Such a fun read! The premise drew me in: Iggy unintentionally awakens his long dead grandfather. They make a deal: Iggy will bring his grandpa's ashes to an orchid garden, finally at rest, if he will help him win the heart of his crush. On the surface, it's a great rom-com, but what makes CALL ME IGGY stand out is the thoughtful way the author also weaves in a plot-line about Trump's election and its fallout for immigrant communities. SO well done!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. Publishes Feb. 13, 2024!

I thought the story was wholesome. I enjoyed learning about Iggy and about a different culture than my own. I think the book will be very informative but fun for kids.

A solid story about finding your place in society and connecting with your own heritage.

Some thoughts:
- The art style was only alright
- The whole subplot about the US elections was an interesting idea and I wish it had been given a more prominent roll in the overall story
- I didn’t particularly like any of the characters
- The book was neither funny, nor did the more serious parts affect me in any way

While I did enjoy the novel overall, it failed to really get me hooked, so I’d rate it about 3.25 stars.

Received an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Call Me Iggy follows Iggy, a first generation American, who, after stumbling upon his grandfather’s ashes, gets in touch with his Colombian routes and learns more about the immigrant experience. It is set during the run up to and election of 2016 when Trump was elected.

This book was full of heart. Iggy and his brother have different views on politics, which plays out in the story. Marisol, a fellow student who tutors Iggy in Spanish, is a DACA kid, so the election has more stakes for her. The discussion around immigration issues was handed well for the intended age group. I would recommend this book for middle school and high school classrooms.

I wasn't expecting this when I requested it! I really enjoyed the story. It's fun, wholesome, and cute.

The different perspectives of being Latino- American especially during a high-time; 2016 where the political climate faced, a lot of uncertainty for people. I loved Iggy’s self discovery of his heritage and himself. The familial ties weaved into this too was well done. I thought everything tied together nicely at the end, there was no loose ends. Overall, I highly recommend this novel.

4.5 stars! Call me Iggy was a refreshing and new twist on the age old idea of not knowing who we are, both culturally and personally. Iggy travels in spirit with his late grandfather who he has never known. The ghost of abuelo teaches him things that Iggy has struggled with, including his high school Spanish class. But when it becomes apparent that abuelo does not know everything and that his change in perspective and in himself leads to confusion in who he really is... and who he wants to be.

The story telling was fantastic and left no gaps, which I find can happen in graphic novels from time to time. Fluid and fantastic! Cannot wait for the release and to see it in my library so I can recommend it to children and teens and even adults. Iggy's journey is one that many can relate to and provides eye opening insight into the Hispanic culture.

Iggy (Ignacio) is entering his Freshman year of high school in Columbus, OH. He's the child of first generation immigrants from Columbia. He's what they call a Gringo Latino as he doesn't speak Spanish and knows little of his parents' culture. He takes Spanish in order to meet a girl and is having difficulty until one day he knocks over his Abuelito's urn in the basement. From that moment on, he can talk with his grandfather's ghost. So with the help of his grandfather he excels in Spanish until they surpass what his grandfather learned. At that point, he has to seek out the help of a girl from Mexico. She tutors him in exchange for his help cleaning office buildings at night with her family. In the background is the 2016 election and you see how Latinos are afraid (rightly so) of what will happen if Trump is elected.

The book is really well done. You really get a look at different view points from different families and how they think of themselves. I had a very interesting time with this.

This was a fun and insightful graphic novel. I enjoyed the way microaggressions were handled and also how Iggy grew to appreciate and embrace his heritage. A very nice coming of age book.

Thanks to NetGalley and First Second Books did thsi read. I first have to say that the art is what I really enjoyed the most in this book. I looked at several pages before even starting the book because I loved what the cover was offering so I hoped it was the same inside..and it was!!! The story showed how the past and the present collide and shape who we are. It goes further into identity but I prefer that people read it and not give anymore away as it is a graphic novel.

80/100 or 4.00 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good read. It was a good balance of informative without being boring, and still included decent drama and resolution throughout. There were a couple of places that dragged on a bit or felt slightly unnecessary, but I think the readers will like it and the messages for the target audience will connect.

Disclaimer : I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.

Content Warning: racism, deportation, ghosts, death

This was such a good graphic novel. The art was well done, the colours were perfect, and the dialogue was amazing. Each panel was used to it's fully ability and the scenes were depicted so well.

The story itself was really good too - a nice coming of age identity story to really understand who you are and how to showcase that to the world. I appreciated the way Iggy's abuelito helped him learn Spanish, but also about his culture and his identity. I thought the part of the story about learning from your ancestors and always having them close was a really good touch.

This is set in 2016 right as Trump is elected president and I appreciated the fear and hostility that was integrated into the story. It gave me a different perspective of how it impacted people in the US than what I remember at the time.

This releases in February and I highly recommend you check it out!

This comic was something new from what I usually read and I think I didn't enjoy it very much. The story wasn't very catchy to me. Characters could have been done more justice.

I loved this book. It deserves much more than 5 stars.
I couldn't close the book until I finished it. It was truly an exceptional read.

The main character is fantastic, he's funny and does his best for the things he wants, and the secondary characters are just really great. We deal a lot with his grandfather, which I think gets better as the pages go by, starting to show his strong personality. And then we have the love interest, and she is just amazing, she is a strong character who does what needs to be done.
And the family, and the friends, and having a second-first love interest, was just perfection.

The book deals with the theme of culture, the heritage that is passed on to the future generations, or not, and looking for ourselves in culture and as a teenager.

And to demonstrate all this we have stunning drawings. Full of color, strong lines and detailed expression of the characters.

I repeat, and I will say it again, I loved this book and everyone should read it .

First off, I want to thank NetGalley and First Second Books for sending me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was very fast-paced and easy to read while still covering important topics. I read it all in one sitting.

Iggy was born in Ohio and is not in touch with his Colombian heritage, and when the ghost of his abuelito appears after knocking over his ashes, he gets the chance to learn not only more about his heritage, but about his father as well.

It was fun to read about how Iggy would learn from his abuelito and the small mishaps that would sometimes occur. There were also the typical high school things that occurred, like Iggy wanting to impress a girl he liked and his older brother thinking he was “too cool” to be seen with him. But we also saw the way the outcome of the 2016 elections affected the Latine community. Iggy saw how Marisol and her family feared what would happen if Trump became president due to them being undocumented. We also saw how there were different views on Trump even within the Latine community, like with the more neutral stance Iggy’s father had and the way that his brother thought. I think it had a great balance between showing the great things about culture and the Latine community while also showing the issues we have and how we could be more united.

The graphic novel also showed how complicated family can be with how Iggy’s father and grandfather viewed their relationship. There are things that went unsaid between them that neither of them knew, and they have different ways of looking at what the other did wrong, as well as the importance of passing on their tradition and culture onto Iggy and his brother. But we see how assimilation plays a big role in Iggy’s upbringing. Many Latines who immigrate to America choose to assimilate as a way of surviving, and this can affect how they raise their children. However, what we see is that it is never too late to learn more and reconnect with your culture.

Overall, it was a great, quick read. I give it 4.5/5 stars!

4.5 stars

Iggy is a Ohio-born Columbian American content with his life. At least, until he runs into Marisol at school and gets turned into a meme. Now, he’s trying to get back into her good graces–with the help of the ghost of his grandfather. The only problem? His grandfather isn’t the best at giving advice.

As Iggy starts listening to his abuelito, his life starts to unravel. And as the 2016 presidential election starts to get heated, Iggy struggles to figure out his place in the world. Just maybe, reconnecting to his family’s roots will help him to feel more balanced.

Thanks to NetGalley and First Second for an advanced copy of Call Me Iggy by Jorge Aguirre to review! The winter months are going to be great months for graphic novels, if my most recent reading is any indication. This book included!

I liked that this was set during the 2016 presidential election because it shows the anxiety surrounding it, especially for the Latinx community. Iggy’s parents immigrated from Columbia before he was born, distancing themselves from the culture in order to fit in. Connecting with his grandfather’s ghost makes Iggy want to learn more about his background, which includes learning Spanish.

Marisol’s family is such a contrast to his; celebrating their heritage, focusing on a togetherness that Iggy and his family don’t have. I loved the way Iggy and Marisol’s friendship evolved throughout this book, with Iggy on his journey of discovering. The overall story arc works really well.

The art is also fantastic. Rafael Rosado brings Aguirre’s words to life, and there are some truly stunning panels in this book. I was fully immersed in this world.

All in all, if you’re looking for a graphic novel about identity, family, and finding your place in the world, definitely check this book out when it comes out in February!

<blockquote>If you've seen one dictator, you've seen em all.</blockquote>
First of all thanks eternally to Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado and First Second books, And finally NetGalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful Graphic Novel.
I Delayed this because i was a little tired of reading ARCs, i still am, and will probably not ask for any for the rest of the year, So Nothing wrong with the Graphic Novel, i actually read it quite fast for someone who is supposedly in a slump!

if you are Latino this is for you, if you think your ancestors watch over you this is for you it has many beautiful ancestry scenes, if you are interested to see how Trump America hit Latino families who were scared of getting deported this is for you, and more much more, it's a beautiful story i loved it!

Regarding the first sentence Abuelito was awesome, and it doesn't seem that he was bad at giving love advice either, he was way more preceptive than Iggy, and i think it's really important to be preceptive in your relationship, or entering one, preceptive of will the relationship even have a chance to work, preceptive of who might be interested in you and you both can make a way better couple, i honestly think (and this is probably an unpopular opinion) that if it's too much work probably it's not a good idea, if you are going above and beyond just to make someone even notice you or be interested in you, it's probably not a good idea, i love my relationships more when the interest is mutual, our minds align, and i don't care at all if our activities align because i think that would be asking for way too much lol
i saw many of my Egyptian friends saying "we need to marry someone who reads" no you don't, people change, you need way more than sharing a recreational activity with the person you love, because something could happen that make them not even think about it anymore, and not only love honestly friendship too, while it's way easier to make friends with people who do the same activities that you do, friends who shared life with you are way more probable to survive the years, and the winds of change.

And Yeah believe it or not, the above paragraph is coming from reading this Novel, and more actually much more.

<blockquote>- Ugh, wish i was old enough, to vote against that idiot.
- Don't worry, Iggy, Trump will never, ever win.</blockquote>
Famous last words, I don't live in America, i wasn't really interested in American Politics at the time, i am actually still not, but i am watching specially the American/Chinese/Russian situation because it's world ending situation, and more recently, The American/Israeli situation as well because it's close to home and how it's being handled is quite literally catastrophic, There is Suffering in our collective futures for letting this situation go as long as this, and reach a new low after a new low, I Just hope the innocents lost on both sides are in peace right now, or in a better place if there is one.
And i got a little far, because i don't live in America, i didn't see how Trump winning really affected the people he was racist and obnoxious towards, Trump is quiet literally a demagogue, he uses hate to surround himself with ordinary people by catering to their prejudices and desires, Kind of like The Prophet of Islam Muhammad (I am really sorry i can't pass an opportunity without busting that guy's nuts, he lead us all into deep shit, that we can't get out of to this day)
Trump will live a happy life surrounded by his supporters, people who are attracted to his success and so on, What Trump and demagogues like him don't get to see is their effect on people they are verbally harming, and lighting the fires of hate in people's hearts against them, he doesn't get to see it, he doesn't get to see Latino Kids being bullied in school by kids who bought into his bullshit, he doesn't see the genuine fear these people had of getting deported losing their jobs and the lives they made, he doesn't all the effects the hatred he is sewing is going to have on this country for years, just to be a president, and i am honestly not sure if this guy is just smart and knows what buttons to click to get what he wants, or if he is really that horrible.
But Guess what Trump America is most probably going to happen again, the way Biden is dealing with all this Israeli aggression he lost support of The Muslim community in two states who tipped the scales in his favor in the first place (divine comedy) But here is the Thing, i don't think Trump is even anti-isreal he is just a smart guy who saw a situation to shit on his adversary by taking the opposite side and he took it, and if he does get elected again he will give even more leeway to Israel to kill however many people it wants, America is in the palm of AIPAC, and Israel is in the palm of the far right party, and we are in for a lot of ugliness as long as this continues sadly.

Okay i gave you love advice, i spoke my opinion on current political scene, i ll just say Rafael Rosado did an amazing job in illustrating this Graphic novel, artists are more often than not forgotten from our praise sadly, and on to the last quote and the last rant lol

<blockquote>There aren't any Colombians in Columbus Ohio, they named it wrong.</blockquote>
The Latino culture is present and vibrant in this Graphic novel, there was a lot of Spanish i learned gringo amigo novio? i mean i always knew amigo so let's just i learned two new words that i ll forget in 3 days working time!
Spanish is the language of love, Abuelito kept repeating this a few times, and i really love that, i love when a language is synonymous with a certain beautiful thing, the language of art, the language of music, the language of love and so on.
We explored our deep connection to our culture, how going far from it could effect you and your children who might be more interested to going back to their roots, which is the opposite actually of what happened in the Graphic Novel [book:Carole: What We Leave Behind|195460791] where the grandparents stayed true to their roots, and it benefited their grand children when they wanted to explore their culture better.
Overall amazing experience, glad this was my last ARC, and adios from Tawfek de ARC, or was it ARCade Master? ARCtic storm? ARChitect? i had so many goofy names ready for you all, it's really sad i stopped changing my name all the time 😭

I loved this graphic novel about connecting present life with the history of one’s family and how that all affects identity. It also looked at how one event and one person can change the trajectory of your life!

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second for the eARC!

CALL ME IGGY was a fantastic YA graphic novel about an Ohio-born, Colombian American high-schooler learning about himself, his family, and his place in the world. Set amidst the 2016 USA elections, the graphic novel was beautifully illustrated and I loved how Spanish was interwoven throughout the story.

Iggy starts the story fumbling his way through high school, but all that changes when the ghost of his abuelito appears to guide him through life. At the same time, Iggy connects with his classmate, Marisol, who gives him a new perspective on his place in the world.

Iggy's abuelito was such a great, funny character, and I loved how he taught Iggy about their culture. Marisol's story was also a real highlight for me. I loved watching Iggy and Marisol's friendship bloom throughout the story.

I highly recommend this one!

Thanks to NetGalley & First Second Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

The characters were all fantastic and down-to-earth, I especially love the grandfather. It was a very well-written story that was very well illustrated to boot! Highly recommend.