King Cheer

February 1, 2024
In this return to magical Arden High, previously explored in Twelfth Grade Night (2022), the hijinks take place among the jocks. Leah King is everything a cheer captain should be: confident, hardworking, and totally assured of her own goals. Or, she was before senior year, when, faced with being wait-listed at her dream college, she flounders. She's also struggling with queer imposter syndrome after coming out as demisexual. Chaos ensues when Leah resigns her beloved captaincy to Rae and Gabe, ambitious bullies who throw her life, the squad, and her friendship with put-upon best friend Kendall into disarray. Booth and Strohm are just as wholeheartedly committed to goofiness and fun as in the previous outing, with the interpersonal drama inspired by King Lear playing out against a slightly fantastical backdrop. That play might not seem like the most obvious choice to adapt for this particular setting, but the authors satisfyingly shift the original text while still telling a story that can be enjoyed even by those unfamiliar with the original. The earnestness sometimes veers a bit toward after-school special territory in tone but is nonetheless charming. Green's art is confident and endearing: Strikingly unusual color palettes bring dynamism to more intense sequences, and playful backgrounds highlight the school's unusual nature. The character designs remain a strong point, utilizing an adorably quirky cast who have diverse body types and express instantly recognizable personalities. Leah reads white; the supporting cast is racially diverse and largely queer. High-spirited drama. (Graphic fantasy. 12-18)

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Starred review from February 1, 2024
Grades 7-11 *Starred Review* In this delightful YA riff on King Lear, retiring cheer captain Leah demands her potential replacements do an impromptu cheer celebrating her captaincy, but her friend Cora declines, while Rae and Gabe launch into flashy and ingratiating routines. From there the betrayals and reveals of the bard play out in this queer teen dramedy. Add in a bit of Midsummer Night's Dream happening in the background--the fairy queen and king (i.e., drama club presidents Tanya and Ron) are having relationship issues that alter the weather--and the result is a wonderful set of twists even to those familiar with the inspiring material. The art here is beautifully expressive, catching Leah's expressions as she deals with her own inner demons and lack of self-confidence while angrily pushing her friends away, as well as Cora's respite with the French club. Deceptions at a costume party, violent exclamations in a blizzard, and heartfelt talks in a shed are all needed before friends can reunite and figure out how they've been manipulated. Highly recommended for fans of Crystal Frasier and Val Wise's Cheer Up (2021), other cheerleading dramas, modern Shakespeare interpretations, or heartwarming stories of friends supporting each other.

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April 1, 2024

Gr 7 Up-In the second book of the "Arden High" series, King Lear offers Booth and Strohm the perfect narrative framework. Leah, the cheer squad captain of Arden High, is stepping down to focus on her senior year and has the hefty burden of appointing her replacement. Similarly, basketball team captain Gladys is worried her team will lose momentum if they forfeit practice time to the cheer squad. TwinsGabe and Rae fill Leah's cheer captain spot and, not surprisingly, turn out to be irresponsible bullies who care more about winning cheer competitions and stealing gym time from the basketball team than promoting inclusion and teamwork on their squad. Leah is having an existential crisis about her murky future while she watches her cheer team fall apart, and Gladys is tipped that her own sister is trying to take her captain spot. All manner of high school drama is going on while the Lear plot plays out, including romantic breakups, blended-family politics, Valentine's Day, and college application woes. Readers of the first installment will enjoy the same quirky characters depicted in illustrations by Green, who gets the cheerleading motif just right, along with a realistic portrayal of contemporary high school students who happen to attend class with fairies. LGBTQIA+ representation is ubiquitous in the story. VERDICT This graphic novel will fit nicely into the collection that already has graphic novels with LGBTQIA+ characters and where the previous volume is popular.-Kim Gardner

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