Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

This is another cute graphic novel that I discovered!  The art in this one is all pencil.  Which is really unique.  The author/illustrator is so talented.  The story is also really heart felt.  Here is the goodreads description:

Paige Turner has just moved to New York with her family, and she's having some trouble adjusting to the big city. In the pages of her sketchbook, she tries to make sense of her new life, including trying out her secret identity: artist. As she makes friends and starts to explore the city, she slowly brings her secret identity out into the open, a process that is equal parts terrifying and rewarding. 
Laura Lee Gulledge crafts stories and panels with images that are thought-provoking, funny, and emotionally resonant. Teens struggling to find their place can see themselves in Paige's honest, heartfelt story..

This book is fun.  It's about a young girl (Paige) in high school who moves with her parents to New York City and has to start all over with friends and life.  Some of you may know what it's like to switch schools.  It's usually awful.  I switch schools when I was older and yuck.  Of course in the book Paige makes friends a lot faster then most of us.  She is an artist (and a good one at that), and does so many fun artist things in the city.  One of my favorites was when she and a friend did a bunch of dead body sketches with chalk in the park! They also take plastic eggs and hide them all over the city for people to find with messages in them or confetti.  Paige and her friends run around and just do random art in the city.

Paige is an honest character.  One I think people can relate to.  Especially girls. Looking at the art in this book makes me wish I could draw.   We are actually reading what Paige is writing in her sketch book (this is the second graphic novel I've read this week that makes me want to make a scrap book/sketch book see Chopsticks).  I love that people can express their feelings in this type of format. 

I love how Paige falls in love (see above picture of carrying her heart on top of banana peels).  We have all felt that way when love is new.   I thought it was interesting the entire novel is black and white because the cover is so bright that I would've never guessed the inside wasn't going to be color.  Great surprise!  I do think though Paige is supposed to be an introvert but she really doesn't seem like that to me.  She is way more open and tries more then the introverts I know.

I think this is a good graphic novel for people who haven't experienced reading any yet.   I recommend this book to everyone who wants to read an uplifting story and see some great artwork.  You may even learn something about yourself!

The crystal ball says:

Sun is shinning!!!  Great day to go outside and read this book.