Very Bad at Math (Very #1)

After giving a rousing speech about fund-raising for a class trip to Danger Hollow Fun Park, eighth grader Verity “Very” Nelson is elected for her third term as student body president. But that was the easy part. Now Very must work to improve her math grade: not only does she worry that her fund-raising efforts will be almost impossible if she continues to struggle with arithmetic, but she will also be forced to resign as president if her grade keeps declining. Very soon forges an unlikely partnership with classmate Lucile, her vice president Bree’s former BFF, and the perpetrator behind Sauce-Gate, an incident in which a rogue blender almost brought about embarrassment for the trio. Lucile’s resentment toward Very slowly thaws and together, the girls work to better Very’s mathematics prowess and Lucile and Bree’s relationship. Everything is going according to plan until intrepid student podcaster Nate notices that Very has been slacking on her presidential duties and determines to undermine her position. Larson (All My Friends) emphasizes character expressions, dialogue, and Very’s inner monologue via vibrant illustrations to craft an introspective graphic novel about mistakes, forgiveness, and the importance of accommodation for academically challenged youth. Characters are portrayed with varied skin tones. Ages 8–12. (Jan.)