I did far too much theatre in high school so it’s hard for me to be objective. This one left me choked up. ( )

This is my first Telgemeier book and likely won't be my last, since I'd like to keep up with what the kids at my library are reading.

That being said, I don't entirely understand the hype. Telgemeier uses very attractive color schemes, but her art style was a bit grating. The character expressions in particular didn't always correspond to the feeling being expressed, which took me out of the story.

The plot, meanwhile, moves very quickly, which probably works well for easily-distracted middle school readers, but again was jarring for me. I wanted Callie's big emotional moments to be properly explored, but most of them took up a mere panel or two. Maybe that's meant to be an accurate representation of the 7th grade emotional experience, or maybe it's supposed to speak to Callie's emotional flexibility.

Regardless, that breakneck story-telling pace makes it difficult to relate to Callie. It really is a shame, because Callie could be such a great role-model. Whether she's dealing with prop setbacks or a pair of really cute twin brothers, she tackles her obstacles head-on without fear, which many young readers would benefit from reading about. In particular, I loved the scene where Callie spontaneously tries out for the school musical even while fully aware of her lack of musical talent.

That is how comfortable she is with herself. She's totally fine with the fact that she'll never be leading lady, and it's not connected to any sort of shyness on her part. She simply knows what she's good at and what she enjoys and has chosen an appropriate role as a result. I so want more characters like her out there for kids to look up to. But, again, we're never given a full minute to get to know her, we also never get to really feel what she's feeling. I had to extrapolate a lot in order to write out a paragraph on Callie's personality.

The LGBT elements really aren't as central as many reviewers would make it seem. Yes, there are at least two gay characters. The main character isn't one of them, so I wouldn't say this is a story "about being gay." Drama is at most an introduction to the idea that gay people are out there. Not a big deal. Could have been a bigger deal, really.

Ultimately, Drama has good building blocks but lacks finesse, even for a middle grade read. ( )

Great young adult book. I usually don't like graphic novels but enjoyed this one. The main plot is the challenges of putting on a high school musical and the drama that goes on behind the scenes. There are characters in the book that are homosexual, so this book will create a lot of discussion. Everything about it is spot on to current events for today's young adults. Cute story that made me want to read others by this author. ( )

Attention, drama kids! You now have your very own book--one that completely captures your culture of artistic production and overenthusiastic fandom. Enjoy it. ( )

Telgemeier makes cute art but her plot-creation really leaves something to be desired, imho. ( )