
Emmie grew from my natural penchant for visual storytelling. Like cartooning, creating this book was an outlet and a way to connect with others. But it’s personal in a way that nothing else is. It’s a rediscovery of an inner child who still needed to be heard.
Thankfully, she has a lot to say.
-Terri, 2017
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Kingston, PA.
Q: Where did you go to college?
I went to Washington University in St. Louis. I studied illustration and art history.
Q: What were your favorite comics growing up?
My very favorite comic as a kid was Peanuts. I used to draw Snoopy and Woodstock on everything – paper, books, walls (don’t ask). In a weird twist of fate, my dad happened to co-own a paper supply company when I was growing up. You can imagine how many free scratch pads were covered in Snoopy doodles. As I got older, I became a fan of Berke Breathed and Lynda Barry. These days I love so many kinds of comics, my taste is all over the place.
Q: Can you send me an autographed book?
Unfortunately, I can’t. I only get a few freebies myself. I usually have to buy them just like you. If you’re interested in a signed copy, you can visit this website’s blog or my Facebook page to see if I’m coming to your town for an event. I always do signings then.
Q: Do have any advice for aspiring writers, illustrators, and cartoonists?
First of all, practice, practice, practice! Sign up for classes, and sketch or write on your sketchpad, notebook, phone, arms, legs, whatever. Just keep at it. That’s the only way you get better.
Also, look at works by creators you enjoy. See what their style is like. It’s okay to try to mimic it for a while. That’s what helps you eventually find your own style.
Also, read! I read all the time, for both enjoyment and reference. I use magazines, books, and online articles as reference for my comic strip. I also read other middle grade books for inspiration (but not to steal from!). There are so many great authors and illustrators out there, and they’re so easy to find online.
Here’s something else I’ll bet you weren’t expecting: learn to edit. That’s just as important as writing and drawing. Learn to get rid of unnecessary words or images. But do that after you do an initial brain dump! Also, don’t be afraid to rewrite. I must have rewritten Izzy four times.
Last but not least, walk away from your work from time to time. Go back to it a few days (or weeks) later and review it with fresh eyes. Best trick of the trade!
Q: What is your writing and artistic process? What tools do you use?
I’ve done several blog posts about this. Here’s a link.
Q: What was the inspiration for Invisible Emmie?
Go to this link.
Q: For Positively Izzy?
I had a tougher time writing Izzy than Emmie. At first, I had a completely different plot and characters. After about three tries, I decided to drop one of the main characters and bring back Emmie’s bff, Brianna. I already knew her well. Her personality (along with ideas from my editor) helped me think of a new story. Bri doesn’t like performing and enjoys her studies, so I wanted to take her out of her comfort zone. Izzy is the opposite of Bri, someone who enjoys performing and hates studying. This inspired me to see how their dynamics played out during a talent show.
Q: For Just Jaime?
Jaime was much easier to write than Izzy. The story practically spilled out of me. Its theme of exclusion was loosely based on an incident that happened to my older daughter in eighth grade. It was horrible (she’s fine now), but after much time and distance, I thought it would be an interesting twist to show the perspectives of both the excluder and the excluded.
Q: Will you come to my school or library?
You can email me at terri@terrilibenson.com I’m often very busy, between writing the books and my comic strip, as well as touring and doing events, but you can certainly ask. If I can fit it in, I will! I love presenting to kids.
Q: Can I interview you for a school assignment?
Unfortunately, I’m really busy and can’t really take extra time out for this. But hopefully there is enough information on this page to answer any questions you may have for a school assignment.
Q: Do you have kids, siblings, or pets?
I have two daughters (one in high school, one in college), two siblings, and no pets as of now. My younger daughter was in middle school when I wrote Invisible Emmie, and she gave me lots of help and feedback. My sister and brother are 7 and 9 years older than me respectively. So Emmie’s situation is very much like mine…a girl who has siblings, yet grew up feeling like an only child because her sibs were out of the house when she became a tween.
As far as pets go, I used to have a cat (see “weird facts” below) as well as a dog. Unfortunately, our dog passed away when my older daughter was a toddler.
From left to right: my cat, Bubbelah; my dog, Merlot, with my older daughter; me and my siblings from days of yore (hopefully they won’t yell at me for using this photo)
Q: What are your hobbies?
My main hobbies are reading, going to museums and galleries, traveling, and exercising. I especially like to run and kickbox. You don’t want to corner me in a dark alley!
Q: What are your favorite books and authors?
I love reading historical fiction and nonfiction. I also love graphic novels (I have a huge collection). My favorite author when I was a child: Dr. Seuss. As an adolescent: Judy Blume. These days I don’t have a favorite author, just favorite types of books.
Q: How did you decide to become a cartoonist?
I’ve always loved comics and cartoons. Growing up, my brother had a big collection of Mad Magazines and Archie comic books, as well as comic strip anthologies. I used to swipe them and read them. He was not happy about that…especially when I embellished those Archies with my own drawings.
I created many of my own comics as well. I even teamed up with another kid on our block and we’d draw pages and pages of comics after school every day. In high school and college, I did strips for the school newspaper. I was an illustration major in college, and I noticed I kept doing my assignments in more and more of a cartoony fashion. That’s really when I realized I wanted to become a cartoonist. In fact, for my senior project, I created a large-scale comic book. I even created the school’s first (and maybe only) cartoon independent study.
After college, I got a job with American Greetings in Cleveland, OH, as a humorous card writer/illustrator. Basically, I got to create cartoons on cards. Not a bad first job! While working there, I submitted comic strip ideas to newspaper syndicates on the side. I did this on and off for about ten years. I got my first break with a weekly strip called Got a Life. That ran for two years, then I created The Pajama Diaries, which was syndicated as a daily strip. It launched in 2006 and now runs in hundreds of papers throughout the country and abroad. It’s definitely a dream job. I love working on the strip. If you’d like to read it onlines, you can visit ComicsKingdom.com.
Q: How did you decide to become an author?
You can go to this link.
Q: Will you write more books?
So far, there will be two more books after Just Jaime (out 2020 and 2021). They will both take place in the same Lakefront universe. Who knows – there may be even more after that.
Q: What are some weird or fun facts about you that I might not know?
I used to have a cat named Bubbelah. My husband is allergic to cats, so I had to give her up when we got married. I gave her to a friend who renamed her Bubbles. He took her to live with him in Hawaii. I was never so jealous of a cat.
I am half Turkish. My mom was born in Ankara and raised in Istanbul. I visited the country 20 years ago and fell in love with it (and the people).
I’m also 100% Jewish. During the Spanish Inquisition (around 1492), my mother’s Jewish ancestors were booted from Spain. They settled in Turkey, which is why my mom’s family is Turkish. My Turkish grandparents spoke Ladino, which is a combo of Spanish, Hebrew, and some Turkish thrown in for fun. My mom would speak to them in Turkish and they would speak back to her in Ladino. Sometimes I’d hear them say my name and I’d have no idea what they were saying about me. Infuriating! My dad’s family were all Eastern European Jews from Russia.
I have a very rare blood disorder called Essential Thrombocytosis. It was discovered in 2009. It’s not terrible, but I have to take lots of medication. The disease sometimes makes me really tired and – weirdly – itchy!
I’m pescatarian, which means the only meat I eat is fish. BUT I’m a huge foodie and love to eat…a LOT. I like eating all kinds of ethnic food, but my favorite still comes down to french fries. I could eat them all day. I don’t. But I would.
I love cooking. I never used to. In fact, I used to avoid it. But when I stopped eating meat (except fish), I started experimenting with vegetarian recipes. Now I really enjoy it! Some of my kids’ favorite meals are Pad Thai, spinach pesto pasta, and baked salmon. (Add some fries, and I’d be in heaven.)
I have freckles in my irises.
I can’t drink coffee, tea, or hot chocolate unless they’re scalding hot.
I’m really clumsy. Which is not good considering I like scalding hot drinks.
My kids are good artists, too. There’s definitely a genetic component. My mom and dad were amazing artists, as well. My mom studied painting, and my dad enjoyed graphic design and interior design as a hobby. Right now my kids aren’t sure whether or not they’ll pursue art as a career. But they’re definitely capable.
(If I think of any more, I’ll add ‘em to the list!)
Series
Emmie & Friends
Invisible Emmie (2017)
Positively Izzy (2018)
Just Jaime (2019)
Terri Libenson is the bestselling author of Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzy. She is also the Reuben Award–winning cartoonist of the internationally syndicated comic strip The Pajama Diaries and was a writer of humorous cards for American Greetings. Terri lives with her husband and two daughters in Cleveland, Ohio. You can find her online at www.terrilibenson.com.
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Terri Libenson is an American artist, graphic designer and cartoonist.
Terri Libenson was born in 1970. After growing up in Kingston, a suburb of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, she attended Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and studied art history and illustration. After graduation, she moved to Cleveland, Ohio and became a writer and illustrator for American Greetings.
In 1996, she married Michael Davis, an information technology project manager. Libenson works as a graphic designer at her home in Lyndhurst, Ohio, where she lives with her husband and two daughters.
In March 2006, Libenson began to write and draw a cartoon strip. Called "The Pajama Diaries," the strip follows Jill Kaplan, an artist raising two children at home. In 2006, King Features began to market the strip, and by July 2006, more than twenty newspapers had begun to print the daily comic. Libenson hoped to show the difficulties and fun of raising a family in the modern world. Unlike many other comic strips, Libenson intends her characters to age with the passage of time.
Q&A with Terri Libenson, author of “The Pajama Diaries” and “Positively Izzy”
April 13, 2018 / JayR / Ages, Beginning Readers, Book Discussion, Chapter Books, Children, Library News, Literacy/education, Local Authors, Teens / 1 Comment
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In anticipation of her upcoming event with Heights Libraries on Wednesday, May 9, local author Terri Libenson spoke with us about her writing process, favorite authors, and upcoming book, Positively Izzy.
How would you describe your new book, Positively Izzy?
Positively Izzy is a spin-off of Invisible Emmie. Both books are set in the same school and town, but this one stars two new characters: Brianna, Emmie’s best friend, and Izzy, a new character I’ve introduced. These girls have different personalities, kind of like Emmie and Katie. Bri is smart and bookish, while Izzy is a dreamer who loves play acting. Like Invisible Emmie, Positively Izzy also takes place over the course of a day, but this time it focuses on the school talent show.
What inspires you to write for middle-grade readers?
I never knew I could write for middle graders, but it really seems to come naturally. I think there’s just a big part of me that is kidlike. Plus I can remember how I felt at that age, which helps.
Were you initially drawn more to writing or illustrating? Do you ever find it challenging to work with multiple mediums?
I grew up thinking I would become an artist. I loved drawing. But over time, I grew to love writing just as much, if not more so. Cartooning and writing graphic novels combines my love for both. It’s always challenging, but it’s my favorite way to express myself.
Tell us a bit about The Pajama Diaries. What inspired you to start the series, and how did you go about creating such relatable characters?
I tend to write what I know, so I came up with the concept when I was a young, multitasking working mom (now I’m an old multitasking working mom). I wanted to create a character that modern parents who were juggling these crazy lives could really relate to. That’s how the comic strip was born. I absolutely love doing it, and letting the characters age in real time keeps the material fresh.
Do you have any advice for aspiring illustrators and storytellers?
Be patient and persistent. It took me ten years on and off to get syndicated. Also, practice (check out all these “p” words!). Take art lessons, writing lessons, learn how to self-edit. I worked as a humorous greeting card writer for a long time, and that helped me develop all those skills. It has helped me so much as both an author and cartoonist. And most of all, read! It helps to stay informed and spark inspiration.
Do you have a favorite time or place to write? What helps you tap into your creative side?
I tend to work best around mid-morning to mid-afternoon. I definitely need coffee to fuel me first thing. I like writing in my office – maybe I’m just so used to it. It’s usually quiet…and close to the fridge.
Who are some of your favorite authors and illustrators?
I’m all over the place. No particular favorite author or illustrator (too many), but I can tell you what book genres I love: graphic novels (for kids and adults), non-fiction, and historical fiction.
What are you reading right now?
I’m reading a great book my editor sent me, called Why Comics? by Hillary Chute.
To see Terri read from and discuss Positively Izzy, join us Wednesday May 9 at 7pm at Heights Libraries’ Coventry Village Branch. This event takes place as part of Heights Libraries’ Cedar-Coventry Author Series in partnership with Mac’s Backs Books on Coventry. Free and open to all ages.
QUOTED: "Many years ago, my older daughter was excluded from her middle school friend group in a pretty brutal way. I thought it was such a universal event, I decided to write a story loosely based on that. To add some depth, I wanted to show both the viewpoint of the excluded girl and of the perpetrator."
Interview with Terri Libenson, Author of JUST JAIME
HarperKids
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May 29 · 3 min read
What inspired you to create Just Jaime?
Many years ago, my older daughter was excluded from her middle school friend group in a pretty brutal way. I thought it was such a universal event, I decided to write a story loosely based on that. To add some depth, I wanted to show both the viewpoint of the excluded girl and of the perpetrator.
Which scene was your favorite to draw?
I loved illustrating the volleyball scenes. I rarely do action shots!
Besides Jaime, which character is your favorite to draw and why?
I love drawing Emmie. It’s the spiral curls — so much fun to draw.
Which character do you relate to the most in the story?
I relate more to Jaime than Maya. Different personality, but growing up, I always felt a bit left out of things. I never really fit in anywhere. Of all three books, though, I relate most to Emmie. Her character was inspired by my pre-adolescent years. Like her, I was extremely shy and artistic.
What draws you to graphic novels, and why do you like them?
I’m a cartoonist by profession and love the combination of writing and drawing. It’s the perfect form of storytelling for me.
What’s your favorite part about creating a new book?
I love to surprise myself and see where my writing takes me. I often use an outline to start, but I try not to feel tied to it just in case a new idea or direction takes shape.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers & artists?
First of all, practice, practice, practice! Sign up for classes, and sketch or write on your sketchpad, notebook, phone, arms, legs, whatever. Just keep at it. That’s the only way you get better.
Also, look at works by creators you enjoy. See what their style is like. It’s okay to try to mimic it for a while. That’s what helps you eventually find your own style.
Also, read! I read all the time, for both enjoyment and reference. I use magazines, books, and online articles as reference for my comic strip. I also read other middle grade books for inspiration (but not to steal from!). There are so many great authors and illustrators out there, and they’re so easy to find online.
Here’s something else I’ll bet you weren’t expecting: learn to edit. That’s just as important as writing and drawing. Learn to get rid of unnecessary words or images. But do that after you do an initial brain dump! Also, don’t be afraid to rewrite. I must have rewritten Izzy four times.
Last but not least, walk away from your work from time to time. Go back to it a few days (or weeks) later and review it with fresh eyes. Best trick of the trade!
Learn more about Just Jaime:
FRIENDS. FRENEMIES. MIDDLE SCHOOL.
The last day of seventh grade has Jaime and Maya wondering who their real friends are.
Jaime knows something is off with her friend group. They’ve started to exclude her and make fun of the way she dresses and the things she likes. At least she can count on her BFF Maya to have her back…right?
Maya feels more and more annoyed with Jaime, who seems babyish compared to the other girls in their popular group. It’s like she has nothing in common with Jay anymore. Are their days as BFF numbered…?
This is another spot-on story of middle school drama and friendship from national bestseller Terri Libenson.
About Terri Libenson:
Terri Libenson is the bestselling author of Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzy. She is also the Reuben Award–winning cartoonist of the internationally syndicated comic strip The Pajama Diaries and was a longtime writer of humorous cards for American Greetings. Terri lives with her husband and two daughters in Cleveland, OH. You can find her online at www.terrilibenson.com.
QUOTED: "I think it shows how friendships in middle school can turn on a dime (for better or worse). To me, middle school is all about transition and fluctuation, and that especially goes for friendships."
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Q&A with Terri Libenson
Terri Libenson is the author of Just Jaime, the third in her series of graphic novels for kids, after Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzy. She is the cartoonist of the comic strip The Pajama Diaries, and she lives in Cleveland.
Q: Why did you decide to focus on your characters Jaime and Maya in your new novel?
A: I like to rotate characters, and I thought it would be interesting to bring some unexpected background characters from Emmie and Izzy into the forefront. I also thought it would be fun to add depth to their personalities instead of having them maintain their Gossip Girl personas.
Q: What do you think the book says about middle school friendships?
A: I think it shows how friendships in middle school can turn on a dime (for better or worse). To me, middle school is all about transition and fluctuation, and that especially goes for friendships.
Q: Each of your books involves the same group of kids, but you tell each story from a different character's perspective. Did you figure all of this out before you started the first book, or has it developed gradually?
A: I originally had a two-book deal with my publisher, and I just assumed the second book would also be about Emmie. But when I finished writing Invisible Emmie, I thought her story was complete (for now) and I wanted to try something new. So I switched gears and focused on Brianna and Izzy. I really liked the changeup, and from then on, I knew I wanted to keep switching out the characters. So, yes, unplanned.
Q: Has your process for creating the text and illustrations changed over the course of the series?
A: I’ve become a little faster! I really didn’t know what I was doing in Emmie, but now that I have templates to work from, the illustrations go so much more smoothly. As for writing, it really helps to have well-developed characters now. That also makes the process quicker and smoother, as I can reasonably predict how they’ll react to situations.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m finishing the first draft of book 4!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I can give you a hint for book 4: I’m bringing back one of the main characters from the first three books as a protagonist. You’ll just have to guess who.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Terri Libenson.
QUOTED: "I wanted to base the main character, Emmie, on myself at thirteen because I had a very good memory of how I felt at that time—shy, yet yearning to express myself, which I did by drawing."
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Q&A with Terri Libenson
Terri Libenson is the author of Invisible Emmie, a new graphic novel for kids. A cartoonist, she is the creator of The Pajama Diaries comic strip. She lives in Cleveland.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for Invisible Emmie?
A: I started writing without an outline or clear idea of where the story would head. The plot came about rather organically.
But I wanted to base the main character, Emmie, on myself at 13 because I had a very good memory of how I felt at that time – shy, yet yearning to express myself, which I did by drawing. So the book began with a day in the life of shy, artistic Emmie and grew from there.
Q: Did you come up with the drawings and the text simultaneously, or did you focus on one before the other?
A: It was usually simultaneous, although there were times the ideas were rushing at me so fast, it was easier to jot everything down and then go back and illustrate. I should always be so lucky to have that problem!
Q: At what point did you know how the story would end?
A: I just started writing about Emmie’s day. About a third of the way through, the idea hit me. It seemed so in line with Emmie’s character, I never looked back. So the ending didn’t change, only some minor plot twists along the way.
Q: Who are some of your favorite authors and favorite cartoonists?
A: I don’t have a particular favorite author or cartoonist, I read so many different types of books and comics, and my tastes keep changing. Lately I’ve been on a graphic novel kick and really enjoyed a book by Guy Delisle. I’d like to read more by him.
I can tell you which cartoonists inspired me the most growing up: Charles Schulz, Berke Breathed, and Lynda Barry. I just met Lynda Barry in person and unexpectedly broke out in tears. Not my classiest moment, but worth it.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m working on the next book in the “Emmie” series…although it stars two different characters. I’m also continuing to write my syndicated comic strip, “The Pajama Diaries,” which I really enjoy doing.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Sure! You can keep up with all the happenings of Emmie on my website. I try to update it pretty frequently. And please buy the book!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
Positively Terri Libenson
Nolan Pastore May 3rd, 2019
Best-selling graphic novelist and cartoonist Terri Libenson at her drawing board in Cleveland, Ohio
“My parents used to joke around that I was born with an artist’s pen in my hand,” says best-selling author and cartoonist Terri Libenson, laughing. The syndicated cartoonist, who is known around the world for her Pajama Diaries comic strip, has also penned the graphic novels Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzy.
Libenson’s latest title in the series, Just Jaime, is slated for release on May 7. The novels follow the middle grade adventures of Emmie and her high-spirited friends.
I recently met with Libenson at her home in Cleveland, Ohio. We talked about her life as a cartoonist and an author. Below are highlights from our conversation.
Libenson’s three graphic novels for middle graders
At what age did you begin to draw?
I always loved drawing and art. I used to take my brother’s comics and doodle all over them. I just can’t remember an age that I wasn’t drawing.
Did your parents support your artistic talent?
They did support it. I was very lucky. I actually have artistic parents. My mom was an amazing painter.
How did your career as an artist begin?
I attended Washington University in St. Louis and majored in illustration. I applied for a job with American Greetings and was hired. I worked for them for several years, writing and illustrating humor cards. In 2000, I started a weekly comic strip called Got a Life, which was syndicated.
Tell me about your internationally syndicated comic strip The Pajama Diaries
In 2006, I launched a new comic strip, The Pajama Diaries. It’s an autobiographical take on a stressed-out, overwhelmed mom who works from home and can spend all day in her pajamas.
In 2016, The Pajama Diaries won the Reuben Award from the National Cartoonists Society for “Best Newspaper Comic Strip.”
Nolan with Libenson and her latest title, Just Jaime
What comics did you love as a kid?
Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. A lot of cartoonists my age would agree that Peanuts was a big inspiration.
What are your thoughts on the historic role of comic strips in newspapers with digital media becoming so common?
This a crucial time to be in the cartoon industry because newspaper comics are transitioning to the web. You can’t deny the changeover, but it’s hard for newspaper cartoonists. So far, I have a balance between newspapers and a web presence. We’ll see if that changes completely.
Can you tell me a little bit about your new graphic novel, Just Jaime?
The plot is loosely based on an incident that happened to my oldest daughter when she was in eighth grade. The book is about the exclusion of a friend. I thought it would be neat to write the book from two points of view—the dumper and the dumpee. It was really fun to write.
What advice do you have for kids who have an interest in writing and drawing?
Keep practicing because that is the only way you can improve. Another thing that’s hard to learn when you’re young is to not get too attached to your work. You never know how you can still improve. Last, don’t give up. You never know what will happen.
Art and Design / English / ICT / Maths
What is it like to be a Cartoonist?
Terri Libenson
Cartoonist
What I do
I’m a cartoonist. I love it because it allows me to do all types of fun projects. For instance, I write a syndicated comic strip called The Pajama Diaries, which runs in newspapers throughout the world. I also wrote and illustrated funny greeting cards for many years. Now I’m an author; I just released an illustrated book for 8 to 12-year-olds called Invisible Emmie. I’m really proud of it and hope you all will read it!
How I got my job
I always drew, ever since I can remember. I especially liked drawing comics. In college, I majored in illustration and did all my assignments in a cartoony fashion. In addition, I loved storytelling and humour, and eventually decided to combine everything and become a comic strip creator. I’m so glad it worked out.
What I love about my job
Almost everything! I feel like I have my dream job. There are days I’m sitting at my desk and writing goofy things or colouring strips while listening to music and thinking: “I can’t believe I get to do this for a living.”
What is difficult about my job
I sometimes go through periods of writer’s block. That’s frustrating. But it usually passes. Also, I often get feedback from readers. Most of it is good, but some can be critical, and that can be disheartening. But I try to take well-intended criticism to heart and keep improving.
What skills I need
It helps to be able to draw, but I truly think writing and editing skills are most important. You can draw badly and still write a great cartoon, but it’s rarely the opposite.
Where to start
You should develop writing and editing skills. It helps to have a good sense of timing when it comes to gag writing. I really honed those skills writing cards. Writing (and drawing) classes are
helpful. Also, young people should seek out professional cartoonists who can answer any questions they have. Most cartoonists are very busy, but will take time to help budding creators. I think that’s another reason why I love this field!
Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson is out now, published by Puffin, £7.99.
QUOTED: "Before I started the Pajama Diaries, I had a weekly newlyweds strip that I’d started right after I got married. Then once I had kids, writing about motherhood was just sort of the natural progression. At the time, a lot of literature and mom blogs were challenging the supermom myth of having it all and getting real about how motherhood is not all roses and sunshine. I connected with that and thought this sort of everyday challenge would make a perfect subject for a comic strip."
Interview with Pajama Diaries Creator, Terri Libenson
By Rebecca Meiser
The creator of Pajama Diaries, the popular syndicated comic, talks to Your Teen about finding the humor in raising teenagers. Terri Libenson finds humor in the most unlikely place — adolescence.
Interview with Creator of The Pajama Diaries Comic
Q: How did the idea for the Pajama Diaries come about?
Libenson: I glean a lot of my material from real life. Before I started the Pajama Diaries, I had a weekly newlyweds strip that I’d started right after I got married. Then once I had kids, writing about motherhood was just sort of the natural progression.
At the time, a lot of literature and mom blogs were challenging the supermom myth of having it all and getting real about how motherhood is not all roses and sunshine. I connected with that and thought this sort of everyday challenge would make a perfect subject for a comic strip.
Q: How closely does the Jill character mirror you?
Libenson: Jill is a lot like me in the sense that we’re both antsy, anal retentive worriers. We’re both also in creative fields. She’s a freelance graphic designer and I’m a cartoonist. But unlike me, she’s more outspoken.
Q: Jill’s parenting style is all over the map: She can helicopter one day and be hands off the next. What’s your style?
Libenson: I’m usually the pushover, although I try not to be. My husband lays down the law, and I’m a little more easy going. We’re good, though, about teaming up and communicating when making parenting decisions.
Q: In Pajama Diaries, you deal with some sensitive and potentially embarrassing issues. How do your kids deal with this?
Libenson: They see whatever I write before it gets published. Usually, I’ll lay down one week’s worth of cartoons on the table before I turn them in. They’ll tell me if something’s wrong or if something’s off. My younger daughter is actually really good at catching spelling mistakes and punctuation errors.
I won’t publish anything that embarrasses them. There was one time I wrote a whole series about the character, Amy, getting her period. I knew while I was writing it that it wasn’t going to go over too well with my older daughter but I wanted to try writing it anyway. I made sure to get her opinion and, of course, she completely shut it down. She didn’t want to have any connection to that subject matter, whatsoever. And I totally understood.
Q: Do you ever use your cartoons to start conversations with your daughters?
Libenson: Last spring, I did a series on body image and used it as a springboard to talk to my kids. We hadn’t had a lot of conversations on the subject before — my kids, thankfully, haven’t expressed a lot of unhappiness about the way they look — but I didn’t know what they were thinking internally.
Body image is so important, and girls get such confusing messages about their bodies and how they should view them. I know in the past, I’ve had my own issues with dieting and restoring my self-image. It’s such a common thing. I’d like to do another series on the subject.
Q: What will you be using next?
Libenson: Now that my older daughter is in high school, I’d like to address the pressure of education and how different things are nowadays compared to my school days. In future strips, I’d like to see Jill struggling with how to help her daughter through the college admissions process — wanting to give just the right amount of pressure to motivate her, but not so much that her daughter ends up in therapy for life.
Q: Has your parenting style changed?
Libenson: I’m not as hard on myself as I was in the beginning, and I think that’s true of a lot of parents. I think parents start to get more laid back as they gain experience and their kids grow. You learn to let the little things go more.
Q: Why do you think you’re more laid back?
Libenson: Because I’m tired (laughs). I feel like I’ve put in a whole decade of overachievement—or trying to—in the parenting and professional arenas. I’m just pooped. I need to give myself a break. Luckily, my kids are at that age where their friends matter more than their parents, for the most part. They tend to do things more on their own. I’m no longer the cruise director.
Q: How do you feel about that?
Libenson: I love it, actually. Raising a teenager is hard, but I like seeing them as their own people. I like seeing their personalities emerge and learning about their goals and dreams.
It’s also nice as a parent to just have more time. My older daughter can stay home by herself or watch the 12-year-old. It’s very freeing. We don’t have to worry about hiring babysitters. I think sometimes the teenage years get a bad rap. There’s a lot of good things that happen too.
Q: Now that you’re writing about raising a teenager —and living it in real life—does it bring back memories of your own teenage years?
Libenson: Oh yeah. I don’t think anyone ever forgets their teenage years. I have a daughter in high school and I think, “OMG, I was just there.” How did this happen? My daughter doesn’t understand that nothing really changes. The things she goes through, I swear I just went through, but she’ll never believe I went through the exact thing because, of course, that was the 80s. That was years ago.
Just Jaime: [Emmie & Friends]
Julie Danielson
The Horn Book Magazine. 95.4 (July-August 2019): p131+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 The Horn Book, Inc.. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
Full Text:
Just Jaime [Emmie & Friends]
by Terri Libenson; illus. by the author
Intermediate, Middle School Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins 250 pp.
5/19 978-0-06-285107-9 $22.99 Paper ed. 978-0-06-285106-2 $12.99
e-book ed. ed. 978-0-06-285108-6 $10.99
Libenson (Invisible Emmie, rev. 5/17; Positively Izzy, rev. 5/18) continues to explore the "huge bowl of drama soup" that is middle school. The entirety of the book (save an epilogue that takes readers three months into the future) spans the last day of seventh grade for one four-person friend group. Jaime and Maya have been friends since kindergarten, but the group dumps Jaime for being too immature, a decision orchestrated by popular Celia, who convinces Maya to text Jaime the news. Jaime struggles with the rejection, feeling like the "Frankenstein of feelings," while Maya wrestles with her conflicting loyalties. Advice from a teacher ("Don't let them get the best of you") makes an impact, and Jaime sets out to make new friends. Libenson presents characters capable of self-awareness, willing to face and question their motives; Maya, for instance, comes to understand that she fell under the spell of petty Celia and musters up the courage to apologize and attempt to repair her friendship with Jaime. As with the previous books, the story is told from two points of view--here, Jaime's, rendered via text and small interspersed drawings; and Maya's, told in a comics-style format with larger cartoon-panel illustrations. Fans will connect the dots and recognize characters from the previous books, even some grownups who themselves learn a lesson or two. JULIE DANIELSON
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Danielson, Julie. "Just Jaime: [Emmie & Friends]." The Horn Book Magazine, July-Aug. 2019, p. 131+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A592556177/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ac63566c. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A592556177
QUOTED: "Libenson weaves a beautiful, accessible, layered story yet again."
Just Jaime
Becca Worthington
Booklist. 115.16 (Apr. 15, 2019): p70+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Just Jaime.
By Terri Libenson. Illus. by the author.
May 2019. 256p. HarperCollins/Balzer+Bray, $12.99 (9780062851062). Gr. 3-6.
It's the last day of seventh grade, and Jaime just wants everything to go well. Her best friend since kindergarten, Maya, has been hot and cold lately, spending more and more time with charismatic Celia and gossipy Grace, but all they seem to want to do is put on makeup and talk about, ugh, boys. Meanwhile, Maya is frustrated that Jaime can't see that they've all changed and matured, while Jamie's still kinda, well, babyish. I mean, she's still in a training bra and not even into kissing boys! She's basically stuck in fifth grade. Told skillfully in alternating dual narratives from both girls' points of view--Jaime in handwriting font and funny illustrations, Maya in traditional graphic-novel format--this story is simultaneously incredibly original and utterly universal.
The emotional roller-coaster of navigating friendships as they change shape, particularly in middle school, is portrayed with admirable sincerity, gentle humor, heartbreaking pain, and of course plenty of texts and emojis. Libenson weaves a beautiful, accessible, layered story yet again.--Becca Worthington
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Worthington, Becca. "Just Jaime." Booklist, 15 Apr. 2019, p. 70+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A585719107/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=13c7f7e9. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A585719107
QUOTED: "a delightful tale that navigates the precarious ebb and flow of friendship dynamics."
Libenson, Terri: JUST JAIME
Kirkus Reviews. (Mar. 1, 2019):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Libenson, Terri JUST JAIME Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins (Children's Fiction) $22.99 5, 7 ISBN: 978-0-06-285107-9
Jaime's best friend, Maya, is acting strangely--as a matter of fact, so are all of Jaime's circle of friends.
With this the last day of seventh grade before summer, Jaime needs to get to the bottom of what appears to be a coup to kick her out of their friendship circle. Maya has been nominated by the newest, most attention-seeking and controlling member of the group, Celia, to break the bad news to Jaime that she's indeed been voted out of the group. From the time Jaime and Maya see each other on the morning bus throughout the tension-filled day that feels like a roller-coaster ride, both dread the confrontation. But while being ostracized, Jaime is invited to a new friend group, and Maya finds herself ambivalent about being led by the nose by the popular Celia, who holds all of the strings of power within their circle. When Jaime reaches an emotional breaking point, her French teacher, Madame Zukosky, sympathetically shares her own experiences, even confessing to having ghosted a friend long ago. Libenson writes in alternating chapters from the first-person perspectives of Jaime and Maya, mixing prose with sketches and comics panels, punctuating both with humorous dialogue readers will find familiar and sometimes painful. Jaime has brown skin and Maya, white, but cultural background plays no part in the story.
A delightful tale that navigates the precarious ebb and flow of friendship dynamics. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Libenson, Terri: JUST JAIME." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2019. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A575952111/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=1cbb16f6. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A575952111
QUOTED: "Libenson captures middle-school dramas ... with candor, fast pacing, and authentic, relatable characters. Positively satisfying."
Positively Izzy
Julie Danielson
The Horn Book Magazine. 94.3 (May-June 2018): p134+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 The Horn Book, Inc.. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
Full Text:
Positively Izzy
by Terri Libenson; illus. by the author
Intermediate, Middle School Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins 223 pp. g
5/18 978-0-06-248497-0 $22.99 Paper ed. 978-0-06-248496-3 $10.99
e-book ed. 978-0-06-248498-7 $10.99
This follow-up to graphic novel Invisible Emmie (rev. 7/17) again alternates between two perspectives, this time those of Emmie's best friend Brianna (a.k.a. "The Brain") and artsy dreamer Izzy. Brianna's story is rendered via large cartoon-panel drawings, and Izzy's story is shown in smaller, border-free vignettes (final art not seen). Brianna is adjusting to the embarrassing fact that her mother now teaches drama at her middle school.
Izzy is eager to perform in the school's talent show, but she's grounded after getting a zero in math; she defies her mother by sneaking off to perform in the show. Brianna, meanwhile, reluctantly agrees to step in for someone at the show; she overcomes her fear of performing (but not without angst) and connects with her mother in a new way. An unexpected twist at the book's close, taking place at a family brunch, reveals a surprise about the book's timeline, an emotionally rewarding discovery that wraps up the story lines with ease. Libenson captures middle-school dramas--family, friendships, crushes, stereotypes, grades, self-discovery--with candor, fast pacing, and authentic, relatable characters. Positively satisfying.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Danielson, Julie. "Positively Izzy." The Horn Book Magazine, May-June 2018, p. 134+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A543899882/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=07a8d41d. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A543899882
QUOTED: "A poignant twist ending adds a heartening note to an already charming story."
Positively Izzy
Sarah Hunter
Booklist. 114.13 (Mar. 1, 2018): p64.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Positively Izzy. By Terri Libenson. Illus. by the author. May 2018.224p. HarperCollins/Balzer+Bray, $22.99 (9780062484970); paper, $10.99 (9780062484963); e-book, $22.99 (9780062484987). Gr. 3-6.
Following a similar structure as Invisible Emmie (2016), Libenson's sophomore illustrated novel tells parallel stories of two middle-school girls struggling to find a way to fit in. Brianna knows she's smart, but she's starting to chafe against her nickname, the Brain. When her mom, the new middle-school drama teacher, asks her to perform a scene for the talent show, she agrees despite her serious case of stage fright. Meanwhile, Izzy has been practicing for the talent show for weeks--to the detriment of her other school work--but when her mom finds out she flunked an important test, she grounds her on the night of the performance. Sneaking out obviously isn't a great idea, but Izzy's determined to get her time in the spotlight. Libenson nicely touches on classic middle-grade tropes, such as shifting friendships, crushes, and developing confidence, while the combination of comics, which make up Bri's story, and sections of text with spot illustrations are particularly well suited to the themes. A poignant twist ending adds a heartening note to an already charming story.--Sarah Hunter
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Hunter, Sarah. "Positively Izzy." Booklist, 1 Mar. 2018, p. 64. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A532251014/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=506dff0b. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A532251014
QUOTED: "a solid, not particularly daring addition to the hybrid format for middle-grade readers, mixing drama with heart."
Libenson, Terri: POSITIVELY IZZY
Kirkus Reviews. (Mar. 1, 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Libenson, Terri POSITIVELY IZZY Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins (Children's Fiction) $22.99 5, 1 ISBN: 978-0-06-248497-0
This reader-friendly graphic/prose hybrid explores the lives of two very different girls who have an unexpected connection.
Izzy and Brianna both, separately, navigate difficult middle school experiences. Brianna, whose story is told entirely in sequential panels, is studious, reserved, and a little lonely. Izzy, who tells her story in paragraphs broken up by illustrations, is an unreliable middle sister with a love for performance and a lot of indifference toward schoolwork. Izzy sneaks out against her mother's wishes to perform in the school talent show, while Bri's mother (also a teacher at her school) convinces her to fill in for a sick actor. Both girls juggle complex family dynamics, shifting friend groups, and boys in the hours leading up to their performances. The story is light but resonant for middle graders, with constant comedic asides in the illustrations. Both girls appear white (based on the color cover), with multiracial supporting casts, and both threads of the story skirt larger issues. The opening pages, in which Bri complains about labels, hint at a larger theme that recedes into the background as the two girls struggle with their interpersonal relationships. Readers primed by the back-cover blurb will spend the whole book waiting for the two stories to intersect, with a surprise reveal at the end that may call for an immediate reread.
A solid, not particularly daring addition to the hybrid format for middle-grade readers, mixing drama with heart. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 9-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Libenson, Terri: POSITIVELY IZZY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A528959857/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=91f37037. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A528959857
QUOTED: "Libenson's clever tale will entertain readers in the throes of middle school as well as younger students."
Invisible Emmie
Jennifer M. Brabander
The Horn Book Magazine. 93.4 (July-August 2017): p136+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 The Horn Book, Inc.. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
Full Text:
Invisible Emmie
by Terri Libenson; illus. by the author
Intermediate, Middle School Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins 186 pp.
5/17 978-0-06-248494-9 $22.99 Paper ed. 978-0-06-248493-2 $12.99
e-book ed. 978-0-06-248495-6 $10.99
The main narrative follows a day in the life of supershy seventh grader Emmie, who rarely speaks to a soul at school; occasional sections follow "Katie," superpopular and impossibly perfect (she gets straight As, her parents have never embarrassed her, and everyone wants to be her BFF). Emmie loves to draw and fills her narration with amusingly labeled doodles, while Katie's story is told comic-style. When a classmate finds a note Emmie wrote about the boy she likes and shares it with everyone, Emmie goes from feeling completely invisible to feeling embarrassingly visible, with all her classmates staring and laughing at her. Both text and illustrations contain appropriately kidlike descriptions of her social anxiety (a "squeezy feeling in my stomach") along with humorous examples of the various horrors of middle school (an illustration shows a spotlight shining on Emmie as she changes clothes for gym class). The more visible (and satisfyingly confident and outspoken) Emmie becomes, the less visible Katie becomes, until she completely disappears--a no-longer-needed coping mechanism that existed only in Emmie's imagination and drawings. Libenson's clever tale will entertain readers in the throes of middle school as well as younger students both wary of and intrigued by their near future. JENNIFER M. BRABANDER
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Brabander, Jennifer M. "Invisible Emmie." The Horn Book Magazine, July-Aug. 2017, p. 136+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A500260371/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=bebabdb7. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A500260371
QUOTED: "Libenson's amiable illustrations ... add plenty of comical flavor to the relatable story."
Invisible Emmie
Sarah Hunter
Booklist. 113.15 (Apr. 1, 2017): p77.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Invisible Emmie.
By Terri Libenson. Illus. by the author.
May 2017. 192p. HarperCollins/Balzer+Bray, $22.99 (9780062484949). Gr. 3-6.
If quiet seventh-grader Emmie could have her way, she'd draw all the time, hang out with her best friend Brianna, and otherwise keep to herself. Though things stay pretty quiet at home, middle school is another story, especially when a fake love note she wrote to her crush ends up in the hands of an obnoxious, gossipy classmate. Interspersed with Emmie's doodle-laden first-person narrative are comics about popular, athletic, and confident Katie, who has it all figured out. At first, the two narratives seem unrelated, but as the stories begin to intertwine and Emmie starts finding more confidence in spite of the love-note disaster, the connection between Emmie and Katie becomes crystal clear. Libenson's amiable illustrations--from Emmie's snarky (though sometimes glib) cartoon commentary in subdued tones to Katie's brightly colored, picture-perfect comic book life--add plenty of comical flavor to the relatable story. With all-too-familiar middle-school drama and an empowering lesson about speaking up and bravely facing down embarrassment, this should find an easy audience among fans of Wimpy Kid or Dork Diaries books. --Sarah Hunter
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Hunter, Sarah. "Invisible Emmie." Booklist, 1 Apr. 2017, p. 77. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491488008/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0529b0f2. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491488008
QUOTED: "Classic middle school themes come alive, but they fail to really go anywhere."
Libenson, Terri: INVISIBLE EMMIE
Kirkus Reviews. (Mar. 1, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Libenson, Terri INVISIBLE EMMIE Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins (Children's Fiction) $22.99 5, 2 ISBN: 978-0-06-248494-9
One bad day in seventh grade can feel like a lifetime. However, even end-of-the-world-level heartache can have surprising and comic consequences. Emmie's story is part of the growing subgenre that hybridizes the middle-grade and graphic novel. With doodle-illustrated prose chapters depicting Emmie's world and entire comics-style sections depicting the popular Kate, Libenson takes readers inside the halls of middle school with the same nod to weirdness and eye-rolling angst as such format standards as Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries. Emmie is a painfully shy girl who is forced to see and be seen one fateful day when a playful game with best friend Brianna turns into a nightmare. Libenson uses two different illustration styles to distinguish between Emmie, the soft-spoken wallflower, and Kate, the outgoing girl of fabulousness. An artist using her doodles to illustrate the seventh-grade world, Emmie sees herself as someone with no voice, while the enigmatic, charismatic Kate is full of confidence and determined to push Emmie out of her comfort zone. Though readers may be puzzled by the device initially, Libenson's rationale for the dual portrayals becomes clear in the end. However, the repetition of Emmie's description as quiet, shy, and disenfranchised becomes as grating as a nasal whine. Both Emmie and Kate appear to be white, but school scenes reveal multiethnic classmates. Classic middle school themes come alive, but they fail to really go anywhere. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Libenson, Terri: INVISIBLE EMMIE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A482911696/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e772b39b. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A482911696
Invisible Emmie
Publishers Weekly. 264.10 (Mar. 6, 2017): p61+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Invisible Emmie
Terri Libenson. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $10.99 trade paper (192p) ISBN 978-0-06248493-2
In her first children's book, cartoonist Libenson (The Pajama Diaries) offers strikingly different visions of seventh grade through two very dissimilar narrators. School is stressful for shy, quiet Emmie; Katie, meanwhile, is breezily popular, confident, and beautiful. With frizzy hair and hunched shoulders, Emmie shows up in tiny vignettes, sandwiched between blocks of text, that make her look as small and insignificant as she feels. Katie's chapters, by contrast, are big, splashy panels that reflect her outgoing personality ("I'm just your average teenage girl," she says after being offered movie roles and the crown of homecoming queen). Emmie and Katie share a crush on classmate Tyler, and when a sappy love note Emmie writes to Tyler as a joke is made public, Emmie is humiliated. Katie rises to her defense, but Emmie eventually learns to speak up for herself, realizing that embarrassment isn't the end of the world and being social isn't as impossible as she thought. A well-executed twist will have readers flipping back to see what they missed while cheering the strides made by Libenson's no-longer-invisible heroine. Ages 8-12. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (May)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Invisible Emmie." Publishers Weekly, 6 Mar. 2017, p. 61+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A484973718/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6d6bb027. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A484973718
QUOTED: "This is a realistic, hopeful look at the 'drama soup' of middle school."
LIBENSON, Terri. Just Jaime
Jennifer Costa
School Library Journal. 65.6 (June 2019): p77.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
LIBENSON, Terri. Just Jaime. illus. by Terri Libenson. 256p. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. May 2019. Tr $22.99. ISBN 9780062851079; pap. $12.99. ISBN 9780062851062.
Gr 4-7--On the last day of seventh grade, Jaime and her best friend Maya are determined to talk about why things have grown awkward between them. Fans of Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzy will recognize this chatty pair. Jaime doesn't understand why Maya has been distant, and Maya wishes that Jaime would try harder to fit in with the crowd. Celia, the cool girl who wears makeup and kissed someone at summer camp, persuades Maya to shut Jaime out of their group. Maya is charmed by Celia's attention and goes along with the plan, to everyone's eventual regret. Jaime's side of the story is told in short chapters with doodled spot illustrations. Maya's perspective is rendered in full comics panels. In the end, Jaime stays true to herself--with the support of caring adults as well as old and new friends--and Maya returns, asking for forgiveness. This is a realistic, hopeful look at the "drama soup" of middle school. VERDICT A strong purchase for middle grade graphic novel collections, especially where Emmie and Izzy are circulating well.--Jennifer Costa, Cambridge Public Library, MA
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Costa, Jennifer. "LIBENSON, Terri. Just Jaime." School Library Journal, June 2019, p. 77. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A587876181/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a12fe492. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A587876181
QUOTED: "a highly relatable middle grade drama."
Libenson Terri. Invisible Emmie
Jennifer Costa
School Library Journal. 63.4 (Apr. 2017): p141.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
LIBENSON Terri. Invisible Emmie. illus. by Terri Libenson. 192p. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. May 2017. Tr $22.99. ISBN 9780062484949; pap. $10.99. ISBN 9780062484932.
Gr 5-8--Readers follow a day in the life of Emmie, a shy, quiet eighth grader, as she scrambles to finish her homework, dreads gym class, and navigates hallways full of gossipy girls and spitty boys. She copes by disappearing into her drawing notebook. Interspersed between the illustrated chapters are comics-style panels featuring Katie, a pretty, popular, friendly, confident girl also going through the same middle school day. In homeroom, she notices "that quiet girl. She likes to draw. I'd rather talk. Or text." To amuse themselves during lunch in the chaotic cafeteria, Emmie and her best (and only) friend Bri compose gushy love notes to their secret crushes. Inevitably, Emmie drops hers, and it is found and circulated by the obnoxious class clown. Following the discovery of the love note, Katie comes to Emmie's defense, comforts her, and encourages her to stand up for herself Many readers will recognize themselves in Emmie and her friends, who are at once self-conscious and eager to be seen for who they are. VERDICT A highly relatable middle grade drama. Recommended for most collections.-Jennifer Costa, Cambridge Public Library, MA
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Costa, Jennifer. "Libenson Terri. Invisible Emmie." School Library Journal, Apr. 2017, p. 141. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A488688234/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f0e12bd9. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A488688234
QUOTED: "Libenson stresses the importance of being true to oneself, and readers will root for the characters to succeed."
LIBENSON, Terri. Positively Izzy
Allison Tran
School Library Journal. 64.3 (Mar. 2018): p109+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
LIBENSON, Terri. Positively Izzy. illus. by Terri Libenson. 224p. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. May 2018. Tr $22.99. ISBN 9780062484970.
Gr 4-6--This charming book tells parallel stories of two very different girls, using graphic novel format to follow studious, introverted Brianna and a mix of handwritten prose and illustrations for creative daydreamer Izzy. The girls prepare for their middle school's talent show, which turns out to be a pivotal moment in both of their lives. Fans of Libenson's Invisible Emmie will be delighted to revisit some familiar characters. Like the previous title, this tale features a clever ending in which the two girls' stories converge. Some may be frustrated that the big reveal doesn't come until the very last page, but the twist is a satisfying one that invites readers to turn back and revisit earlier chapters. Funny details of Brianna and Izzy's lives ring true as the author explores relatable topics such as middle school friendships, self-discovery, and family dynamics. Libenson stresses the importance of being true to oneself, and readers will root for the characters to succeed. VERDICT A strong purchase for libraries where realistic graphic novels are in demand.--Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Tran, Allison. "LIBENSON, Terri. Positively Izzy." School Library Journal, Mar. 2018, p. 109+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A529863575/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8d86f729. Accessed 11 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A529863575