Suicide is not a topic touched upon or featured in many Middle Grade books. This new graphic novel explores it in a believable way.
“Weirdo” is none other than Tony Weaver, Jr. who is eleven-years-old and beginning 7th grade at a new school. His love of comic books, anime, and video games, along with carrying around an action figure in his pocket quickly has him targeted by bullies. They are relentless.
At first Tony tries to conform and fit in but soon the hurt of not being accepted is too much. Attempted suicide is Tony’s answer to bringing an end to his problems.
I DON’T WANT TO DIE.. I JUST WANT TO FEEL OK. BUT I CAN’T DO THAT HERE.
MAYBE IF I COULD GET TO GRAMMY WE COULD WATCH CARTOONS AGAIN.
The entire scene of attempted suicide is not depicted on the pages. Tony only tells us it didn’t work. His cousin discovers what he tried to do and alerts the parents. The final two-thirds of the story is a fantastic lead into Tony becoming the hero of his own story. He enrolls in a new school and finds friends who encourage him to become a member of the literature club. Tony also begins seeing a clinical psychologist.
Tony the Weirdo faces one more challenge, but this time he takes a different approach and readers will be applauding his bravery. The entire plot mirrors what the author experienced in his life. Tony Weaver, Jr. is also a hero for sharing his story and giving struggling kids hope.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: September 17, 2024 PAGE COUNT: 320
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: WEIRDO by Tony Weaver, Jr.
- The illustrations are excellent and the color often mimics Tony’s mood with brighter colors when things are going better for Tony and darker ones during the tough times.
- Tony’s new friends are a fun, memorable group. They each have their own interests which are celebrated by their peers.
- A story that could have been a downer turns into an uplifting journey.
- The parents. They didn’t initially fully understand what was going with their son but their actions redeemed them in a great way.
- Don’t miss the author’s letter in the final pages. He gives advice for kids like him to be extraordinary.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATORS
Tony Weaver, Jr. is an award winning writer and educator creating diverse stories that make young people feel seen and valued. After seeing the impact that media stereotypes had on students in his community, Tony embarked on a journey to create new media narratives that would challenge the status quo.
Jes and CIn Wibowo are Chinese Indonesian twins born in Jakarta. As Third Culture Kids, they spent their early childhood years moving back and forth between the US and Indonesia. The two both graduated with a BFA and eventually an MFA in sequential arts from Savannah College of Art and Design.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Whoops! Never try and get ahead when you are short of time. I accidentally deleted this week’s MMGM. Here are the links in case you missed them on Monday:
ALWAYS in the MIDDLE: WEIRDO (On this page)
COMPLETELY FULL BOOKSHELF: TEA DRAGON FESTIVAL
STEPHANIE ROBINSON/FAIRDAY’S BLOG: HATTIE BIG SKY
PATRICIA TILTON:THE ONE AND ONLY FAMILY
FAITH HOUGH: THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF BIRDS
ROSI HOLLINBECK: TREE. TABLE. BOOK.
REBECCA M. DOUGLASS: HALF MOON SUMMER
BRENDA/LOG CABIN LIBRARY: QUANTUM INTERSTELLAR SPORT’S LEAGUE
MRS. YINGLING: POPCORN
Always in the Middle... 
Can’t wait to read your recommendation, Greg. I’m challenging myself to read and understand graphic novels. WEIRDO may help! Your fan, Beth
Such an important title. And I am pleased it has an uplifting feel. The fact it is a graphic novel helps lighten the story. And I like that it is based on the author’s experience. What a great discussion topic. I am beginning to see suicide in PBs too. Reviewed one last month.
There are a lot of graphic novels that are memoir like. It does make me worry about the mental health of graphic novelists! TIMID is another title that is similar to this one. Thanks for the review.
Wow, this sounds like an amazing and much-needed book. Middle school can be tough, especially for kids who struggle to fit in.
Stories written from the authors own experience can be so important. Glad that this had an uplifting message too. Happy MMGM
What an important topic.
An important topic. Middle school is a tough time for many kids. (I know that a lot of the books we read for class didn’t help that–really uplifting stuff like Stienbeck’s The Pearl and Hemmingway’s the Old Man and the Sea.)
Seems like middle school is the time when kids are least able to accept difference. They are usually pretty good in early elementary, and by later in HS they are getting to a more adult understanding and acceptance, but in those middle years they can be ruthless.
Wow. This sounds like a great book. I don’t usually read graphic novels, but my library has it on order, and I have reserved a copy. I can’t wait to read this. Wonderful review. Thanks, Greg.
It’s good to hear that this has an uplifting part to this story. It sounds heavy but like a great story. I’m glad you enjoyed it so much.
I love that the colors of the book reflect the mood of the scene and character. That’s a really clever way to connect the images and story. This sounds like a tender story with a lot of powerful components. I hope it encourages a lot of readers. 🙂
This sounds like a powerful read. I hadn’t heard of it before- so thanks for putting it on my radar.