My absolute favorite children’s illustrators are Vanessa Brantley-Newton and Dan Santat. No matter if they are the author or author-illustrator, I will always add that book to cart, pick it up off of the bookshelves in the store, or check out the their books from the library. So, when I found out that Dan Santat was writing a graphic middle grade memoir, I said “well that’s an interesting concept” but I should always except out of the box thinking with Mr. Santat.
And of course, I had to jump on the opportunity to read the book before its release date and was sent a copy from @MacKidsBooks !! To get an early copy, I was challenged to try something for the first time!
A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING follows the real life story of Dan Santat and his experience transitioning from middle school to high school. We follow Dan on a whirlwind summer adventure with fellow classmates in Europe. Dan is not very enthusiastic about this endeavor and reluctantly agrees to a three week quest that leads to self-discovery.
Like a lot of middle schoolers, Dan is a quiet kid and a great student. This journey in Europe challenges Dan to break out of his shell and try new things, cuisines, and experiences.
In the spirit of new challenges, I channeled my inner 13 year old like Dan does in writing this memoir and decided a new challenge that the inner middle school girl would enjoy is trying a new make up style.
I attempted to create a cat eye look with my eyeliner. See picture below. One of my eyes may or may not be strategically hidden in the photo. 🤣 Make up is not really an adult me thing but middle school me would try anything SPICE GIRLS related! There is a character in this book that inspired me to create a cat-eye, tell me who you think the inspiration is in the comments!
I really enjoyed reading this memoir. It really hit home for me because I lived in Egypt for my middle school years and traveled through Europe during that time. I share some of the same first experiences as Dan recounts in the book.
And of course, the illustrations are immaculate and fun. I can’t wait to re-read it and translate the other languages in the story. I also can’t wait for my children to get a little older and use this book as a segway to talk about middle school experiences.
Tip: MAKE SURE TO SCAN THE QR CODE! You will not be disappointed.
Make sure to pick this book up at your local indie bookstore and add it to your bookshelf.
Thanks for reading!
Enjoy!
Maya
Maya Claros is a Domestic Engineer of 3, children’s books lover, super science geek, Hip Hop connoisseur, and small business owner. You can find her here or at www.thedopekid.com
