Big Apple Diaries by Alyssa Bermudez is a book that tween girls will like. It describes what happens to the main character, Alyssa, in her middle school years in New York around the time of 9/11. What makes it unique is that it has diary entries accompanied by graphic novel type illustrations. I read this on Kindle, which was disconcerting because the illustrations were not visible next to the diary entry. I would hope they would be differently displayed in a physical version of the book. Also, I was not sure whether the speech balloons were really necessary. They were a bit distracting and seemingly unnecessary.
The story is autobiographical. It reflects the real life experiences of the author. Those connections are explained in the afterword. It mainly follows Alyssa, a middle school girl and burgeoning artist, in her daily life inside and outside school. She has divorced parents and commutes between the two. She struggles choosing which high school to attend because of that.
Overall, the story is a pleasant one to read. It definitely will appeal to girls in middle school.

I enjoyed this book so much and found myself hoping there will be a sequel. The characters and situations feel authentic. The art is clear and engaging. I enjoyed this portrayal of adolescent girls -- done with heart, humor, and vulnerability and without the snark that can make its way into literature featuring tween and teen girls. Highly enjoyable and a tender, worthwhile read.

Alyssa is a 12 year old of Puerto Rican descent who dreams of being an artist. She has divorced parents who share custody, goes to Catholic school and has good grades. The story is cute and interesting- told in a graphic novel format as if the reader is reading her actual diary. As the diary covers September 2000 to June 2002, there is a section on how Alyssa, her parents and her classmates are affected by the events of the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks. I really related to the character of Alyssa and I don’t think I’ve read a book with a character like that.

I personally love books in the style of journals, and this one hit pretty hard. As someone who grew up with family in New York when September 11th happened this felt incredibly real. I liked how the illustrations were used to tell the story, and I enjoyed the real feelings in the text.

A graphic novel memoir based on the author's real life diaries from the early 2000s, Big Apple Diaries is an engaging, heartfelt read. It has a historical, first hand account that will appeal to readers wanting to learn more about that time period and 9/11, especially as we approach 20 years later (!). The art is really wonderful too. I hope we see more from Bermudez in this format!

Having been around the same age as the author during the time this book focuses on, I really enjoyed this book. I think it really shows what life was like in that time period and the emotions that kids went through. It also made me remember why middle school sucked! Nicely written!

This book is told in diary entries of a girl 12 going on 13 over twenty years when the towers fell. The book is a bit long and overly drawn out, but I love how true to life it is/was. It’s a fictionalized biography of the author. It had a lot of heart. While not as funny as Dork Diaries, or Wimpy Kid, I think many readers who like those series will find a lovely story within these pages.

I really love diary format books and the illustrations made this one so much more appealing and fun! I liked Alyssa and how she wrote about everything from being trying to be popular, her issues with her body and changes going on within her and around her. This is some ways reminded me of the Amelia books by Marissa Moss, which I loved as a girl!
I think this will be very appealing to middle grade readers!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

In this autobiographical graphic novel memoir, Alyssa Bermudez is a 12 year-old New Yorker who splits her time between her divorced parents; living at her mom’s place in Queens and visiting her Puerto Rican dad’s apartment in Manhattan. Preoccupied with the everyday musings of a middle school girl, Alyssa writes and illustrates in her diary about the pressures of school, her classmates, her crush Alejandro, her aspiration to become a shoe designer, and her quotidian life along with all of the insecurities that come with being on the cusp of teenagerhood. Bermudez perfectly captures the headspace of an almost-teenager navigating life in the early 2000s; worrying equally about doing well in school in order to get accepted into the high school of her choice, as she does about her crush, her eyebrows, and her friendships.

Suddenly all of Alyssa’s worries seem less important when on September 11, 2001 the Twin Towers in Manhattan come under attack and hundreds of lives are lost. Feeling at a loss along with most New Yorkers during that somber time, Alyssa leans into her love of art in order to process the tragic event, gaining a better understanding of herself.

Bermudez’s coming-of-age story is an enjoyable read that might make you shed a tear or two, and that will equally resonate with those of us that were middle schoolers in the aughts as it will with today’s kids.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Very nice and attractive design, captures readers attention. Cover is inspiring. Hard to find non-fiction writing for young ones now a days.

"Big Apple Diaries" by Alyssa Bermudez
Release Date: 8.17.2021

Alyssa is 12 years old, living in New York City. She splits her time between her Puerto Rican father's apartment in Manhattan and her white mom's apartment in Queens. She loves to doodle her feelings about boys, friends, and her parents. On September 11, 2001, Alyssa's life changes. She no longer worries about gossip and boys; that seems so trivial when there are bigger problems in the world.

What a story! I've noticed so many more books being published about 9/11, and for me, it's difficult to remember that most children today did not experience the attacks, and it's hard to categorize this as "historical fiction." I always think of books about the Revolutionary War, Civil Rights Movement, and other historical moments as historical fiction, not something that is still fresh in my mind. Alyssa summed up how I felt during 9/11.

The illustrations are amazing! I cannot wait to share this book with my afterschoolers. It would be a good book to use for a discussion about 9/11 and the impact it had on kids' lives.


Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read in exchange for an honest review.


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A look into a 7th/8th graders life. The illustrations were so pretty. At times it was hilarious, and others it was very teary eyed. I would recommend this as a read aloud in the classroom that would lead to good discussions on being a middle schooler and the times of Sept. 11th.

A beautiful, touching and sometimes humorous diary-style memoir based on the author’s very own diary from her 7th and 8th grade years. It begins with typical 7th issues such as getting zits, having a crush, trying to get more freedom... Then at the beginning of her 8th grade year, the Twin Towers fall and life changes for her and she begins to figure out who she really is. Lovely illustrations and a very enjoyable book, although at some points painful to read (seeing images or reading about 9/11 is never easy).

<i>Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>