Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki & Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
Genre: YA Graphic Novel
Pages: 304
Publisher: First Second Books
Publication: May 7th 2019
My Rating: 4/5

Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley’s dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There’s just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend.

Reeling from her latest break up, Freddy’s best friend, Doodle, introduces her to the Seek-Her, a mysterious medium, who leaves Freddy some cryptic parting words: break up with her. But Laura Dean keeps coming back, and as their relationship spirals further out of her control, Freddy has to wonder if it’s really Laura Dean that’s the problem. Maybe it’s Freddy, who is rapidly losing her friends, including Doodle, who needs her now more than ever. Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnists like Anna Vice to help her through being a teenager in love.

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I received an early copy of this graphic novel at Yallfest 2018

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me is a story of realizing that sometimes leaving a toxic relationship is hard, and we must not leave our friends when they ask for help.

Freddy is a teenager in love, living in a world where no one judges her for her sexuality. This is not a coming out story nor a story about defeating the odds. This is a self-love story and realizing our worth and the importance of friends — with beautiful soft art.

The art was soft and curvy. It reminds me of the art style from Steven Universe. No one character was the same, everyone had their own personality, shape and style.

This LGBTA friend novel will bring back memories of how messy it is like to be a teenager. We need more diverse and beautiful stories like this one. In graphic novels, novels, movies and tv shows.

Pick up this novel if you want to experience the warmth of friendship!