Tryouts
It’s warm up time in this newest installment in the Brinkley Yearbook series. Will Alexandra make the cut and help the historically boys baseball team defend their 9-year championship title?
Alexandra, also known as Al, has been playing baseball with her older brothers for as long as she can remember. But when she ages out of Little League, it seems like it’s the end of the road for Al and the sport she loves. Until, that is, her friend Sammi suggests that Al try out for the middle school team—a team that has always been boys-only.
Al is prepared to fight for her right to try out, but to her surprise, the coach is delighted by her interest. When Al makes the team, it seems like everything is going to work out. But with a tenth consecutive championship on the line for Brinkley Middle School and a team that can’t seem to get along, will their season ground out faster than Al can say “home run”?
Praise for tryouts
★ ”Rollicking and tender, this comic knocks it out of the park.” —The Horn Book, starred review
“A story that will encourage readers to spread their wings.” —Kirkus Reviews
“For readers who enjoy realistic graphic novels about sports, school stories, friendship, and issues of identity.” —School Library Journal
picture day
Seventh-grader Viv never looks forward to picture day. It’s just another day where she wears a boring braid and no one notices her. (Her two best friends, Milo and Al, don’t count, of course.)
But enough is enough. This year, she’s taking matters into her own hands. Literally. Viv grabs a pair of scissors, her phone for live-streaming, and, well, bye-bye braid.
Suddenly Viv is an over-night influencer at Brinkley Middle School. Everyone wants her help planning their next big moment—from haircuts, to dance proposals, activist rallies and mathlete championships. She hardly even has time for her friends anymore. It’s exactly how she dreamed of reinventing herself…right?
In the tradition of modern classics like Vera Brosgol’s Be Prepared, Svetlana Chmakova’s Awkward, and Kayla Miller’s Click, Picture Day brings answers to perennial questions of what it means to be true to yourself—and a true friend.
Praise for Picture Day
★“An impressively strong debut….Bold, brash, and honest.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“A sweet, high-energy story about finding your place in middle school, friendship drama, wacky haircuts, and some seriously cool roller skating. I’m certain this series is going to be a classic!” —Molly Knox Ostertag, creator of The Witch Boy
“A deeply charming book. This will resonate with readers who are unabashedly tied to the cadences of fandom and social media, but also respects their agency and feelings and the unique ways they navigate social dynamics today.” —Shing Yin Khor, creator of the National Book Award finalist The Legend of Auntie Po
“Picture Day will reassure readers that while figuring out who you are is complicated (and occasionally painful or embarrassing), it’s totally possible to reinvent yourself into a more authentic you. A delight!” —Molly Brooks, creator of Sanity & Tallulah
“Heartfelt interactions surrounding popularity and identity provide ample fodder for introspective discussion.” —Publishers Weekly
“Picture perfect.” —Terri Libenson, bestselling author of Invisible Emmie
“Picture Day is a bighearted story about showing up as yourself—and for your friends. A timely and terrific exploration of navigating both the pressures and the positives of social media and middle school.” —Megan Wagner Lloyd, author of Allergic
“Charming, inclusive, and fun. Picture Day won an instant spot on my to-recommend list.” —Hope Larson, creator of All Summer Long