This graphic novel is a must buy for all secondary school libraries. "Weirdo" by Tony Weaver Jr. is graphic memoir that follows young Tony as he faces bullies, mental health challenges, and discovers that a person's true super power is living as their authentic self. Tony is a nerdy Black middle schooler who loves anime, video games, and super heroes. Sadly, his interests make him the target of bullies, and the social isolation leads him to attempt to take his own life. Thankfully Tony fails and his support system ensures that he has access to mental health care. The way this book handles tough topics like mental health and bullying makes it a must buy.

One of my favorite graphic novels of 2024, Weirdo is a fantastic ode to the all the kids who feel like they don't quite belong. Don't be fooled by the fun and bright cover; this one deals with some heavy topics and themes (CW: bullying, suicidal ideation, and off-page suicide attempt). In spite of this, the overall tone is still hopeful, and there's a lot of humor woven in throughout the pages. The scope of the story is surprisingly large, and the protagonist and his friends face several different challenges over the course of the book. I adored the illustrations. I appreciated the quick pace of the chapters. But above all else, I really loved the characters, and I was rooting for them the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second for my advanced copy.

A very honest look at how hellish life can be for a young person that doesn't fit in, and the strength it takes to keep on moving. The bright illustrations, bursts of humor, and "superhero" framing of new characters keep the novel from getting too dark to enjoy. Standout supporting characters are Tony's cousin, English teacher, and therapist.

I received an electronic ARC from First Second Books through NetGalley.
Powerful story from Weaver's childhood. The author offers hope for all those in their early teen years. He shows the struggle he had and offers a look at the mental health help he received. Sadly, too many young people will relate to the bullying and feeling like they don't fit in. A tender tone underlies all of the action and reactions as Tony learns to like himself and figure out who he is. This is told from his memories so readers see how he remembered his parents adding to the pressures until they all sought help. Every story shared helps encourage others to seek help too.
The artwork is cleverly drawn and each character has a distinct style. Readers will see themselves in both the text and the art.

This graphic memoir is about a kid struggling with fitting in. Tony hits rock bottom, but does the work of recovering with the help of people who care about him and learning to love himself.

Having just finished Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo, I was excited to pick up Weirdo. What an amazing story about middle school and its trials and tribulations. Tony has trouble fitting in at his school where he's part of the high achievers. The torment he endures puts him in a very dark place that he has to learn how to handle, while also attending a different school where he hopes to find his people. Tony ends up learning a lot about himself, his classmates, and even different interests. A story of finding your people, learning to love yourself, and being who you are, Weirdo is written so you feel the emotions of Tony, and the artwork matches the story perfectly. This is a great memoir that highlights what it's like to be in middle school today.

Y'all, I love that we're living in a nerdy middle grade black kid renaissance. This was perfect and I really hope this gets picked up as a series :)

I enjoyed this graphic novel. It discusses some very heavy topics like bullying, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. That being said, those topics are discussed in a very kid friendly and appropriate way. This will be a graphic novel that students can relate to, and if one of them is struggling, this may just help them realize that things can get better.

This will be a good addition to middle school graphic novel collection. It does include references, that have a trigger warning at the beginning of the book, to self harm and suicidal ideation, which are handled in an age appropriate manner.

Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr. is easily my favorite graphic novel so far this year. Highly recommend this fantastic story based on the authors lived experience. Bonus points for all the literary references and a love for other incredible authors. Weirdo publishes in September and I look forward to sharing it with readers then!

This is a beautiful graphic novel that looks at bullying, finding light and a place to belong.
This book does talk about self-harm the main character trying to take his life, which is so sad. Tony feels like he can't talk to anyone and that no one will understand. It's hard to see the bullying in this book, especially by the adults too.
I liked that Tony eventually found a place to belong and learned to be more open about how he is feeling.
This book is one that I hope adults will read too, so they can understand a little more of what its like for kids in middle school and how they can help them.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

This graphic novel handles difficult topics in a kid friendly way. I felt like the responses to bullying by adults were real life and the kids really came together in the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! I was a little apprehensive about the book when it briefly touched on the main character’s attempt to take his life - especially for a middle grade book. However, I think it was handled really well and did a really nice job reminding the reader that there is always light on the other side. I love the story of the small band of eclectic students who get together and complement each other in so many ways. The story was inspiring, and I wish it were longer! It was heartbreaking to watch the bullying from students and even staff at the beginning of the book, and it was tough to see the initial lack of support during that time from his parents (not from lack of love but possibly not fully understanding the situation), but it was wonderful to watch his story make a beautiful turn where he found confidence in himself and a core group of people around him that built him up. Such an uplifting story that didn’t shy away from the hard things. But note that it does have brief discussion of self harm, so that might be triggering for some.