A First Time for Everything

 

A First Time for Everything
Dan Santat
First Second, 2023
309 pages
Grades 5-8
Graphic Novel

Caldecott winning artist, Santat, recalls his trip to Europe the summer before high school with a group of young people, some of whom are from his school. After a public speaking humiliation at a school assembly and dealing with his mother's illness, Dan has lost his confidence and feels as if he is the bottom rung on the social chain. The trip starts out predictably enough: he has no idea what he's doing and the girls from his school give him a hard time every step of the way. He makes friends with some of the guys on the trip--and then he meet Amy. What starts out as a crush and develops into a friendship, eventually matures to a first kiss and eventually a pen-pal relationship. All of the social drama takes place in front of some of the most majestic structures in the world as Dan travels from Paris to Switzerland, Germany, and England. Through it all, Dan makes mistakes, survives, and gains confidence and maturity. By book's end he is ready to start high school and learns the value of taking chances.

Joining the ranks of award winning illustrators who have turned to penning graphic memoirs, Santat has produced a great addition to the genre. The coming of age subject matter, seeped in friendship and romance, will lure in readers. Santat adds another layer, exposing readers to the richness of travel, specifically northern Europe. Kids will want to explore some of these spots and will be envious of Dan's opportunities. The independence enjoyed by the young people on this trip firmly place the story in the past, as recognized in the author's note in the back. Backmatter also includes actual photos from the trip and some original drawings by Dan from the time period. A real treasure for me was a QR code at the beginning of the volume, taking kids to the book's website. Once there, you can click a cassette tape, taking the reader to a Spotify playlist of the songs Dan listened to on the trip. I listened to the playlist as I read and it really put me in that place and time. I especially enjoyed the early French rap and German punk. Writing writing the book, Santat connected with fellow students, helping to provide a very authentic portrayal. The romance captures middle school and stays age appropriate. This book clearly exemplifies what a graphic memoire can be and is on my list (though it's early) for the best books of 2023.