Review Detail

A graphic novel for teens, KIRBY’S LESSONS FOR FALLING (IN LOVE) by Laura Gao is just that…lessons. The main character Kirby is forced to find a new extracurricular after a bad fall keeps her from rock climbing. She ends up in the newspaper, more specifically helping astrology obsessed Bex with the love column. Between setting up matches the two grow closer but something is holding Kirby back. Loving Bex isn’t simple, not when there is so much on the line.

What I Loved:
The relationship between Kirby and Bex was genuinely just adorable. There was some initial tension between the two, and even at the end they still weren’t fully on the same page. But the interactions they had together were so cute. Scenes like the bao scene made it easy to root for their relationship, even if we didn’t get to explicitly see their entire relationship.

The lessons are a major point in this book and are typically used as a way to separate chapters/sections. There are 6 in total. These lessons are lessons Kirby has learned about falling, an important thing to know how to do safely in rock climbing. But they also work very well outside of the sport. I won’t say there was something new about these lessons, they’re things readers have likely heard before. But they way they are presented, not clean and polished but messy and real, left an impact on me.

Laura Gao, the author, did an amazing job when she wrote Kirby. Kirby is struggling with a lot: her Yeye’s health, her mother being busy, rock climbing, her grades, the church. There’s so much going on. And I think Laura did a good job at trying to capture that imbalance. The way she gets overwhelmed and lashes out, the doubts that she feels. Even the mistakes that she makes along the way. Kirby felt real as a character to me.

The art in this book was simplistic, but I found that I really enjoyed it. The main characters were easy to remember and I could pick them out in the background at times. There were cute little things added to the scenes that helped make the locations and people feel more fleshed out. And while it may not appeal to all readers, I really enjoyed that the graphic novel didn’t have a whole lot of color to it.

What Left Me Wanting More:
This graphic novel is about 300 pages, give or take. A relatively quick read to me. I wish it had been longer. I wish there had been more time given to the relationship drama and the exploration of Kirby’s strained relationship with members of her church. It was handled satisfactorily, but I think it could have truly shined if some of the plot points were given more time to develop.

Some of the text was also hard to read at times. It wasn’t a huge turnoff, but it was a struggle to have to lean in and read.

Final Verdict:
KIRBY’S LESSONS FOR FALLING (IN LOVE) is a simple story with a solid premise. Kirby felt like such a realistic character that it was hard to not feel her emotions, especially when she was bearing her soul to someone. The romance was cute and I loved the friendships in this book. The art style was simplistic, but it allowed the story to shine.

A sweet romance with a hidden emotional punch, KIRBY’S LESSONS FOR FALLING (IN LOVE) is a graphic novel that will appeal to young adult readers looking for a coming-of-age romance.