Book Review: Timid by Jonathan Todd

Publisher’s description

A semiautobiographical middle-grade graphic novel about frenemies, fitting in, and finding your voice.Cecil Hall and his family have just moved from Florida to Massachusetts, near Boston. Cecil is anxious about making friends because he doesn’t know where he’ll fit in. His older sister, Leah, thinks he should befriend the other black kids at his new school, but Cecil isn’t sure how he’d go about doing that. He wants to be known for his comics-making talent, anyway. But the few kids who are impressed by Cecil’s art aren’t always nice to him. When one of his drawings is misused and gets him into serious trouble, can Cecil stand up for himself and figure out who his real friends are?

Amanda’s thoughts

If I had a dollar for every conversation I’ve had or overheard about how graphic novels are not “real” reading or are “fluff” etc, I’d be rich. Truly. And to be clear, in those conversations, I am being told this. I am not saying this. Sometimes I am even being told this while I’m wearing my “Reading comics is reading” shirt. Because it’s not socially acceptable to say, “Do you even know what you’re talking about? YOU DON’T, DO YOU? You’re going to tell me that the books are just pictures, just comics, and that’s your whole argument. And WHICH graphic novels have you read? Oh, none? Oookay,” I instead say, “I love graphic novels. They are valuable and far more sophisticated than you’re assuming and also all we should care about is that kids are reading, period.”

So.

Guess what? This graphic novel has lots of value. Here’s what I love: we don’t get a ton of realistic graphic novels starring Black boys. And any story, in any format, that challenges what it means to be a fill-in-the-blank (in this case: boy, Black kid, artist) is a wonderful addition to a collection. Set in the late 80s, Cecil and family have moved from Florida to the Boston area. Cecil isn’t sure where he fits, especially after he hears another Black kid call him an Oreo (Black on the outside, white on the inside). He loves art and comics, but his dad doesn’t see that as a viable career path. Maybe he could consider architecture? And maybe he should also take up karate, you know? To learn how to stand up for himself better. His dad is always on him about this. But confrontation isn’t Cecil’s way. He’d just like to make some friends, draw his comics, and maybe get the cute girl he’s been noticing to talk to him. Instead, seventh grade is a little more complicated than that. His only real new friend is maybe not such a great friend. There are little missteps, hesitations, and microaggressions along the way through the months. Cecil has to push himself a little beyond what he’s comfortable with or used to to begin to make new friends–the kind of friends he’d actually want to have. It’s a quiet story, but one that makes it clear that Cecil is seen, that kids like Cecil are seen. I look forward to more from Jonathan Todd.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher

ISBN-13: 9781338305722
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date: 04/02/2024
Age Range: 8 – 12 Years

Filed under: Book Reviews