A middle-school girl struggling with self-worth gets a boost from the spirit realm in No Such Thing as Perfect, the adorable yet emotionally deep companion to U.S.-based Japanese mangaka Misako Rocks!'s Bounce Back.
"I'm always in second place," thinks NYC middle-schooler Emma. Her mother constantly compares her unfavorably to her elder sister, Julia, and criticizes her work ethic, even when she makes the all-star basketball team. The pressure at home carries over into basketball practice, where Emma can't stop worrying that she's a weaker player than her teammates and lashes out at them. Matters take a supernatural turn when Lexi, a French bulldog temporarily staying with Emma's family, starts talking and reveals she is Emma's "guardian spirit." Lexi's initial strategy of lecturing Emma falls flat, but common ground brings them together. Emma's patient, diverse group of friends weathers her stormy moods as she learns to express her feelings in healthier ways.
This full-color manga-style graphic novel evokes the soft, dreamy character aesthetic of early aughts shojo titles. Slice-of-life fans in their tweens and early teens beginning to focus more on peer group relationships will likely sympathize with Emma's insecurity about measuring up. The author empathetically portrays the emotional ripples in Emma's family and social group, as they observe and sometimes inadvertently contribute to her self-doubt struggles. Backmatter includes Emma's advice on dog-sitting, drawings of characters in seasonal styles, and a guide to drawing Lexi and a chibi version of Emma. --Jaclyn Fulwood, youth services manager, Allen County Public Library