False Starts - Carl Brundtland

Friendship drama and actual theater drama abound in this hilarious and heartfelt middle-school story.

It’s the summer before eighth grade, and best friends Nansi, Ayesha and Angela are spending as much of the summer together as they can, and celebrating the news that Ayesha got the lead role in the festival play. But when Nansi and Angela accidently post an embarrassing video of Ayesha to a group chat, it sets off a series of events that threaten Nansi and Ayesha’s friendship. And it looks like Nansi’s track-and-field archnemesis, Tania, is at the center of it all …

Packed with humor and hijinks, this second book in the Nansi graphic novel series by Carl Brundtland and Claudia Dávila hits all the right notes. The relatable characters, problems and situations - stage fright, sports rivalries, misunderstandings among friends (and adversaries) - make it a pitch-perfect middle-school read. Nansi’s character is loosely based on Anansi, the West African folktale trickster, adapted to inhabit a modern, urban North American setting. The series features a multicultural cast of characters and incorporates elements of Jamaican culture into Nansi’s family life. Colorful and expressive art by Claudia Dávila captures the energy and emotional range of the lovable characters. This book offers excellent character education lessons on caring, courage and resilience.