Loved this memoir presented in graphic novel form. Students will enjoy this book so I’m excited to add it to my library when it releases. I’m always looking for ways to get more memoirs to the hands of my students so the graphic novel presentation is appreciated.

I love graphic memoirs and I was so excited to read Kathy MacLeod's book since I'm a fan of her work. This was an interesting read and I enjoyed reading about what it was like for her to grow up with two different cultures. I found myself relating to some of her struggles. You could tell that she was genuine and honest in her storytelling. I love that she included photographs of her family.

This is a love letter to Kathy's younger self. I have so much feelings rn after finishing this book. I love how the things she wrote make it true to the future (never beat an Asian mom).

I wanted to hug 11yo Kathy, Idk I feel sad for her 😭 I understand her loneliness. This is a book about fitting in, be honest with your younger self even though it's hard. It made me realize that no family is perfect either:"

THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT (Jennie lives her American dream yay, and sorry about your dad:") AND THE PICTURES ARE SOOOO PRECIOUS 💞💞

This was such a well done graphic novel. I love it when authors use their own lives as writing materials. Seeing Kathy as a young girl in a few spots in the story broke my heart. I just wanted to be her friend. I also enjoyed the art style and some of the pictures had great symbolism. The last thing I have to say is in the acknowledgments I loved how the author included pictures from her own life and made it into a child’s scrapbook style. I look forward to seeing and reading more graphic novels by this author.

Continental Drifter is a graphic memoir by Kathy MacLeod. Kathy's mother is Thai, and her father is American. During the school year, her family lives in Bangkok. Kathy counts down the days until they go to Maine in the summer. While in Maine, Kathy struggles with not fitting in. She is divided by the two countries that make her her. I enjoyed learning about Kathy's experiences. She is relatable, and readers will enjoy getting to know her and her journey. This is a wonderful story about cultural identity and self-discovery.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely memoir in the form of a graphic novel. Will easily find its place on classroom and library shelves.

Continental Drifter is an adorable graphic memoir by Kathy MacLeod, perfect for Middle grades. This engaging and thoughtful book is more than a true story; it represents the feelings many of us experience when living away from our original birth places. Through the eyes of the author's younger self, the words and pictures capture the mood beautifully. Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to review this eARC in exchange for my honest review on the book!

Many readers will connect with the author in this memoir about trying to figure out where exactly she fits in. Kathy has connections to two different places, two different races, and struggles with fitting in either place or with either race. So many have this same experience and will find connections with Kathy! And it is told in a way that any middle schooler will connect with, even if they’re not exactly dealing with the same situation as Kathy.

What a cute read! Not only does Kathy struggle with growing up in general, but she feels torn between the different world of her culture. The illustrations were so sweet and I think a lot of kids can relate to this one regardless of cultural background while also developing understanding, respect, and empathy for others - we've all been at a point when we feel lost and that we don't belong. I plan on adding this one to my classroom library and know it will be passed around frequently. Thanks for the ARC!

This is a really good look at different cultures and different parts of families and how they can affect a child's upbringing.
Kathy, likes going to America for the summer with her dad's family, but she also wants to learn more and know more about both sides of her family.
A really lovely graphic novel that explores different cultures and families.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

A warm and loving look back at a girl who grows up between two worlds and cultures, and is always looking for the place where she'll fit in.

This is such a good story! I love graphic novels and stories of how people live. We see Katy, who lives in Thailand and comes to America with her family each summer to visit her dad's side of the family. She even gets to go to sleep away summer camp. She has all these thoughts and feelings on how everything will go and writes about them in her journal. This would be wonderful for a middle school classroom or home library.

What a surprise! Continental Drifter has got to be one of my top books of the year! A middle-grade graphic novel examining the author's cultural identity crisis, I found her incredibly relatable on that front and also within family dynamics as well. She targeted emotions that I could never put to words. Like hers, my family also drifted to our individual "islands" whenever home, but that wasn't something easily shareable compared to other families around me. We ate at separate mealtimes at home. I saw my parents in how she described her parents' relationship.

MacLeod also captures the heart of what it feels like to want to fit in, finally fitting in towards the end (e.g. of the camp), and then for something awkward to happen that bursts your bubble. I found myself tearing up throughout the book for how much I saw myself in her, and I have no doubt that many other girls reading this book can see themselves in her too. A great read and highly recommended to all.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Continental Drifter.

This graphic memoir was honest, beautiful, and heart-felt. I felt as though I was walking in Kathy's shoes and seeing the world through her eyes. This is a great read for kids, teens, and adults.

A relatable story, regardless of background, about trying to fit in, not knowing the family history, etc.

Continental Drifter is marketed as a middle-grade graphic memoir, but I found it highly enjoyable as an adult. Kathy contrasts her summers visiting family in Maine with her life in Thailand. She explores themes such as anxiety, feelings of hopefulness, and racism in a way that is accessible for younger readers. The illustrations are beautiful, and colorful yet aesthetically pleasing.
This was a great read, and I will definitely be purchasing for my library.

Kathy is growig up in Thailand with her Thai mom, her American dad, and her sister. She feels torn - she feels Thai and American, but also neither. She is afraid she doesn't fit in anywhere. She always looks forward to spending the summer in Maine with her dad's family, and is thrilled when she finds out she is going to get to go to summer camp. But when camp doesn't live up to her dreams, Kathy has to re-evaluate who she thinks she really is.

A somewhat morose memoir about the author as a pre-teen and her feelings of isolation within her family and broader culture. It explores the experiences of mixed ethnicity children and the sense of belonging to both and neither at the same time. Isolation permeates the text, which is both impressive and somehow draining to read.

I absolutely ADORED this graphic novel about a girl tied between two countries and two cultures. Kathy's dad is from Maine and her mom is from Thailand. She spends the school year in Bangkok and the summers in Maine. And while she enjoys things about both countries, she doesn't feel like she completely belongs to one or the other.

Kathy's memoir takes us through a summer of her childhood while she thinks about family, culture, summer camp and blueberry pie.

The artwork is simplistic but in a way that feels cozy and nostalgic. It reminded me of reading "Amelia's Notebook" growing up.

A biracial Thai and white young woman reflects on a family trip to her father's Maine hometown and her time spent at summer camp. It's a warm tale of not fitting in. It's a fine book, but the art is very compelling. The style is watercolor, but the simple dot eyes really makes it feel like the art of communication a child's understanding of the world. There is no tidy ending but an view of understanding her family and the world just a bit better.