Friday, July 19, 2024

Every Day by David Levithan, illustrated by Dion MBD (graphic novel)

 

I have long loved the novel Every Day by David Levithan with its highly unique premise. This graphic novel version brought new life to the story and got me excited about it all over again. The protagonist is A, a teen who wakes up in a different body every day. Because A only inhabits other teens’ bodies, A has no gender and no real identity. But A longs to make connections. In one incarnation, A is in the body of a teenage boy and he skips school with his girlfriend, Rhiannon. They have a lovely day at the beach together, and Rhiannon is shocked at how well her boyfriend (really A in her boyfriend’s body) treats her.  The next day A moves onto another body, but A does not forget Rhiannon. In fact, A has her email address and is able to contact her via an email that A uses in spite of all his different incarnations. A manages to meet up with Rhiannon in various bodies and convinces her of A’s changing identity. It is such an intriguing conundrum—they love each other but how can they ever be together? One major advantage of the graphic novel is seeing A in all of the different bodies—male, female, as well as different races. It is a highly effective way to bring the 2013 novel to new readers. Recommended for 8th-up. 

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