Review Detail

Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel is a great way to introduce the topics of friendship, divorce, moving, and overall changes for a younger audience. This book goes through Amber's third-grade year in which her best friend, Justin, is moving away. The story takes you through different moments throughout the school year from Amber and Justin taking "trips" in the classroom, hanging out at Justin's house, someone buying Justin's house, and ultimately Justin and Amber talking about him moving away. 

What I liked: 
I am someone who grew up with Amber Brown so I was quite excited to see that this book was being converted into a graphic novel. I was not disappointed in this book and am so excited to share it with others. 

The images throughout the story shift in color palettes depending on the emotions of our characters which adds to the story. The blue, purple, and green tones let us know that Amber is having a hard time in these moments. There are also color shifts in which you can tell there is a shift in time through the story. 

Amber has always been a relatable character to me growing up so I'm excited to see the next generation get to engage with her as well. I love how silly and playful she is and how she doesn't allow the teasing to change who she is. 

It's great to see how Amber navigates some of the harder things that she is dealing with and I appreciate the way the author includes Amber's mom in this process. Amber mentions her mom taking her feelings seriously regardless of her age and how this makes a difference to her, and this is something that children of all ages need to hear. Change can be difficult for children and this book navigates the feelings that can come with change in a way that everyone can relate to. 

Final Verdict: Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel is a great read for younger readers and nostalgic for those who grew up with Amber. This is a cute, sweet book that will leave you wanting more of Amber which is lucky for you there is a lot more to read when it comes to Amber Brown.