Kiss Number 8

Kiss Number 8 follows high school student Amanda as she navigates the complexities of teenage life, relationships, and self-discovery. Through a series of eight kisses, she examines her feelings about romance, friendship, and her own identity. The story takes place against a backdrop of Catholic school life and family dynamics, with Amanda uncovering family secrets that challenge her understanding of her past. Her close relationship with her father becomes strained as she discovers information that forces her to question everything she thought she knew. This award-winning graphic novel, illustrated by Ellen T. Crenshaw, combines humor with serious themes about acceptance, truth, and personal growth. The narrative explores the intersection of faith, family relationships, and the journey of understanding oneself in a world that often resists change. Through Amanda's story, Kiss Number 8 examines how personal truth can conflict with family expectations and social norms, while highlighting the importance of authenticity and self-acceptance.

Readers describe Kiss Number 8 as a coming-of-age story that handles LGBTQ+ themes and family secrets with authenticity. Many note the realistic portrayal of teen relationships and parent-child dynamics. Liked: - Natural dialogue between teenage characters - Representation of questioning sexuality without labels - Historical subplot that connects to main story - Expressive art style, especially facial expressions - Strong character development of protagonist Amanda Disliked: - Slow pacing in first third of book - Some found the art style inconsistent - Religious themes felt heavy-handed to some readers - Side characters could be underdeveloped - Time period (2004) felt dated to younger readers Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (4,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (120+ ratings) Kirkus Reviews: Starred Review School Library Journal: Starred Review Common reader comment: "Takes time to get going but pays off emotionally in the end."

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🌟 The graphic novel was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2020, one of the highest honors in the comics industry. 🎨 Author Colleen AF Venable worked as an art director for First Second Books, the same publisher that later published "Kiss Number 8." 📚 The story was inspired by real conversations with LGBTQ+ teens about their experiences growing up in religious communities. 💫 The book took over eight years to complete, with multiple revisions and reimaginings before reaching its final form. 🎭 Before becoming a graphic novelist, Venable wrote children's books featuring guinea pig detectives in her "Pet Shop Private Eye" series.