Miss Quinces: A Graphic Novel

by Kat Fajardo, Kat Fajardo (Illustrator)

Overview

Rising star Kat Fajardo's debut middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who would rather do anything other than celebrate her quinceañera! A funny and heartfelt coming-of-age story about navigating the expectations of family and cultural tradition.

Sue just wants to spend the summer reading and making comics at sleepaway camp with her friends, but instead she gets stuck going to Honduras to visit relatives with her parents and two sisters. They live way out in the country, which means no texting, no cable, and no Internet! The trip takes a turn for the worse when Sue's mother announces that they'll be having a surprise quinceañera for Sue, which is the last thing she wants. She can't imagine wearing a big, floofy, colorful dress! What is Sue going to do? And how will she survive all this "quality" time with her rambunctious family?

Miss Quinces/Srta. Quinces is the first graphic novel published by Scholastic/Graphix to be simultaneously released in English and Spanish editions!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338535594
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	05/03/2022
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	GN370L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kat Fajardo is a Honduran Colombian award-winning cartoonist and illustrator from the lively and magical place of Loisaida, New York City. She is the creator of Miss Quinces and its companion, Miss Camper. Miss Quinces was a national indie bestseller, and its Spanish edition, Srta. Quinces, received a Pura Belpré Award Honor. Kat is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts, and she loves to create playful and colorful work about self-acceptance and Latine culture. Her work has been recognized by online publications such as Remezcla, El Hispanic News, School Library Journal, Huffington Post Latino Voices, and more. When Kat isn’t making comics, you might find her collecting small junk for scrapbooking, listening to spooky podcasts, or chasing after her sock-stealing pups, Mac and Roni. Kat lives in Austin, Texas. Visit her online at katfajardo.com.

Editorial Reviews

03/21/2022

New Yorker and aspiring graphic novelist Suyapa Gutiérrez, the protagonist of Fajardo’s solo debut, would rather spend her 15th birthday reading manga than dancing in a “weird poofy dress” at a quinceañera. But on a family trip to visit her mother’s family in Honduras, Sue learns that her mother has already planned the celebration—with a pink princess theme—and invited 100 guests. Sue’s beloved artist grandmother proposes a compromise: if Sue has the quinces of her mother’s dreams, she’ll get to attend sleepaway camp with friends. But as the family prepares, her grandmother’s health takes a turn, making for a very different kind of ceremony. Choppy-haired, bespectacled Sue, who prefers black to pink and longs for more independence than her protective parents allow, embodies challenges that will be recognizable to many. Fajardo is sympathetic to the entire extended family: Sue’s parents make concessions to the individual she’s becoming (she receives a pair of construction boots, not pumps, for the celebration’s shoe ceremony), and Sue learns to cherish family tradition en route to appreciating her Honduran heritage. A slightly redundant travelogue, Sue’s creation for class, concludes; Fajardo closes with photos from her own quinces and a glossary. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: Linda Camacho, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (May)■

Publishers Weekly

★ 05/01/2022

Gr 4–8—In her graphic novel debut, Fajardo adeptly captures the angst of young people who are caught between two cultures---too Latinx to be accepted as American and too American to be accepted as Latinx. All tween Suyapa "Sue" Gutierrez wants to do this summer is hang out with her cool friends at summer camp and work on her comics. Instead, she has to head to Honduras to visit family where her mother surprises her with plans to have a quinceañera party. The last thing Sue wants to do is wear a big poofy dress, dance the waltz in high heels, and celebrate a very traditional and girly event where she is the center of attention. Fajardo explores themes of sisterhood, bilingualism, and intergenerational conflicts and resolutions in this delightful and often touching volume. The protagonist is sweet but prickly, a winning combination in this inviting work done in candy-colored and cheerful digital art. The variation in panel sizes enhances the even pacing, and the expressive faces and body movements ramp up the book's humor. Blue font indicates when characters are speaking in Spanish, while black font indicates English. Sue and her family often switch between the two, but over the course of the summer, their speech bubbles feature more blue text, though she remains more proficient in English. Sue's school friends are a variety of races as are her family members—refreshingly showing the diversity within the Honduran community. VERDICT With all of the charm of Raina Telgemeier and Lucy Knisley's works, this title will be enjoyed by voracious fans of coming-of-age graphic novels. But the specificity of having to stride two cultures and feeling like an outcast in both will especially resonate with readers from bicultural communities.—Shelley M. Diaz

School Library Journal

Praise for Miss Quinces:

National Indie Bestseller

American Library Association Best Graphic Novel for Children

NPR Books We Love Selection

The Horn Book Best Book of the Year

The Horn Book Summer Reading Recommendation

Publishers Weekly Best Summer Read

Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books Selection

★ "With all of the charm of Raina Telgemeier and Lucy Knisley’s works, this title will be enjoyed by voracious fans of coming-of-age graphic novels. But the specificity of having to stride two cultures and feeling like an outcast in both will especially resonate with readers from bicultural communities." — School Library Journal, starred review

★ “Fajardo’s deft graphic-novel paneling, expressive use of line, and color palette of cool blues and pinks convey the complexity and full range of Sue’s feelings in important moments and more mundane ones.” — The Horn Book, starred review

"Fajardo’s colorful artwork is lively, full of emotion, and done in a style that will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jen Wang." — Booklist

"Vibrant artwork gives readers a sense of culture that leaps off the page. Bold lush colors and a poignant wrap-up will make the perfect read for fans of Raina Telgemeier, Jennifer Holm, and Victoria Jamieson." — School Library Journal, Good Comics for Kids Blog

"Fajardo's sympathetic look at a girl learning that she can be herself and still cherish family tradition celebrates the beauty of Honduras with vivid, summery art." — Publishers Weekly

"Breezy paneling and cartoony art bring humor and warmth." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Touching and warm-hearted, this graphic novel shows the joy in embracing family traditions while still being true to yourself." — Entertainment Weekly

"A colorful, funny tale of growing up, finding out what’s important, and figuring out how to be yourself." — NPR

Praise for Srta. Quinces:

American Library Association Pura Belpré Youth Illustration Honor Book

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

From the Publisher