Thanks to @algonquinyr @algonquinbooks I got to read Cub by Cynthia L. Copeland – a super cute middle-grade graphic memoir about her time as a 12 yr old just beginning 7th grade.
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This was such an easy read, the illustrations were so suited to the style of writing and I instantly felt a connection to the characters. I was transported back to my early school years.
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There was a great commentary on how the 70’s were still so male dominated – women weren’t asked about their hopes and dreams, they were just expected to do their duty as an at-home-wife. Cynthia L. Copeland did a fantastic job at breaking down this conversation in a way that makes it easier for younger readers to understand. I felt totally empowered by the end of this, and would without a doubt reccomend this to any parent who’s children are second guessing themselves.
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4 ⭐ from me 😊

Very inspiring little read about empowerment. This was a fantastic book and I would definitely recommend this author for any future reads.

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


I don't think, as Italians, we can experience working as a (cub) journalist at the age of 12 - surely not where I grew up - but with all her middle school problems, heck if Cindy didn't bring me back to my time as a twelve-year-old girl.

It doesn't matter if it's the early 1970s or the early 2000s - 2001/2002, in my case: it's a little sad and a little comforting at the same time realizing some things never change.

Cindy is a good student, nobody would associate the word "fashion" to her clothes and she has only one, true friend. She sees school the way it is: a jungle full of preys and predators. Unfortunately she's one of the preys and Cindy has her tactics to avoid the predators, hoping to stay invisible and out of their radar. Guess what? It doesn't always work. Yeah, because mean girls like Evie, Tammy and Leah seem to always be able to find her.

Really, you have no idea about the huge déjà-vu I experienced.

What if her friend Katie joins the popular girls at their table in the cafeteria?
What if Cindy gets the occasion to try something new out of school, something she could make a difference at and carve an opportunity for her future out of it?
What then?

It's 1972 when it all begins: Nixon is president, but the Washington Post is exposing the Watergate to the public opinion. Journalists are under the spotlight like never before, but women doing this job are only a few - and they cover minor stories.

It's a world ruled by men at every level - Cindy's very own father gives advices for a successful future to his sons, but not to Cindy.

Cindy though has a great example in her English teacher and a greater one in Leslie, the reporter teaching her the job and a way to do even better - in doing so, even Leslie finds the courage to ask her editor for major stories coverage.

Under Leslie's wing, Cindy learns to write about important issues in a way that is true and objective, but she also learns the world is so much bigger and complex than her middle school drama: corruption, war, environment, equality between men and women treated as a matter of fact but still ignored by laws in many States all over the country.

Cindy's teenage years are marked by activism and people finding their own voice - just like Cindy at the end of her seventh grade.

"Cub" is a coming of age graphic novel that you're not gonna be able to put down - because no matter how popular you were in middle school, that kind of drama between friendships and bullies is something you lived one way or another - and that reminds us we have to fight for our dreams, to let the world hear our voices no matter those who want to shot us down.

Cub is a non-fiction, autobiographic memoir chronicling the author's middle school experience as a reporter at the local newspaper in the 1970s and made for quite a unique reading experience. We follow young Cindy as she tries to find her voice and her place in the world, finds what she truly loves and won't let anyone discourage her from going after her dreams.
While this is geared toward younger readers, I still enjoyed myself quite a lot and would recommend it especially to younger kids who perhaps feel as if their hobbies or interests are sometimes not taken seriously because Cindy stakes a claim on being who she is no matter what others might think. There are hard times for her and it shows that it's not always just fun and games even if you work hard at the things you love and that persistence and perseverance was a wonderful treat in this story.
The only caveat I have is the artwork. While I did enjoy it overall, it couldn't hold a candle to the many graphic novels I've read this past year that just put more effort into accentuating the plotlines through the book. Still, it's a beautiful book that I'd recommend to middle- grade readers all too gladly.

Cub was an awesome read! I read this in one sitting and loved every page of it.

Even though Cub was a book way out of my normal genre - a children's nonfiction graphic novel, which I've never read before - I'm so glad that I got to experience it. Cub is a memoir about the author and her middle-school experience as a "cub reporter" in the 1970's, where she gets to be an intern for a local newspaper editor. Cub isn't just about journalism, though; the book has a strong message about growing up and how popularity is less important than accepting yourself and achieving your goals in life. I swear I almost cried at the end because Cub's theme was so powerful!

The only thing I did not like about Cub was the art style. The drawings seemed more sloppy towards the end, and it wasn't that great to begin with. The art does the job of portraying its message, though.

I really thought that Cub wouldn't be for me because its subject matter is so specific. However, I loved this graphic novel even though I don't plan on becoming a journalist, and I think that any kid would like this book, no matter what career they're planning on having when they grow up.

This is an enjoyable read for fans of Raina Telgemier and Shannon Hale. It is another awkward middle school story. It read a lot like other books in this genre, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I really enjoyed the women's empowerment angle. Even though the story was set in the 70s, it was eyeopening to see how far women have come. The bullying and friendship issues could have been developed better, but overall, it was a good read. I hope to see more from this author.

A sweet book which encounters the tenacity of being a reporter, despite the idea that the stories can be boring. It also depicts what a true mentor can be. I feel that an elementary or even a middle school would truly appreciate the contents of the book. The graphics are fun, especially being set in the 70's, but it also highlights that sometimes there are timeless things that never end, even though journalism may have evolved.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Algonquin Young Readers, and author Cynthia L. Copeland for sharing an advance digital copy of Cub with me. This middle grades nonfiction graphic novel will be released on January 7, 2020. All opinions are my own.

Twelve-year-old Cindy is just starting 7th grade and is learning to deal with all the drama that goes along with middle school including complicated friendships, bullies, and cute boys. At the same time, she earns an internship as a cub reporter and begins honing her writing and photography skills. This is all taking place during the 1970s when female reporters are rare. Cindy learns to write articles, take photos, ask questions respectfully but with authority, and assert herself in a male-run world. She also finds her voice and learns an important lesson about friendship and bullies.

This is an empowering and fun graphic novel. I love that this is a memoir and that middle grade readers can be inspired by Copeland's story. Though this story takes place during the 1970s and many students male not relate to the male-dominated world aspect, they will connect to the complicated friendship dynamics and the school bully aspect. They'll also be able to latch onto the themes of finding your voice and following your dreams. I found this graphic novel to be a very quick read. It reminds me a little of Raina Telgemeier's work. My students love graphic novels, especially those set in middle school, so I'm sure Cub will be a hit in my classroom library.

There's been quite a few graphic memoirs for younger readers, many with the focus of falling out of friendships and trying to fit in. Cub is one of these but with a twist. It was a lot of fun to read about Cindy's work at the newspaper and see it as it grew, especially as it shot off into other interests to throw herself into. Nice touch of having topics of the early 70s be so prominent, especially when they could've easily just been background noise. Something I really appreciated was that, while it is set in the 70s (being a memoir and all), it both explained the trends of the era and didn't make everything about the fact it was the 70s. A recommended read!

This is a fun historical fiction graphic novel (based on true events). Mean girls AKA "the predators" are tough to navigate no matter the era, and this story about finding your tribe and your voice will resonate with kids of all ages. Copeland's juxtaposition of common social stresses with the historic rise of feminism, Watergate, and Vietnam make a compelling read.

I absolutely love this book. It's so fun and so good and an absolute love letter to journalism. I love that Cindy was a "cub reporter" in the 1970s, which was probably one of the best times to be involved with newspapers. She shadowed a reporter and learned how to be a better writer and reporter. Parts of the stories she submitted are there and it's easy to see how her writing improved as she learned the best way to tell stories (a good lede is everything). 

Parts of this are dated, of course, but a lot of it is timeless. I think we all understand the importance of a free press now, and the way that journalists but especially newspaper reporters are keeping us all informed about our towns, states and beyond.

It's perfect for middlegrade readers, especially anyone who's expressed an interest in writing, journalism or photography. Highly recommended.

Such a cute and empowering graphic novel! I would definitely recommend reading Cub. It will be a great book for me to recommend to my middle school students.

This is such a sweet graphic novel in the vein of Guts, Sunny Side Up, and Click, about finding your voice, your own style, and being able to have confidence in your own skills and interests. I really enjoyed it and the illustrations are excellent.

An absolutely adorable middle grade graphic memoir about growing up and finding your voice!

Cindy Copeland loves to write, but has never met a woman writer! When her English teacher hooks her up with an internship with a reporter for the local paper, Cindy starts to hone her craft, learn to observe and report—and realizes that flying under the radar isn't all that!

I utterly adored this. It was cute, sweet and poignant—and damn doesn't 1972 resemble 2019 an awful lot...

Our country is in turmoil, chaos in the White House, a senseless war, environmental crisis, women having to fight for equal rights...


Which is all why fair and accurate reporting is more important than ever to get the truth out to people.

Cindy learns this, and also realizes the importance (and difficulty) of following your passion. It's not enough to have a talent for writing and an eye for composition—to be great there's a lot of hard work involved, and research and learning and perseverance, and a lot of success is being assertive and asking for what you want, or just going for an opportunity.

Leslie the reporter was a fantastic mentor, giving great constructive criticism and always doing her best to take Cindy with her without being condescending or diminishing of Cindy's talents or ignorance.

I also liked Cindy's relationships with her friends, as she and her BFF drift away (her BFF drawn to the greener pastures of the mean girls group) and Cindy collects other friends who are cool and fun and interesting.

Cindy's relationship with her family was also a great read. While I didn't like her father at all and was annoyed that he only realized Cindy had worth beyond her future as wife and mother when she wrote an article for the daily paper, I did like that he changed. It was a small change and perhaps only directed towards Cindy (and her brothers), but it did bring them closer and made him realize that his daughter had a talent and drive that should be nurtured just as much as his sons'.

Anywho, this is a great and very timely read about a girl growing up in a time of turmoil for America.

And when your country doesn't know what it is, how can you expect a 12-year-old to figure out herself?

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This is an absolutely delightful historical graphic novel about what it's like being a seventh grade girl in the seventies. (hint, it really isn't all that different from nowadays, even with all the advancements we've made).

Cindy loves English and so tells her teacher that she also wants to be an English teacher when she grows up. Her teacher feels that she could be even more than a teacher (not that teachers are bad or not needed!) and gets her partnered with one of the only female reporters at the local newspaper. Cindy goes on a whirlwind adventure figuring out how to write articles, how to take pictures, how to be friends, and learning that she is okay being herself. Truly a fun read and great for middle schoolers who are looking for encouragement and ways to leave the bullies behind.

Copy provided by NetGalley

An engaging storyline. Not completely clear at first that the story takes place back in the 1970s but there are plenty of clues for readers to pick that up soon. Clearly shows the sexism of the time without making it overly obvious by middle-school-reader standards. A good book for kids to learn about the 1970s as well as basics of journalism and how to get started (the technology has changed but not most other elements).

Colorful and pleasant though not unique or exceptional art.

A stellar entry into the middle grade/graphic novel/historical/biographical story canon (whew!), Cub is a wonderful introduction to the social mores of the 70s, including the fight for women's equality, Watergate, and a burgeoning environmentalism movement. All this is portrayed through the eyes of an astute seventh grader struggling to find her voice as she discovers her talent as an artist, her skill as a writer, and her worth as a friend. A wonderful read and sure to boost your circ stats (as is graphic novels needed any help). Definitively recommended purchase.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. I am just starting to read graphic novels and loved this book. What a great surprise that it was historical and relatable to kids. I am definitely recommending this book to be purchased for the Tween collection in the public library I work. Graphic novels are circulating very well in the Tween collection and this would be a great addition.

The beginning of the book was really funny. I loved how she compared middle school to the animal kingdom. This was a great story about finding your true self. I specifically liked how the teacher in the story told the main character that she would be a good writer. At first, she said she wanted to be an English Teacher. It is funny how the people you meet can help encourage you to try new things.

For fans of Smile and Real Friends, Cynthia Copeland's memoir follows Cindy, an aspiring reporter trying to navigate through the challenges of middle school (mean girls, dating, figuring out who you are, etc). It was a pretty cute story with relatable themes and I loved how it incorporated 1970s news while also including feministic ideals as journalism was predominately led by men. While I enjoyed reading this one, I didn't connect with it as much and felt that the story lacked some depth in exploring some of its subplots and topics. Yet it was a nice quick read and I can see this appealing to the middle school demographic.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing a free ARC

Cynthia Copeland's graphic memoir is a surefire recommendation for fans of Raina Telgemeier. As a child of the 1970s myself, I really identified with the scenes from her childhood. Despite the time period specifics, her seventh grade year (spent juggling friend drama and her new job as a "cub" reporter) is one that every preteen girl will relate to. This is a sweet book, complete with its lovingly depicted growing pains, that I will recommend far and wide!