How It All Ends

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Author(s)

Emma Hunsinger

Publisher

Greenwillow Books

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

September 06, 2024

ISBN

978-0063158146

Buy This Book

A funny, vulnerable, and disarming debut graphic novel from Emma Hunsinger, the creator of the popular “How to Draw a Horse.” How It All Ends is a book about being overwhelmed by who you are and who you might be—and all the possibilities in between. For fans of Snapdragon, The Magic Fish, Heartstopper, and New Kid.

Thirteen-year-old Tara lives inside the nonstop adventure of her imagination. It’s far more entertaining than dull, everyday life. But when she’s bumped from seventh grade directly to high school, back-to-school season gives her a dramatic jolt to reality.

Tara isn't ready to watch the racy shows the high school kids like, or to listen to the angsty music, or to stop playing make-believe with her younger brother. She’s not ready to change for PE in front of everyone, or for the chaos of the hallways, or for the anarchy of an English class that’s overrun with fourteen-year-old boys.

But then there’s Libby.

Tara doesn’t know whether she’s ready for Libby. She can’t even explain who Libby is to her because she doesn’t know yet. She just knows that everything’s more fun when she and her new classmate are together. But what will happen next? How will it all end?

Emma Hunsinger's clever, candid debut graphic novel brilliantly captures the humor and the horror of self-discovery and the first blushes of having a crush. How It All Ends deftly explores how unbearable—but exciting!—it is to grow up.

Editor review

1 review

Great Coming of Age Graphic Novel

September 06, 2024

Overall rating

4.5

Plot

5.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

How It All Ends follows Tara who is supposed to be entering the eighth grade but is given the opportunity to skip eighth grade and go straight to high school. Tara is nervous about making the transition to high school since there is so much that can go wrong. While there are so many things that Tara is worried about, what if things go right and she makes friends and enjoys her classes due to a group partner?

What I liked: I was drawn to this book because of the front cover and then even more intrigued when I read the description. I had to know if any of Tara’s concerns came true and/or if her hopes were true. I was quite pleased with the direction that this story took as it validates Tara’s fear of high school but also assures the reader that things will all be okay.

The illustrations shift from green and blue hues to red which is explained at the beginning as the way Tara views things taking place in her mind. I appreciated this distinction since it was easier to follow the story as things moved back and forth between reality and imagination.

I loved the relationship that Tara had with her older sister, Isla, and her younger brother, Pete. I appreciated that she was a middle child and this was reflected in her experience of transitioning from middle school to high school. I loved reading as Tara tried her best to fit in with her sister’s friends but ultimately makes the decision to embrace who she is.

What left me wanting more: There are two portions of the book which there are The End pages which made me believe that the story had finished. I kept flipping the pages as there seemed to be some business left unfinished in the story. If I had not kept flipping some of the storylines would have remained unfinished and would feel like we were left on a cliffhanger. The titles of The End felt more like they were chapters ending instead of the story itself being over with.

Final Verdict: How It All Ends is a funny and relatable read that middle schoolers transitioning into high school will enjoy. This graphic novel captures the anxiety of that transition quite well while also easing children’s minds about what to expect when they start high school. Adults can also enjoy this book as they reminisce about their time in high school and laugh along with some of the antics in Tara’s classes.