I really loved reading these episodes from the author's life and will probably recommend it to patrons.

Sylvie was born in Morocco and moved to France as a child when her dad got a job as a principal. They lived in the teacher’s school where he worked. Sylvie and her younger brother loved to explore the school. As she got older, Sylvie started to notice her parents arguing and became aware of being different, since they were the only Jewish family in the town. Sylvie was passionate about drawing, but her mom wanted her to have a more secure job, which forced her to study math and science even though she didn’t want to. This was a great coming of age memoir.

This graphic novel consisted of a variety of anecdotes from Sylvie’s life. There were moments with her friends and her siblings. Each chapter was like a snapshot of a moment in her life, which all added up to her childhood.

I loved the illustrations in this graphic novel. They looked like innocent drawings by a child, though they were more detailed than a child’s art. Since they had a childlike simplicity, it reinforced the theme of Sylvie’s childhood.

This is a beautiful graphic memoir!

Thank you Candlewick Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I like Sylvie very much. She is a smart talented women trying to find her way in the world while battling powerful expectations. Her mom was kind of awful and I felt so bad for her. Overall a great read and wonderful art.

An autobiographical graphic novel that really hits the sweet spot for middle schoolers but will also appeal to upper elementary and high schoolers, Sylvie is the story of the author and illustrator's life, quirks and all. She grows up in a school where her father was principal. She loves art from an early age, but her mother is focused on her pursuing a career in math or science. The book follows her family as they add more children to the family and Sylvie's mother doggedly pushes her academically. As she grows in confidence, and seeks her father's council, Sylvie takes control of her own future. Artwork is cartoony and friendly, and easy-to-read, first-person narration makes Sylvie readers feel like they're talking with a friend. Discussions about racism and anti-Semitism in '60s and '70s France sets the stage for discussion.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
It was interesting to see Sylvie's life unfold in every page. Overall, it was was an okayish reading experience.

Sylvie is a coming of age memoir in graphic novel format. It tells the story of author Sylvie Kantorovitz's life growing up in France as the daughter of a school principal. Sylvie is the oldest of 4 kids and has is a good student with a talent for drawing. She stresses about her parents arguing but has plenty of fun with her siblings and friends.

This book is perfect for middle grade readers. It is a sweet story about everyday family life and figuring out who you want to be when you grow up. It is made all the more approachable by the colorful artwork.

Sylvie is a Jewish girl born in Morocco, now growing up in France. She and her family live in an apartment at the boys' teaching school where her father is employed. This graphic novel memoir depicts Sylvie's fairly average life. She has occasional conflicts with her mother and is interested in art. She has a group of friends and then a boyfriend. She often worries about being the only Jewish person in her circle of friends. There is nothing especially climactic about this book, but it was still an enjoyable, relaxing, and quick read.

3.5 stars
The cover of Sylvie conveys much of what is found throughout - a clear, direct, simple but not simplistic memoir of an artist’s early life. On the one hand, there is a sense of not much that is memorable. On the other, the story is so identifiable that many youngsters will be able to recognize themselves and their feelings. Despite the fact that the events take place in Morocco and France, the Bildungsroman transcends any specific culture. Family life, questions of identity, first feelings of romance, and the angst surrounding career choices are experienced by adolescents around the globe. Kantorovitz’s artistry is whimsical and appealing. It moves the narrative smoothly at a pace that makes sense for a young adult reader. Overall, a solid offering.

Thank you to Sylvie Kantorovitz, Walker Books, and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sylvie follows the life of the author between childhood and their first year of college. She and her family live in the school her father is the principal of with her three siblings and parents. Her mother is a school teacher and thinks Sylvie should marry rich and follow the "practical" subjects in school like math and science when Sylvie just wants to make art. The graphic novels shows her struggles with her parents, her love of art, and personal growth and acceptance.

Reading a memoir in form of a graphic novel was a cool experience and thought it was done fairly well. It was really great to see her personal growth shown their the character on the pages and how she dealt with different aspects of life - including parental pressure and being Jewish.

I thought the art was well done and is a unique style. I was not as much of a fan of the writing. I thought the writing could use some work . I understand it is a MG novel but it seemed it could be aimed at a younger audience because of some of the writing. The writing did not necessarily take away from the novel as it still showed emotion and pain. However, at times it was slow and parts did not seem to be fully needed to tell the overall narrative

Young Lisette has come from Morocco to France with her father, who is a school principal, her mother, who is a teacher, and her younger brother Alibert. The family lives in an apartment at the school where her father is principal, and there are a couple of other families of staff members who are also in the building. This gives Lisette plenty to do, and she and her brother enjoy the freedom that they have. The parents fight a lot, and have high expectations of the children. After two younger children are born, the fights increase. Alibert is frequently in trouble, so is sent away to a boarding school, and Lisette moves herself into a small attic room at the school, where she enjoys the quiet. She is very interested in art, but her parents aren't keen for her to pursue that as a career option. Her father had been interested in art, but gave it up in order to pursue a career in education. The family is ethnically Jewish but nonobservant, although in the 1960s and 70s, the French children are not particularly kind. There are many anecdotes about Lisette's life, and we see her react to many events and interactions before she decides to go to art school and become a teacher.
Strengths: This peek into French culture in the 1960s and 1970s was very interesting, and the fact that the family lived at a school was fascinating! Ms. Kantorovitz is an illustrator of children's books, so readers who enjoy her work might like to find out more about her.
Weaknesses: I was very confused by the fact that the main character in the book was called Lisette or Liseron when this was clearly a memoir.
What I really think: I will pass on purchase. This was very slow paced.

Sylvie’s graphic memoir is easily relatable to anyone, full of tales of sibling fun and feuding, conflicted feelings about parents, the changing world of friendships and school, and big questions about the future. Sylvia tells her story with honesty, empathy, and humor, letting readers see her as a very real person. At the same time, American readers will enjoy reading about a young person’s life in France, seeing many similarities and differences. Highlights include her portrayal of her friendship-turned-romance with Pierre, her relationship with her father, and her love of art, which will resonate with many young readers.

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review. Unfortunately I was unable to open the ebook and didn't get a chance to read it.

I found this book to be delightful.

It was well written and the images and illustrations were just lovely.

The book has all the thoughts we have growing up plus a few more regarding religious when you feel as though you are an outsider and are not sure where your life will take you.

I thought it was lovely and read it in one sitting this evening – it is 5 stars from me!!

Very highly recommended!

Such a sweet and heartwarming story. Sylvie has some unique experiences that were fun to read - her schooling in France where her father was the school principal and her coming-of-age story that follows. She has some of the usual life experiences, too, but is able to use her drawing/storytelling as a bit of therapy and I think this helps the reader understand her more and hopefully understand themselves better as well.

The illustrations were very simple but charming. You can tell the illustrator tried to tell a story in her artwork as well as in her words... the childhood illustrations are cute and simple, but the comic grows a bit more detailed and complex as the character (and author/illustrator) grows, learns, hurts, and heals).

,, Sylvie" was a cute story about growing up little girl, who became a young women on the last pages. Is brilliant in it simple. Definitely I can recommend it for girls, who start growing.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the gifted copy, all thoughts are my own

I'm not sure where to start with this review. This comic started out innocent enough just kids being kids, it did grow exceptionally dark (at least to me). Covering topics like racism, what I would consider verbal abuse (I'm sorry, but it's not okay to call your child a "lazy, stupid girl").

This comic also covers religious discrimination and how some people can be extremely hateful towards other that are different from themselves. I found the writing to be a bit chopping as well.

I honestly wasn't prepared. But I'm sure some people would really enjoy it.

⭐⭐

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This was a great graphic novel biographical read about artist Sylvie Kantorovitz and her early life. I thought it was interesting and have a couple of kids in mind that will love reading this.

A gorgeously drawn graphic novel with an interesting narrative, plot, and concepts. Definitely recommended for fans of this genre.

This graphic novel is about the slices of a girl's life as she figures out her journey to adulthood. I did not understand this book at all. I felt like the whole book was unfinished. No single vignette felt fleshed out, there didn't seem to be an over-arcing story other than "her life", and I didn't feel there was a gain to having read the book. Overall a disappointment.

The story is fully told from the innocent perspective before Lissette's world accompanied by her brother Alibert; their schooling, their differences, their highs and lows with their family, the arrival and watch over the responsibility of their new siblings (Evita & Davido)

It brings out the best and most uncomfortable moments of childhood, adolescence and early adulthood.

Slowly Lissette goes on from being applied as a student when it seems that everything wants to be against you, be aware of the expectations of others, the bleak world of artistic vocation, her great support from her father for her destiny in the future.

I was fond of the characters: Aunt Flora, Christine, Monsieur Cartélémy and Pierre.

It has little-shown themes in French children's literature: being part of the French-Jewish community, the "Pied-Noir", the dread to deal with anti-Semitism, doubts about interreligious couples.

It avoid arrogance by being an absolutely paused but fluid story. A great post-World War II reading for a more childlike audience