Ophelia has a very clear voice of youth that enables readers to be instantly drawn into her world. This coming of age novel, with its illustrations and first person narrative, is like a map outlining the various twists and turns taken on the road to adulthood with all it's heartaches, struggles, and joy.

Can be compared to "The Outsiders" by S. E. Hinton or as a young adult version of "Dear Mr. Henshaw" by Beverly Cleary and Paul O. Zelinsky.

Very few do we allow entrance into our inner thoughts and feelings that uncover our vulnerabilities--a glimpse of who we really are. This is that glimpse into Ophelia--a lonely, broken and fragile girl.
My first thoughts as I began reading: Wow! A teen story with illustrations! Cool! Of course, the drawings and scribbles fit with the emotions of the story. I soon realized that I was reading Ophelia's notebook--given to her by a visiting author. Readers will quickly be drawn into the journal as it begins with describing passions associated with reading and writing.
The story is full of beautiful figurative language; similes and metaphors are scattered throughout. It ventures into tough issues: loneliness, poverty, social hierarchies, depressions, identity, sexual discovery, bullying, love, art, and dreaming big.
I pulled Ophelia and Ulysses to my heart as I turned page after page. I know my students will be as smitten with them as I am. Recommended for high school libraries.

Reviewed on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2281983502?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Back when I was a teenager, I read a book called <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1750265.The_Fog_Comes_on_Little_Pig_Feet?from_search=true">The Fog Comes on Little Pig Feet</a>. It was about a miserable girl, keeping a journal, and the usual angst that comes from being a misunderstood teenager. Not sure if it is still relevant in this day and age, but this book, Ophelia, reminds me of it, with her keeping a secret journal of her life, and how she is misunderstood.

This is a hurt child, and this journal helps her get over her hurt, along with making a friend with another outcast. One reviewer said she figured out what was going to happen from the beginning, but I have to say I wasn't sure where the author was going to go with it. I was surprised at somethings, to be sure. A good addition to the "journal keeping teenager who can only speak to the paper about her pain" series of books.


The only issue I have with this book is the illustrations that Ophelia has done, have not been translated, and usually I would say that is ok, but the little French I still have, from learning it 40 years ago, or so, I think that we should be able to read what she has written on her drawings. Perhaps the final book will have them in English.

The other issues I have with the book are minor. I'm not stupid, I understand when she says she is in French class that it is the equivalent of being in English class in that you are writing essays and reading literature, rather than learning the lanaguage. But, I wonder if most readers would get that.



Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.