Teen Angst In Black And White

Skim is not. Skim that is. In Skim, a graphic novel by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, Skim is Kimberly Keiko, a mixed-race, not-slim, Goth-girl and wannabe Wiccan searching for her own place in the private girls' school she attends with her best friend, Lisa. When the boyfriend of a classmate commits suicide, the place becomes downright oppressive as Skim's peers target her dark moods and darker wardrobe. Enter Ms. Archer, Skim's free-free-spirited drama teacher. Suddenly, Skim finds meaning in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The two begin a romantic relationship that leaves Skim questioning her sexuality and, when it ends, her self-worth. Ultimately, it is in reaching out to Katie, girlfriend of the boy who committed suicide, that Skim finds her voice again.

Through the lens of a few years, and the comfort of a grownup chair, the age of 16 is easier to bear. This graphic novel was published for a teen audience but adults will empathize with Skim's growing pains. The book is set in early 1990s Toronto and its panels feature details that will take adult readers back to their own school days. Adolescent anxiety may be a painful thing to remember, but here it is drawn in flowing black-and-white.  The novel's sharp dialogue and the school's reaction to the suicide are eerily reminiscent of the 1989 Christian Slater-Winona Ryder movie, Heathers.  

Pairing an elegant package and a winning voice,  Skim will resonate with teen and adult readers alike.