Drama: A Graphic Novel

Reviewed by Anonymous

Drama explores friendship, theater production, identity, attraction, and the messy uncertainties of middle-school social life. Raina Telgemeier’s expressive illustrations make rehearsals, backstage tensions, and shifting relationships easy to follow, while the ensemble cast reflects a range of personalities and experiences. The book is most suitable for older middle-grade readers who can engage thoughtfully with romantic feelings and LGBTQ+ representation. Its strengths include lively visual storytelling and an empathetic refusal to reduce characters to stereotypes. Some plot turns feel compressed, and the number of relationships can make emotional developments seem faster than fully convincing.