I wanted to like this book... I really did! I felt like this book went in too many directions and covered too many topics. First, the main character is dealing with the divorce of his parents and the embarrassment he feels at school, and then WHOOSH...about face! He's also dealing with his sexuality and other issues. It was just too unfocussed for my liking and I think kids will feel the same.

I honestly did not love this book. The story line seemed very flat and lacking. A lot of the story revolving around the child staring straight ahead in silence; and the parent as well. I felt a lot more could have been inserted to make the point while moving the story along.

As a huge fan of comics and graphic novels, this book was a 5 star book for me.

I loved how the focus of this book was having tough conversations, especially conversations that adults are not accustomed to having with their children. The accountability even the father had to take when Lonnie expressed certain emotions or thoughts about the things he’s heard his father say.

Even in the facial expressions and body language of this book, translated over so well. You could tell what Lonnie and his dad were feeling even without words.

This book is perfect for parents with children, especially knowing that they’ll grow up and these conversations need to be had at some point.

I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book.


I volunteered to read a copy of this ARC through NetGalley

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The cover drew me in. The boy sitting in the car with his seatbelt on spiked my curiosity. Writing the book as a graphic novel helped me visualize the boy’s thoughts while having conversations with his parents while being driven between houses.

The same phase of being young, gifted beautiful and black shows children that they can do anything instead of putting themselves down or by others.

The book addressed topics that wouldn’t otherwise be had other than the car. At times the car is a safe space to bring up questions about what is going on at school or with other friends/students.

The author made the book become a starting and off point for conversations families or a young person’s inner circle to have those discussions,

The last pages left it up to the reader to imagine the thoughts going through the boy’s head. I did enjoy that he drew pictures as an expression of his feelings. At the end the last picture shows the kids in the middle and the parents on either end. Families can be separated but still come together when it matters.

Lawrence Lindell’s graphic novel for grades 2-5 hits on divorce, exploring sexuality, name-calling and sincere apologies and, for the most part, all in discussions among those in cars. I don’t know how many kids will snap to the truth of that, but I can remember how much easier it was to tackle some subjects in the car with my children as we all faced forward than it was to sit face to face on a couch or dining room table! The topics covered by Lindell are important in the lives of families and need to be discussed openly and hopefully, before they become a serious issue, but the book felt a little contrived and like it was working too hard to be sure that some biggies were checked off the list of needed conversations. The realistic graphic panels were well-drawn and supported the dialogue between Lonnie, his sister and parents, however, I never felt terribly connected to any of them. Libraries with ample funds may want to consider this one for their graphic novel collections, but if money is tight, there are others that may meet the same needs. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence. Representation: Black family, one classmate has two moms, Lonnie is pondering his own sexuality and currently comes up with bisexual as the way he is feeling, one set of divorced parents.

Lonnie's family is changing. His parents have divorced and he and his sister are fighting a lot. He misses his dad and the way things used to be. The short rides to school just aren't the same. He's just trying to figure out life and how to navigate his new normal.

What I liked about this book: I think this book has potential to help out some younger middle grade readers who are going through a similar situation in their families. I liked that the family eventually pursues therapy together to figure out how to co-exist post-divorce. I also liked the fact that the bulk of the story takes place during car rides. It helps keep things moving.

What I didn't like: The artwork felt very unfinished and repetitive. I also didn't enjoy how it seemed that the story seemed to attempt to shoe-horn in any and all issues that could even potentially come up in a family (divorced or not) and it didn't always feel organic or realistic.

This book would be good for kids who's parents are going through a divorce, as it help them navigate their feelings. However, I think that is the only audience for this book.

I definitely will be recommending this book to my middle grade kiddos!!! These students are dealing with so many issues outside of the classroom and if I can send a book their way to help them deal with a difficult topic, I certainly will do so! I can see some of my students in the characters displayed in this book. I want them to know that they are not alone in dealing with the feelings that they have and hopefully shed some light on some answers to their questions. It’s so important for these students to see themselves in the books that they read. I want to than NetGalley for the ARC given to me. It was a great book and I want to share it with others!!!

The idea behind the comic is brilliant. First of all, graphic novels are so popular among middle grades. It allows a visual representation of emotions and thoughts without words being attached. This graphic novel also deals with real life emotions and problems that they may experience and not know how to deal with it themselves.

This book centers around a young queer boy and his relationship with his dad after his parents divorce. I really wanted to like the book, but it fell flat for me. There are a lot of pages where the characters are just staring ahead into space with quizzical expressions. They’re really cute and poignant, but it’s A LOT of pages of just that. The illustrations are gorgeous, though. I feel bad giving this book only 3 stars but it just didn’t give me the feels like I thought it would.

An excellent young graphic novel! Simple art and text conveys really deep and meaningful conversations.

Filled with important topics young people manage, this graphic novel invites readers on each car ride with Lonnie, the main character. With recently divorced parents, Lonnie is trying to figure out his new life.

Each page is designed with consistent panels and intentional colors and reactions. The car ride is the perfect setting as Lonnie has conversations with his dad about racism, sexuality, and divorce.

Recommended for middle grade students looking to relate to big changes and questions in life.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #RandomHouse children’s for the ARC!

The story had a good pace and The topics of conversation were realistic, with recently divorced parents something that happens in life, it gave the kids perceptive great, made it a relatable character. I let my son take a peak at this story and he said the art was good and he enjoyed how the boys view.

Buckle Up is a story about a kid with recently divorced parents that (as the title may suggest) takes place mostly in a car. Divorce is hard, especially when you can remember it. Lonnie is angry and embarrassed because of his parents' divorce and how other people feel about it, and is given the space to feel that way, though his troublemaking behavior because of it isn't excused. Mental health and queerness, and the problematic stereotypes of both, were discussed. The father held some ill opinions, but through discussions with Lonnie, his opinions were reformed. I liked Lonnie's relationship with his sister as it felt very realistic--lots of arguments, though they still love each other. I feel as if the mom wasn't as present throughout the book except for the "young, intelligent, and Black" joke. The ending felt like it cut off abruptly. I was expecting more pages when NetGalley wouldn't let me swipe anymore, and then I saw 243/243 at the bottom of the page.

The art style is simple and uses a lot of copy and pasting of panels. I think it is fine in moderation but it was used a LOT in this graphic novel. I know cars (and backgrounds in general) are hard to draw, but most of the backgrounds were white voids. I liked how during arguments, Lonnie and his father appeared to be sitting farther away from each other, but when things are fine they are closer together. I also liked the use of color.

This is a good story for younger kids dealing with divorced parents and other struggles to read. I know I am older than the target demographic, yet I still derived some enjoyment from it--though my issues with the art and the abrupt ending brought it down a few stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A solid graphic novel focusing on what it's like for a tween navigating the new "normal" of his life, when his parents get divorced. As a child of divorce, I can totally relate to this character and all the confusing thoughts going through his head. Our house v. Dad's house; thinking everyone is talking about me and my parents' divorce. Learning how to talk to the parents about feelings/confusion etc. I liked how the author used the outline character drawings to represent what thought were going through Lonnie's head. Things he wanted to say out loud but was afraid to. Kids who may be going through a divorce will gravitate to this book

4 stars

Little Lonnie needs a hug, and you will want to give him one so many times while reading his story in this charming middle grade graphic novel!

Lonnie's parents have recently divorced, and his struggle with this is real. This situation is handled so authentically, and I think many young readers (and perhaps their parents/guardians) will also benefit from some good reminders about how difficult this scenario can be for kids. Lonnie's interactions with his mom, dad, and sister (with whom he has the most hilarious fighting method) are at the core of this heartfelt exploration.

One area where I'd have appreciated more focus is in a somewhat difficult exchange between Lonnie and his dad regarding sexuality. It happens quickly, but Lonnie's dad expresses some heteronormative perspectives that lean into the realm of homophobia. While Lonnie does not share this opinion and confidently calls out his dad, I wish this section had been further developed to clarify a fully accepting perspective, especially since there are some also brief mentions of Lonnie's sexuality. For me, this is too big of an issue to be touched on this lightly. I'd have liked a clearer YOU ARE WELCOME HERE thread.

I'm looking forward to sharing all of Lonnie's critical car convos with my students in the near future.

This book is a graphic novel about a boy struggling with his families divorce. It gives a great first hand perspective of how an adolescent deals with his feelings about divorce. I felt that some of the storyline was a little unclear (like at the start of ch. 2) and there was a very brief sexuality conversation that seemed irrelevant.

An engaging and quick read, this well-written story imparts a valuable lesson for both parents and children—emphasizing the importance of refraining from quick judgments and hasty comments. Particularly beneficial for middle schoolers navigating the complexities of newly separated or divorced parents, the narrative also offers support for kids grappling with uncertainty about their own sexuality. The illustrations, while not reaching the heights of fantastical, purposefully maintain a rudimentary style. Diverse drawing techniques distinguish between Lonnie's internal musings and the more detailed depictions of his interactions with family and friends. Notably, the majority of the narrative unfolds within the confines of either his mom's or dad's car, underscoring a symbolic journey throughout the book.

While I did not love the art style personally, the character expressions are very clear and may entice reluctant readers with the minimal text and emphasis on art driving the plot. The book is quick, but still offers positive representation for children of divorced parents and what it might look like to come out as bisexual.

Strong, but not strong enough. Pretty awkward art style and little to no meaningful character growth, especially with regard to Lonnie's unexpected declaration of bisexuality. It was out of nowhere, and then it isn't explored again. This would have benefited from cutting down on some of the more superfluous panels and adding more character exploration in the text.