Hope Larson is a must-read for me, from her early, dream-like work through her adaptations and her outstanding young adult graphic novels. Her latest, Very Bad at Math, tackles achievement, anxiety, and self-acceptance.
Verity Nelson excels. She’s running for her third term as class president, she knows everyone at school, she plays in the orchestra, she wins at debate club, and her grades are outstanding. Except when it comes to math. Although an overachiever, she’s been dealing with failing grades in that subject by ignoring the issue.
Although I would likely dislike Verity in real life, that approach is very relatable. Hoping something terrible will somehow magically improve is very human. She’s put into a special class with one other student, a girl who wants to learn math so she can start a pizza restaurant, while Verity’s made a promise about rising money for the class trip.
I enjoyed these characters, each of whom is more well-rounded than the usual student types in many graphic novels. There’s also an unusual but inspiring friendship in this story. Verity idolizes her local representative, Hazel Shaw, and she regularly talks to Ali, one of Shaw’s staffers who answers her phones. It’s good to see an atypical friendship between women of different ages.
The style is simple, but incredibly effective. There’s just enough detail to really make these settings — school hallways, bedrooms, the bus — feel solid and plausible. And the lessons, to not be afraid to ask for help, that no one is perfect and your friends support you no matter what, are those people of any age can learn from.
I enjoyed the way all the various strands came together, and Very Bad at Math left me feeling optimistic about making life changes.
good