Great graphic novel about friendship and identity. Sharee Miller's art is always wonderful. Excited to see more from this series!

Sharee Miller's Curlfriends: New in Town is a delightful and vibrant addition to the world of middle-grade graphic novels. It offers readers an engaging story that celebrates friendship, individuality, and the beauty of natural hair.
The story follows Charlie, a young girl who has just moved to a new town and is navigating the challenges of starting over in a new school. As Charlie tries to find her place and make new friends, she grapples with the pressure to fit in and the desire to stay true to herself. The book's title, Curlfriends, hints at a central theme: the unique and special bond that forms between friends who embrace and celebrate their natural curls.
Miller's artwork is a standout feature of the book. The illustrations are bold and colorful, capturing the energy and emotions of the characters beautifully. Each panel is thoughtfully crafted, with expressive faces and dynamic compositions that draw readers into Charlie's world. The vibrant color palette enhances the story's upbeat tone and highlights the diversity and individuality of each character.
The narrative is both heartwarming and relatable. Miller skillfully portrays the ups and downs of friendship and the challenges of adjusting to new environments. Charlie's journey is one of self-discovery and empowerment, as she learns to appreciate her unique qualities and build meaningful connections with others. The story is peppered with moments of humor and tenderness, making it an enjoyable read for children.
One of the most commendable aspects of Curlfriends: New in Town is its positive representation of natural hair. Miller does an excellent job of showcasing the beauty and versatility of curly hair, addressing common insecurities, and promoting self-love. The book's message is clear: embracing one's natural self is a powerful and liberating experience.
The dialogue is natural and authentic, capturing the voices of young characters convincingly. The interactions between Charlie and her new friends are genuine and endearing, reflecting the complexities and joys of forming new relationships. The book also touches on important themes such as diversity, acceptance, and the importance of being true to oneself.
Curlfriends: New in Town is a charming and inspiring read that will resonate with young readers, especially those who may have experienced similar feelings of being the new kid in town. Sharee Miller has created a wonderful story that not only entertains but also empowers and encourages readers to embrace their individuality. This book is a must-read for anyone looking for a heartfelt and visually stunning story about friendship and self-acceptance. The students in my diversity graphic novel class really enjoyed this book. They mentioned that it was one of their favorites.
#CurlfriendsNewinTownAGraphicNovel #NetGalley

- Loved the message about being yourself and your people will find you
- Enjoyed the different personalities that are present and how they all fit
- Great development of the relationship between the main character and her father

It really doesn't get any better than Curlfriends for middle grade graphic novels. This sweet story about making friends and allowing others to see your true self belongs in every middle grade library collection!

This book is like peak Hollywood middle school drama and issues. What that means is that like these problems aren't really problems people have in middle to this degree. "Curlfriends" is about this new girl moving to a new town and trying to fit in.

Because I am a high school senior and not a 12 year old middle school girl, I didn't really connect to them very much (since I didnt even feel this way when I was in middle school) and thought some of our main character's actions to be frustrating. If I was in middle school, I probably would've loved it. But I think for people that look like our main characters, they will feel represented by them, which I think it is nice.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

The art is comfortable and friendly, deceptively simple and attractively colored by Luke Healy. I enjoyed spending time with these girls and even with almost 300 pages, I wish we got more.

This was a book about being yourself. Friends are hard to make it at any age but when you spend your life constantly being the new kid, making friends can be hard to do. Coming into a new school three weeks after start makes it even harder. This is a sweet graphic novel about not only being a good friend but about being yourself. It’s got a great message and a fun story for any age.

I am a huge fan of a certain type of graphic novels, and this one definitely fits in my niche. I really enjoyed the book I mean there’s really not much more for me to say about a graphic novel because usually it’s really either you really really like the book or you didn’t and I really liked it

Charlie is new in town, after moving (hopefully for the last time) to her dads childhood neighborhood. Charlie and her family have lived all over the world as her dad used to be in the military. Charlie has always struggled to make new friends, especially knowing she's going to be in town for such a short amount of time. However, this time is different as she knows she going to be here for a while, so she sets out to put her best foot forward and make a good first impression on her first day. Things are off to a great start with her new contacts, outfits, and done up hair. Things quickly go bad when a janitor accidently dumps a bucket of water on Charlie's head when she's walking into the building, but things turn around quickly for her when a classmate named Nola saves the day and fixes her hair. Nola comes to the rescue again at lunch time and during science when she gives Charlie a place to sit and a group to work with for their science project. Through the course of the book we see Charlie become better friends with Nola, Cara, and Ella, though she tries really hard not to come on too strong and call them her friends too quickly. And things get hairy when Charlie is discovered to be hiding who she truly is just to try and fit in. But good friends, like Nola, Cara, and Ella, stick around whole you try to figure out who you are, and encourage you to be your most authentic self, which was exactly the reassurance that Charlie needed.

This book was so sweet and felt very true to my own high school experience, of wanting to reinvent yourself with a new school (and I didn't even switch school districts). There were so many times I wanted to yell at Charlie to stop hiding her interests, as these girls clearly wanted to get to know the real her, but alas, that is every middle school girls downfall. I loved this book. And it was full of representation, not just in our main characters but also in the whole school shots we see in different panels throughout. It was so great to see how easy writing an inclusive book can be. I hope there will be more from this author in the future!

I loved this Babysitter's Club-esque graphic novel about making friends at a new school and being true to yourself. I think a lot of kids will enjoy this book and find it reflects their experiences.

This was ADORABLE. I loved the concept and the art is fantastic. It's a wonderful middle grade graphic novel that I hope finds homes in many classrooms and libraries.

This was so cute and the perfect message for this target audience! What i loved most about this story is how i connected with it. I was a child that was a big people pleaser. I think we should teach children to be unapologetically themselves and to never change for friends.

The strained relationship that she had with her father was interesting but resolved in the lightest, cutest way.

I would def recommend

Charlie is a military brat, who is finally moving to a more permanent home, but it happens to be the hometown of both of her parents. Her dad is reconnected with his childhood best friend. Her mom is working more hours and busier than ever before. And Charlie - who needs to make a good first impression at school - has a pail of water dropped on her head before she can even get into the building.

Curlfriends is a middle-grade graphic novel that’s good for any age. The story is layered and explores the complexities of fitting in, making friends and life changes. The graphic novel can easily be read in a single sitting. I’m looking forward to the next installments.

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for this ARC

Curlfriends is an adorable middle grade graphic novel. The story follows Charlie as she starts her first year of middle school in a new town. Charlie has moved around a lot because her dad was in the Air Force. After a few false starts Charlie finds a true group of new friends. This is a great story about being true to yourself!

This book was simply a delight.

The art was clean and clear, with well defined and differentiated characters.

The story was relatable and really illustrated that tough time of wanting to be included and liked SO BADLY but failing at being yourself. This ultimately uplifting story is light in tone but full of reality and heart.

This story of friendship, self-love, family, and school spaces is perfect for fans of the Berrybrook Series and Telgemeier. I hope this world, family, and group of friends is quickly revisited.

The description of this book states that it is "New Kid meets The Baby-sitter's Club," and I 100% agree. As a children's librarian, I am very excited to have another title to pull out of my pocket when whichever BSC graphic novel or Raina Telgemeier is inevitably checked out. I also extra love that it follows this vibe without being an adaptation the way BSC and Sweet Valley are. I feel like most original GNs I've read have been fantasy/sci-fi vibes, which is fun, but it's nice to have GNs with new, refreshing stories. I don't read a ton of sequels to children's literature, as there are so many to keep up with, but this is one I'm excited to keep reading!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I could not stop reading this amazing story. As an adult I kept thinking, just be yourself and you will have friends. I forgot what it was like to be new at school during those hard middle school years. This book was wonderful and will resonate with generations to come.

Curlfriends took me back to middle school. As an individual born into a traveling lifestyle because your family lives a military life, it can be culture shock to wake up and be in a small town filled with people that know your mom and dads whole life story. Who are you? Who do you need to be? Who do you want to be? The main character in this book addresses these questions head in as she tells you about her life making friends in a new to her school but, an old I know your dad ‘school.’

I love the characters in this book. Charlie reminds me of me when I was in middle school, and it's refreshing to see that portrayed as well as characters who help her to see what's great about herself, and the importance of being herself in relationships. I'll recommend this to fans of Smile, New Kid, and Invisible Emmie.