Book Review: Living with Viola by Rosena Fung

 

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fung, R. (2021). Living with viola. Annick Press. ISBN: 978-1773215488

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Livy is already having trouble fitting in as the new girl at school—and then there’s Viola. Viola is Livy’s anxiety brought to life, a shadowy twin that only Livy can see or hear. Livy tries to push back against Viola’s relentless judgment, but nothing seems to work until she strikes up new friendships at school. Livy hopes that Viola’s days are numbered. But when tensions arise both at home and at school, Viola rears her head stronger than ever. Only when Livy learns how to ask for help and face her anxiety does she finally figure out living with Viola.

Rosena Fung draws on her own early experiences with anxiety and the pressures of growing up as the child of Chinese immigrant parents to craft a charming, deeply personal story that combines the poignancy of Raina Telgemeier’s Guts with the wacky humor of Lumberjanes. Exuberant, colorful art brings Livy’s rich imaginative world—filled with everything from sentient dumplings to flying unicorns—to life on the page.

3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS

I am usually not a huge fan of stories related to metal health, but this story is fantastic! It is definitely a must read among pre-teens and teens that may suffer from anxiety. Fung does a fabulous job addressing anxiety, which is a serious issue appropriately for a pre-teens. The main character Olivia, or Livy, is very relatable. Fung also does a great job of addressing other issues like coming of age, and family relationships.   The illustrations in this graphic novel also help tell the story. Through the illustrations, readers are able to visually see coping mechanisms for dealing with anxiety.  I love that Fung used calming colors so showcase Livy and dark gray colors to emphasize the negativity and darkness Viola brought. Olivia is a Chinese immigrant living in Canada and although the illustrations don’t depict her cultural background, the graphic novel does touch on popular Chinese foods such at turnip patties and the making of dumplings. Additionally, readers see how Olivia is made fun at school because her lunch smells different than others. Over all, I thought this book was great and I highly recommend this book to others.  

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

*Outstanding International Books, Grades 6-8 Selection, 2022

Starred review in School Library Journal: “unforgettable . . . will shake middle grade readers to the core”

Starred review in Kirkus: Elevates the graphic novel genre with its heartfelt focus on mental health and immigrant experiences.

5. CONNECTIONS

*Engage students in a book club chat about this novel. Ask students to reflect on their favorite parts of the book. What stood out the most? Can they reflect with the main character Livy? Or do you resonate more with Viola?

*Engage students in a discussion about mental health issues like anxiety. What are some things that may cause anxiety and how can anxiety be managed?

* Books similar to Living with Viola

Krosoczka, J. (2018). Hey kiddo. Scholastic US. ISBN: 978-0545902489

McCoola, M., & Pandya, A. (2022). Slip. Algonquin Young Readers, an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.

ISBN: 978-1616207892

Book review was written for SHSU Lib course. 

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