4.5 stars rounded up! I really enjoyed this. It wasn't afraid to show the messiness of being a teenager and figuring out who you are/how you fit in with the people around you. Characters make mistakes and hurt each other but find ways to grow and apologize. Really loved following Phoebe and i'd absolutely recommend this book to teens! CW transphobia, homophobia, absent parent, domestic violence, misogyny. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book actually really surprised me! At first, I really did judge the book by its cover and thought I wasn’t going to like it. However, I was pleasantly surprised! This book was amazing on so many levels… the trans representation was great, the overall message of the book was also great as well. I loved how the book taught that you don’t always need a man and there are many things that would make you a girl. Overall, the book had amazing elements of not only girl empowerment, but trans empowerment as well. In a way, it was like a trans mean girls, but better!

Thanks to NetGalley &HarperCollins Children's Books for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a tough read and even tougher to rate. The artstyle is GORGEOUS. And each character has a distinct design and no one feels "samey" in terms of design. However...the story is very lacking and in some ways, problematic. Plenty of uncomfortable slurs hurtled casually throughout the book. And it doesn't really get addressed by the target of said slurs, which leaves a bad taste.

There is a LOT being said in this graphic novel and it's almost very overwhelming with how many societal boulders it throws in your face. It's almost very heavy handed and fast-paced with how it delivers certain societal criticisms. They're not *wrong* technically, but it's just...never delivered in an organic way.

And some of the things the protagonist DOES work on, such as her surfing and parent problems, is sidelined in favor of stupid love triangle drama. I really liked her surfing and nerdy stuff but all of it took backseat to the societal criticisms being yeeted at the reader.

Doesn't help that every single character in the book except for the surfer girl and her own father is an absolute JERK to the protagonist. So it's really hard to enjoy.

Well, one thing I did like is how the book subverted the classic "first nerd you meet is actually the real nice guy not the jock" trope. I really enjoyed that, I will say. If the internet taught me anything is that the "nerds" are just as bad as "jocks" with misogynistic views and rampant transphobia, etc.

It still got bogged down by the fast-paced writing and lack of breathing room for the protagonist to grow as a person. I still think it's a decent enough YA graphic novel that it should be in the collection but I'll be hesitant in suggesting it due to the slurs.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. It's a fun concept that combines the movie Clueless with a trans character. Unfortunately, there were so many instances of transphobia and toxic relationships (both romantic and platonic) that they book wasn't really enjoyable.

I loved the art style! Very beautiful and I can tell a lot of work went into the illustration. The growth between the characters was very good! I like how both Mackenzie and Phoebe developed as characters. Some of the language I felt was a little too much I didn't like how the D slur was just thrown in.

The main concentration of this graphic novel was how the female interact with the patriarchy that's forced upon us. I wasn't a fan of either of Phoebe's boyfriends and I'm glad she didn't take either of them back. I liked how it started as Phoebe trying to fit in and turned into her being her authentic self. I was glad when Phoebe and Mackenzie made up and became friends again.

This definitely gave me Mean Girls vibes, except the MC is trans. Phoebe is starting over in LA and learning how to be a girl. Her dad, bless his heart, is trying, and her mother is not around. The popular girl Mackenzie takes Phoebe under her wing, but doesn’t have her heart in the right place. I enjoyed the messy friendships, and the shithead boys, and just watching Phoebe figure out who she is and loving herself.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Girlmode follows Phoebe, a trans girl, as she moves in with her dad and starts a new high school in LA. Even though she just wants to blend in and stay under the radar, she's soon taken under the wing of a popular girl, Mackenzie. This graphic novel follows Phoebe as she tries to adjust to her new life in LA and have friends and relationships, and all of the emotions, both good and bad, that come with them.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel and had a great time seeing Phoebe come out of her shell and become who she is. There are definitely some hardships along the way and some struggles that were realistic to high school aged young adults in general, and especially so for trans people.

I thought the art was amazing and I loved that it was in full colour. This art style really lets you see the emotions in the character's faces.

There are quite a few serious topics in this graphic novel, and my one criticism of this graphic novel is that it didn't seem to fully acknowledge these issues beyond a few comments before quickly moving on. In particular Phoebe's estranged relationship with her mother (it appears directly related to her being trans) and also sexual harassment. I would have liked a little bit more discussion about these topics. There were definitely a lot of red flags in this so that's something to be aware of if it could be triggering to you.

Thank you to Harper360 and Netgalley for this eARC.

I feel like this book was problematic in so many ways. I think there was some sensitivity topics that were blatantly ignored such as homophobic/transphobic language and slurs, abusive relationship dynamics (friend and romantic), child neglect (the relationship with Phoebe’s mother was glossed over), the sexual harassment/potential sexual assault (unwanted groping). Those were the key issues but I’m sure I’m missing some. I think this book was so out of touch and the only reason I’m giving 2 stars is because of the artwork but really it’s 1.5 rating. What truly bothers me is this was written by women and yet all of this triggers/issues were glossed over.

Phoebe is hoping that a new school in a new state will enable her to start fresh, to be herself without the baggage of her old life. Instead, she finds out that everyone already knows — she’s the transgirl. Phoebe meets Ben, a classmate who plays Myths & Monstrosities and likes Star Graph as much as she does, and Mackenzie, who takes a decided interest in Phoebe’s future. But even with Phoebe making friends, it’s all still overwhelming.

Mackenzie’s group of friends is suddenly Phoebe’s friends; Mackenzie teaches Phoebe how to dress, takes her shopping for clothes and makeup, and has decided opinions on who Phoebe should and shouldn’t associate with. Ben is interested, but Mackenzie offers up Ethan, who is not only tall, dark, and handsome, but who is also socially acceptable … and who Phoebe falls in for almost instantly.

But all isn’t as it seems. Is Mackenzie controlling too much of Phoebe’s life? Is Ben right, that Ethan will drop her when she’s no longer the flavor of the month? It’s easy to push those thoughts away until Phoebe decides to take up surfing, and suddenly Ethan isn’t quite as interested. Between two boys and Mackenzie’s controlling behavior, Phoebe doesn’t know what to do.

This graphic novel is, first and foremost, beautiful to look at. It’s nice to see a comic where the transgender girl is still shown to be physically caught in that in-between state. Her waist isn’t tapered in, she’s slightly taller in the group shots than other girls, her shoulders are broader, and when she’s going through bouts of heartbreak and depression, her stubble growth in leg and arm hair are used to show her emotional state. It is easy to read the facial expressions on all the characters and every panel flows together well. It’s just a lovely, easy to read book.

Then there’s the writing. With Jane Eyre in the background to show the duality of Phoebe’s situation — of being what she’s told to be as opposed to being who she wants to be, and the people who hinder and help at the same time — the story takes Phoebe through four important relationships: Mackenzie, Ethan, Ben, and her surfing teacher, the only character who isn’t a high schooler.

Mackenzie has some baggage, but it’s never brought up, as this is Phoebe’s story and she’s the focus. Mackenzie is quick to to talk Phoebe through how hard it is to be a girl, to have to be pretty and desirable, while not offering yourself up; about being strong enough to protect yourself and stand up for your friends, while still being soft enough, gentle enough, and weak enough that a boy thinks that he can protect you and care for you. Her comments are heavy handed because she’s trying to warn Phoebe of the pain in the world, pain she has probably endured and doesn’t want Phoebe to go through.

For all that, Mackenzie is controlling, possessive, stubborn, and frightened of being vulnerable. She’s quick to insult people who aren’t in her friend group, and when she does something wrong — like slut shaming a girl, or lashing out at Phoebe’s transness in an effort to control and hurt her — she’s not quick to apologize. And yet, she means well. She just has set ideas on what girlhood is and what she thinks is best for other people. Mackenzie’s not a monster; she’s a teenager. Phoebe’s friendship with Mackenzie is so beautifully done, as the two girls realize they want different things out of life, and still want to be with each other. They are each valid in their own way, and it’s fine that they walk slightly different paths. Their sisterhood is one of the highlights of the book.

Ethan is fine with having a transgender girlfriend, until some of her less traditionally feminine traits show up, like when Phoebe starts building muscle because of her surfing lessons. And the fact that she takes lessons at all, more interested in surfing herself than watching him surf. He’s afraid of being seen as less, as less than straight and as not “being the guy” in the relationship, and it has him making choices that leave Phoebe hurting and vulnerable.

Which is where Ben comes in. Ben wanted Phoebe as a friend and then as more than a friend. When Mackenzie pulled her away, Ben was upset, and with good reason, and when Phoebe tries getting back into his good graces, Ben eventually forgives her. However, when he realizes having a trans girlfriend gets him notice and approval, it goes to his head. Suddenly it’s not Phoebe as his girlfriend; it’s Phoebe his trans girlfriend.

In addition to Phoebe’s relationship with Mackenzie, the other highlight for me is Phoebe’s dad. He is coming to terms with being a single parent of a teenage daughter, and the illustrator does a great job of showing his confusion and stress and how hard he’s trying to wrap his head around the new person his child has become, while still wanting to have the strong father-child bond they’ve had in the past. Phoebe’s mother is not in the picture after her daughter’s transition. And her father’s conversation with his ex wife when he asks her for help in dealing with his daughter and dating show a man who truly cares and puts work into being a dad. And the conclusion of his arc is drawn so well and sympathetically. While he’s only present in less than a dozen pages, it’s clear that he’s there for his daughter in every aspect.

All in all, this is just a lovely book about a young woman learning that the different people in her life, good and bad, will give her experiences she wouldn’t have had on her own. Shopping, movies, surfing, parties, breakups, forgiveness, and friendships. I’d recommend to this to anyone and everyone who likes happy slices of life with strong, sympathetic characters and a focus on friendship and family, both found and born.

I thought this was a sweet and emotional young adult graphic novel that I'm sure will make a lot of teens feel scene. It dragged on a bit for me in the middle, but overall was an enjoyable read.

This was a wonderful graphic novel depicting the life of a transgender girl taking on high school in a new city. The story explores girlhood and what it means to be a girl while showing the toxicity that many girls face (along with the challenges of being a teen!).

I would say this was a fun and easy read.

3.75

This was a great graphic novel that not only showed a trans girl taking her first real steps in being a girl, but it also showed a cis girl unlearning the toxic views she had about being a woman. There were great moments between Phoebe and Mackenzie that showed Makenzie forcing her views of womanhood/girlhood on Phoebe; Mackenzie removing Phoebe's jacket in the first chapter is a great example of the subtle ways Mackenzie dictating how Phoebe should dress.

However, the constant use of the word "dyke" is why I'm giving an otherwise great read a low star rating. This trend I have noticed in media dealing with queer experiences-especially queer realizations-having their intentionally uniformed character using derogatory language incessantly takes away from actually writing moments of depth. In a single panel, "dyke" was said four times. In a single, horizontal panel during a discussion of how women have to try hard to look pretty, but not too hard or they'll be called a slut. A deep conversation between two teenage girls about the reality they have to deal with became insufferable and laughable because "dyke" had to be inserted when lesbian was used not two panels ago. There were better ways to show Makenzie's toxicity like the above mentioned jacket removal, her steering Phoebe away from anything nerdy, ignoring Phoebe's dysphoria after her breakup, and the climax of their relationship when Makenzie says very crude things to/about Phoebe.

This is not a unique problem to Girlmode, it is just the newest one and I'm over with this writing cop out.

This was a decent graphic novel read, though probably too mature for my middle grade students. I like that the story addresses both issues that all girls face as well as the unique challenges that come with being trans. Phoebe's new best friend is a little overwhelming, but she hits the nail on the head several times when teaching Phoebe about the unfair expectations girls face every day. Reading the interactions with boys was a little hard as an adult--can you say RED FLAGS--but I know as a young person it's easy to overlook those things when you're desperate for affection and acceptance.

I thought this was very, very good. I think it’s an excellent book for teens to read because it shows the importance of being yourself and how to navigate relationships to find your true friends.

The new graphic novel written by Magdalene Visaggio with art from Paulina Ganucheau, tells the story of Phoebe Zito, a recently transitioned girl as she tries to figure out who she is—while trying to manage who everyone else wants her to be. I don't want to bury the lead, so let's get this out of the way; the book is amazing. I did not get to experience life as a teenage girl, let alone one growing up in the current time. Still, Visaggio's writing makes Pheobe's experience at once deeply personal and also able to be understood by anyone who has had to figure out who they want to be. The art by Ganucheau is a perfect fit for the story being told. It is beautiful and never undercuts the serious message being portrayed by the writing.
Phoebe has recently moved to a new town with her Dad after transitioning. Her mother has issues with her choices, but all she wants is to keep her head down and get through the day. Almost from the moment she walks into her new school, she is being pulled in multiple directions with both the geeks and socialites (apologies, not sure what the current hip titles of the cliques would be today) wanting to claim her as one of their own. Neither side is seen as being wholly right or wrong, and her relationship with both sides is complex. We follow Pheobe as she navigates both sides and eventually starts to figure out the things and people who matter to her. I have rarely read a book that made me wince, cry, and want to shout with joy all in the same 200-odd pages.
All in all one of favorite graphic novels of the year and I think you should pick this one up as quick as you can.

It’s hard enough being a teen but add in the extra challenges of being new at school in a new town, your mom doesn’t accept you, and you’ve newly transitioned and you’ve found Phoebe. Everyone goes through periods of trying to understand who they are and where they fit in the world and this story is no exception. Phoebe is also new to being a girl and everyone in the school seems to notice. She has to figure out who really has her best interest in mind and who might be using her - among friends and boyfriends. Great read! Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

*3.5/5*

Overall, I enjoyed this contemporary story of a trans girl figuring out what being a girl means, specifically what it means for her. I liked that the message gave us a not every girl needs to be or is going to be the same kind of girl/have the same interests vibe. And I liked the growth that the chracaters, especially Mackenzie, went through. I appreciated that she grew to someone who didn't care what guys thought (and into a musical theater person! We love to see it lol). I try not to judge characters on who they are at the beginning or middle of a story, but at the end and I really loved who she and Phoebe grew into at the end. AND THE ART! I'm a big fan of Paulina Ganucheau so of course the art of lovely and I have no complaints in that department at all!!

There were, though, some parts I struggled with. I know why Mackenzie had the attitude towards guys that she did for most of the story, but as someone on the other side of the trans journey, someone who is trans masc, I really struggled with the language that reduced guys to idiots who just wanted to get into girls' pants. Not to mention, despite the main character being trans, there was mention of nonbinary people or how they fit into this worldview at all. There was also multiple instances of an ostensibly straight character using the d-slur, and, listen, I'm queer, I'm not trying to police the author's reclamation of words, but I do worry about straight teens reading this book and thinking it would then be okay for them to use this kind of language. Despite the book starring a trans MC and having a queer side character, the whole thing felt very heteronormative and gender binary heavy, if that makes sense.

Overall, this was a fun book, it had a good message, and I think it will be great for teen audiences, but I was left a little underwhelmed!

From the artwork to the message and everything beside this book is beautiful, it is powerful, and it is exactly the representation that we need to be seeing when discussing a trans person potential lived experiences and looking at how someone can truly become an ally and friend. I think the journey in this book is just believable. It will resonate within the community. It is hard navigating the world not knowing people’s intentions if you’re cis gendered but having to navigate the world as a trans person and trying to figure out who truly likes me and sees me for me must be a complicated journey. This journey or one version of this journey is so beautifully laid out within these pages. I appreciated the fact that at least one character in this book who originally wronged Phoebe is able to realize what she did wrong and make amends I also think is powerful. Thank you for making such a lovely graphic novel.
Thank you to Harper Collin’s Children’s Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for me to review!

In what universe is the entire school told before a student arrives that the student is trans?? That threw me off so much ngl

The art is LOVELY and it was very much meant to be a school-grade read, the DramaTM of all involved could easily have been rectified with a little communication but wasn't (obviously) since the kids are... kids!! Shocking.

Gorgeous art and a cute storyline of acceptance and friendship.