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Liz's Reviews > Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir
Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir
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Hello! I'm an fairly biased reviewer, because I wrote this book, but I figured I'd throw my 2 cents in anyhow.
I learned a lot from writing this memoir, which is my first full-length narrative graphic novel. It was a challenge to write a book that spans the first 18 years of my life in a way that is succinct, engaging, and entertaining, without being overly redundant or narcissistic (I reserved my narcissism for the glowing review I'm giving myself here). Most importantly though, it was challenging and important to write a book that has such a personal message (one that so many people of many ages and genders and sexual orientation have written to me about since this book came out).
I feel really inspired by all of the stories that readers have told me about the Tomboys they know in their lives, or the ways in which they've felt like outsiders, or the ways in which they've never personally dealt with bullying, but really appreciated the way that I spoke about it. I've been able to communicate an idea that is really close to my heart, and I have had it be so well-recieved.
When I started writing this book I was afraid that it wouldn't say the things I wanted to say, or that nobody would relate to it, or that it just wasn't worth writing, but I proved myself wrong, and that in and of itself deserves 5 stars.
I learned a lot from writing this memoir, which is my first full-length narrative graphic novel. It was a challenge to write a book that spans the first 18 years of my life in a way that is succinct, engaging, and entertaining, without being overly redundant or narcissistic (I reserved my narcissism for the glowing review I'm giving myself here). Most importantly though, it was challenging and important to write a book that has such a personal message (one that so many people of many ages and genders and sexual orientation have written to me about since this book came out).
I feel really inspired by all of the stories that readers have told me about the Tomboys they know in their lives, or the ways in which they've felt like outsiders, or the ways in which they've never personally dealt with bullying, but really appreciated the way that I spoke about it. I've been able to communicate an idea that is really close to my heart, and I have had it be so well-recieved.
When I started writing this book I was afraid that it wouldn't say the things I wanted to say, or that nobody would relate to it, or that it just wasn't worth writing, but I proved myself wrong, and that in and of itself deserves 5 stars.
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November 4, 2014
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Nov 04, 2014 02:56PM
yay Liz! I think we're going to discuss it in my DCPL librarian comics book club! <3
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Awesome! I hope you have some interesting discussions about it!
Lori wrote: "I just want to say thank you. You've described perfectly my seven year old child who is struggling with gender identity. Society feels they must label her but she does not want to be labeled. She s..."Thank you so much Lori: it means a lot to me that my book was able to give you insight into your daughters experience. Labels are frustrating, and I'm glad that you are being supportive of her choices.
Thank you so much for writing this book! I was somewhat of a tomboy, only wearing dresses for church and totally uninterested in dolls and Barbies, but I wasn't teased for my choices mainly because the kids had better things to tease me for (usually my weight and my last name). I'm trying to raise my girls to understand that everyone is different, that some kids (male and female) like dolls and Barbies, some kids (male and female) like baseball and roughhousing, and both are perfectly okay. Hopefully their generation will be much kinder to one another than our generation was.
Dear Liz, When I first heard about this book, I knew I wanted to read it. It did not disappoint. My entire life I've been told I'm too "boyish," but apparently not "boyish" enough to fit in with guys. Tomboy was funny, touching, and relatable, and I cannot say how thankful I am for you to have written this. Just...thank you for challenging the way we look at gender, and what it means to be girl, or tomboy, and how the two can coexist. Please keep making the world awesomer.
Thank you for writing this.
YOUR BOOK IS GREAT!!! I'm sorry for screaming, but I just finished and I LOVED IT!! Hilarious and honest, and empowering! Great job!P.S. Towards the end when you were hanging out with Frankie all the time, did you break up with Dusty or were you and Frankie just really close? Did I miss something?
BUT YOURE BOOK IS GREAT OKAY BYE.
Hi Gabby,I'm so glad that you enjoyed Tomboy, because that was the intended effect when I wrote it ;P
Dusty and I broke up, but I didn't want the ending of my book to fuss around with a moody teen melodrama, because I felt like it would distract from my own personal revelation about gender, so I left it out. You didn't miss anything, but like several other things in the book (like the fact that I quit smoking), I tried to say it with the images, instead of words.
Hi Liz!I'm 18, bi, and genderqueer and I immediately fell in love with your book as soon as I started reading it. Even though it takes place YEARS before I was born, that didn't stop the book from being adorable, hilarious, and 100% relatable.
For years, I've always struggled with social anxiety and have also never felt like a "typical" boy. I've always had a lot more girly interests, I'm usually very uncomfortable around other boys, and have frequently expressed a certain vulnerability that I never usually find in other boys. So when I started reading Tomboy, I immediately felt like the images and commentary spoke to me. I literally burst into happiness, yelling (in my head anyways) "YES! I'M NOT ALONE AFTER ALL!!!" I swear, I lost count at the number of situations in the book that I've experienced in real life (the puberty class and the camp scenes to name a few).
I'm so glad I've come across Tomboy at my local library and I'll not only be purchasing my own copy but also your other work to.
P.S. I love your art style and, ACK! The Liz Phair reference midway through REALLY tickled my funny bone!
Hiya Not-dave! I'm so touched that you liked and identified with Tomboy so much. Also, nobody else has caught that Liz Phair reference, so you deserve a high-five!!
Cheers,
Liz
I just finished your graphic novel. I can definitely still relate to this book, haha. Thanks for writing something so great!
Liz, I just want to say, "Thanks for the Popples and Thundercats references!" They did not go unnoticed. I'm your age, and was apparently going through the exact same issues you were at the same time. When you're the only Tomboy, you feel really alone, and you find yourself not fitting in with either group -- boys or girls. I also shopped in the male dept. but my mom convinced me to wear dresses on special occasions because it was important to "be underestimated." She made me feel like wearing a dress was akin to wearing a spy outfit for a mission, like a female James Bond. (My mom, super creative.) I loved the conclusion of your book, and while mine was a little different in that area, you made a very important point that those of us who live on the gender-line should consider. A thousand thanks for a great book!
Well, even though I didn't totally relate to the tomboy aspect, (not that I was ever a girly girl) I LOVED this GN. It goes beyond any gender-specific problems that kids may encounter, to be a lovely, brave and inspiring coming-of-age story. Well done Liz. Glad you stuck to your guns all those years ago.
I chanced upon Tomboy while waiting for my son to choose another Batman graphic novel this afternoon. I just finished reading it. I'm a 47 year old tomboy. Thank you!
I haven't read this but maybe I will someday! I'm Keira, I'm ten years old, and I'm a tomboy. I don't like dresses and I know this sounds mean, but I prefer boys. Girls are too fussy. At school I play with the girls (and a few boys too) but always find that chatting with my friend Oliver about Minecraft is cool. I don't like pink, and it annoys me when some girls bring in frilly pink notebooks. But I do have a little bit of girly in me, like most. But I've always been a bit different since about 7/8+. Others liked cute kittens and pandas, boys liking lions and cheetahs, but I love lizards. While others want clothes and barbies, I wanted a new book. But people should be themselves, not somebody else. I also have a friend who is a tomboy but not as much. Also my hair is short (thanks Siana!) But hopefully you'll listen and understand that gender doesn't matter.
yhis book hss a lot of swears
i think the book was fucking amazing !!!!!!
Thank you so much for writing this book AND this review. I don't consider mysslf a tomboy, but have definitly been called one. However, I could still relate to many of the issues that you tackled (why do people say that?) in this book. Especially the bullying. I know how it feels to be left out, and I certainly know how it feels to be uncomfortable with one's body. I'm not completely grown up yet, but your book a brought back a lot of good (and painful) memories
Yessss, loved this book and ate it up in a short blip. I've always struggled with being a girl who isn't quite girly and yet not quite one of the boys. I was always an inbetweener. To this day, I've yet to find girls who are near the same point on the girly to tomboy spectrum.
I really liked your book I鈥檓 quite tomboyish and could relate. I鈥檝e never gotten bullied about it though maybe generation gaps have something to do with it
tomboy:a girl of boyish behaviour
that definition lowkey describes me. i will never wear anything girly and when i am told to act in a girly manner i refuse and do the exact oppisite. i only wear lounge wear like oversized sweaters and sweatpants. all of my friends tell me i act like a guy and im ok with that id rather be one of the boys than one if the girls.
anyways great book liz
This book could have been my story, except I never smoked. The rest was almost identical - if I had this book during my 鈥渁wkward years鈥� I might not have felt so alone and self conscious. Thanks for writing this book for all the other tomboys out there :) we are a special bunch :)
So much like me! I was thrilled to find this book, even though I鈥檓 in my 40s now. My mom used to threaten me with having to wear a dress if I didn鈥檛 stop getting grass stains on my pants.
