Christina Getrost's Reviews > Speechless: A Graphic Novel

A graphic novel about a 6th grader, Mira, who has selective mutism--she learns this after a year of not being able to talk in school, worse than just being shy. She is bullied for it, and other classmates constantly speak for her. At home she's fine, but then her ex-best friend Chloe has to move in to Mira's house during a crisis with their family, and things get complicated, having her enemy at home. Mira has a hobby of making stop-motion videos that she posts online, keeping it secret from her family and though they're very popular videos, she keeps her creator status anonymous at school too. Mira has a crush at school and gets partnered with them for a presentation, but has to work through the whole no-talking thing. Eventually she works through her issue, has help from a counselor and makes up with her friend. A good look at anxiety/mutism, written from a place of familiarity because the book's author/illustrator had selective mutism when young, so it's semi-autobiographical. Cute colorful artwork. Good for tweens.