Skim by Mariko Tamaki, drawings by Jillian Tamaki

Skim is a teen who defies easy categorization.  She’s trying to become a Wiccan, sometimes leans toward goth, is very artistic, and just may be gay.  She attends an all-girl private school where the boyfriend of one of the other students has just committed suicide.  Skim and her best friend, Lisa, begin to drift apart through a series of misunderstandings while Skim is drawn to one of her teachers.  This complex graphic novel captures perfectly the stress, depression and quest of being a teen.

This graphic novel has so many things going for it.  First and foremost is Skim as the main character.  She is a girl we see all too rarely in teen literature, a complicated and questing teen with brains.  The illustrations are equally compelling in their black and white palette.  They often take interesting perspectives on the scene they are portraying and offer further insight into the characters and story.

One of the top graphic novels of the year, this is a winner that is sure to be a hit with those who enjoy the Janes graphic novels by Cecil Castellucci.