Concerning & Potentially Concerning Content

We will attempt to capture everything for this one below, but keep the graphic novel format and the inevitable young readers who will be drawn to the colorful illustrations in mind when taking this all in: Overall there is an ongoing barrage of just not great comments and attitudes: After the accident she says, “I look like a vampire!” and later a yearbook signing says something similar. Raina’s sister is shown laughing at her and the results of her accident. Later little sis says, “Why is Raina acting like such a jerk lately?” At girl scouts one of the girls says, “But you know what does make you look like a baby? Those pigtails”. Raina complains, “But I’m gonna look like a nerd with that headgear on”. Later she adds on, “C’mon mom, let’s go get me some glasses and a pocket protector, and some velcro shoes”. Later in the story young readers see this theme go on, “Brace Face! I’m gonna be a Brace Face again in a couple of weeks. It’s so unfair. I finally get to look cool for a little while and now I’m back to square one” (a “friend” replies, “Actually, you’ve always looked like a nerd” and another adds “Yeah, ‘cool’ is not the word to describe you” - pic shows this as mean and not joking). After listing eight boys who like her, Raina says, “but they don’t count, I mean cute boys!”. Another girl comments after arriving at school, “I’ve turned into a brace-face and a zit face… Look at all these little kids (referring to a set if 6th grade boys who are shown looking hurt at the comment)! AAAA! Tiny sixth graders everywhere”. After a scary earthquake we are sadly told, “That was the 1st time my sister voluntarily hugged me… and the only time I’ve ever heard her pray”. Raina really likes a nice boy who really likes her back. Right when it seems some sweet content is entering the story, almost seemingly without explanation, she abandons this for a crush on a new boy all while the original nice young man has no clue something has changed. A girl tells Raina, “My brother has that shirt. It’s kind of a boy’s shirt”. Another tells her she needs to use a better conditioner. Another asks her if she ever thought about teeth whitening. Raina calls all the boys at a party “gross”. A character remarks, “Ha ha! Looks like someone is trying to cover up their dog breath”. A girl “pants” Raina at school (pulls pants down as a ‘joke’). On her 13th birthday the girls at the party say, “It’s time you kissed your first boy”. “Come on Raina. Everyone knows you have the hots for Sean”. This leads to a makeover where one of the girls asks, “How short is your shortest skirt?... Sean is only gonna go for you if you glam it up a bit… He also said he likes tube tops, fishnet stocking… nose piercings, high-heeled boots” (shows her in this and these ‘friends’ laugh at her. When Raina gets upset the reply is, “You take everything too seriously… You’ve got to loosen up a little… Don’t be so uptight”. A picture shows Raina daydreaming of kissing her crush. She is also seen sitting staring at his picture pretending she is giving him her number. She later comments, “My crush on Sean… still consumed my thoughts a lot of the time”. Later a game of spin the bottle is shown. Other things to be aware of: Summer activities include “Watched Nightmare on Elm Street” (horror movie). Mom says that “if playing Nintendo non-stop make her forget about her teeth… I kinda think we should let her play”. A character comments about not going to the mall, “Darn. I wanted to find some boys to hang out with”. The radio tells that thousands are feared dead or injured after an earthquake. A flashback includes references to the tooth fairy. Raina is shown passing notes in class, not paying attention. Mom gives bra advice. There are pictures focusing on various aspects of puberty. A Simpsons shirt is shown. The term “barf” is used