When reading this next line please keep the cute pink cover and young-child appealing graphic novel format in mind: The grandma in this story (who is held in a positive light) tells Sue, the main character, “I don’t give a %&$# about what people think about me!”. She then has Sue (a child) repeat it. Then at the culminating point in the book Sue declares this loud and boldly, again as if it is a positive thing. So there’s that.
There is a lot of very secular negative character dialogue and sibling interaction shown. Sue says, “Yeah, I’ve got two sisters, and they’re both way too annoying”. The older sister is shown just glued to her phone checked out, eventually saying, “are you done with your dumb nerd meeting?... It’s soooo boring here”. There is a lot like this, such as “Geez, nosy much!?”. When a family trip comes up Sue says, “It’s just a boring family visit… It’ll probably be a month filled with dumb family drama and arguing with my sisters”. When asked about making fun of someone, “because it’s fun, duh”. When joyful, excited family members wave at them we read, “Oh my god, make them stop”. “She never heard of a hair brush before. Can you believe it?” Upon seeing a barnyard animal, “Ha. When Sue whines she sounds exactly like that” to which she replies, “Well, at least I don’t smell worse than a cow with that nasty perfume you got on”. Cute family member children are referred to as “the devil babies” and family members “demons”. “She’s so boring and weird. I can’t believe we’re even related”. “That was like 100 years ago. Get over it”. When Sue falls very hard her older sister laughs hysterically. “Nice try, nerd”. A boy holds up a dog and says, “Kiss your boyfriend”. Sue tells her grandma that she should have drawn her sister uglier and, while grandma says that is not nice, both laugh. “No, you just suck at it”. When her older sister finally shows some interest in her drawings, Sue ignores her very rudely. A small child says, “You’re all so boring”. “You sound so dorky”. “Shut up”.
A couple “ghost stories” are told. One includes a somewhat disturbing image. After a scary local story a child comments, “Even if she’s real, she only does that to drunk men” (again, remember the cover). Other kids claim their father saw this ghost creature and the young reader is left to think it may be true.
Sue’s grandmother tells her “the Virgin of Salyapa always answers her prayers”. Spiritual ties are made to the quinceañera, but the whole thing, like all of the book, feels completely disconnected from God. We are told the flowers are given to the Virgin Mary.
In the acknowledgments, when referencing someone’s passing, the author says, “The universe is lucky to have another star in the sky”. She also thanks her “partner”, who has a male name, but is referred to as “their” (even though singular).
Additional things to be aware of:
When Sue starts wanting to go to camp they mention they will be “larping”, which stands for “Live Action Role Playing”. Manga is also referenced positively.
Grandma watches soap operas.
A disturbing drawing is shown.
At one point someone is shown in underwear and a tank top.
At a party a small child thinks she is getting champagne. An adult tells her it is just juice for the kids to which she replies, “Aw, man!”.
Sue’s sister tells her mom, “How about a compromise. You can be less strict and we’ll behave better”. Sue makes this worse by adding, “You mean you’ll behave better”.
The following terms are used: sucks, peeping toms, oh my god