Light Reading and Quick Thoughts: Drama by Raina Telgemeier

(Photo credit)

In 2011, I read almost 20 graphic books. However, since then, I've read only four - Drama included. I'm not sure why I didn't seek out enough graphic books lately, maybe I got worn out by the format and needed a break. When I saw Drama at the library this week, it was hard to ignore it. It has exactly the style of illustrations I love - it makes you think that you're going to have fun with the book. Moreover, having read a few reviews of this book in other blogs, I knew it comes with strong recommendations.

In Drama, seventh-grader Callie is part of the stage crew that designs sets, costumes, lighting effects and props, among other things. She has had a long fascination with drama and theater, having even auditioned once for a role  (she sucked as a singer). Before long, she found out that designing sets is what she loves to do. In this book, the stage crew decides to put up "Moon over Mississippi" and they begin auditions. Between planning for the show and her struggling non-existent love life, Callie was going to have a very difficult year at school.

If you haven't read Drama, you should be heading now over to your library or bookstore and grabbing it from the shelf. If someone else is holding the library/store's only copy of the book, feel free to nudge and bug that person until you can get hold of it. Drama was a very refreshing quick read. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to read it again. Poor Callie is falling in love with all the wrong/unavailable guys. And there is one guy trying hard and rudely to get her to notice him. Luckily for her, she has stage work to distract her. Being in charge of set design, she has been very effusive about her ideas for this year's drama, including using a real cannon as a prop. Of course, that isn't accepted, but there's still a cannon and oh boy, poor Callie just doesn't seem to be able to get that to work. It was delightful reading how she treads through her seventh grade with all these problems over her head.