Starting an after-school art club, Dale Donovan, who wants nothing more than to create comics forever, assembles together creative students like himself to prove to the school and the adults in his life that a career as an artist isn’t just a dream but a real possibility.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I think every kid in middle school has thought about this at some point, but at that age it can be a scary and worrying concept. This is exactly how Dale feels in Art Club by Rashad Doucet.
This semi-autobiographical graphic novel focuses on Dale who loves comic books and video games, but when his tough vice-principal/teacher give his class an assignment to write a report about what they want to be when they grow up Dale wonders if he can find a way to incorporate his passions into a job that “financially stable.” He explores many aspects of art as a career in his research for the report, but it isn’t until a disagreement with his teacher sends him to the principal's office that he realizes that art is what he really wants to explore and somehow turn it into a career. This comes in the form of an Art Club which his principal says he can start if he can find a teacher sponsor and another three members. So, Dale sets out on a mission to create an Art Club that is not only accepted at the school, but also can prove to the unbelieving adults in his life that art can be a future career.
This graphic novel is not only relatable to middle schoolers, but to anyone who loves art and/or appreciates art and the importance it can hold in the lives of young people. The author does a great job of tackling the teenage years of self-doubt and self-discovery. His sketch-like, vibrantly colored illustrations are engaging and mix fantasy with reality in a way that keeps you turning the pages. I think this graphic novel is great for young readers, teens and even adults. It serves as a reminder that your passions can become a career and that standing up for what you believe in can never be a bad thing.
The graphic novel also has bonus pages in the back that show the process of the novel being made, from the first concept to the finished product, which I think shows how someone with a passion for drawing and storytelling can create something successful and is a testament to the lessons and message of the book.
I read this book on the CloudLibrary app, but it is also available in print at various library branches. - Heather, Branch Manager
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