by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann
Illustrated by Lily Williams
5 stars
A fantastic story of friendship, activism, and the fight for period equity. I loved this story and its characters from the very first page.
When Sasha gets her first period at school, it feels like the end of the world. Until she meets Abby, Brit, and Christine who help her in her time of need. It’s the start of a beautiful friendship. But as the four girls navigate high school, they start recognizing the stigma and inequity surrounding periods. Abby decides to do something about it… but will her actions jeopardize her friendships?
There is so much packed into this book without feeling overwhelming.
The factual information sprinkled throughout makes it both informative and entertaining. And I so appreciate the understanding that menstruation is not something only girls and women experience.
I love the variety of experiences shared as well. Some of the characters have fairly regular periods without cramps while others have debilitating pain to the point of staying home from school. Great messages and themes of fighting the stigma against talking about menstruation, recognizing period poverty, and standing up for what you believe in.
The book also works in nice messages about friendship such as owning up to your mistakes, supporting friends, and forgiveness. It also deals with bullying, crushes, and school pressure. The tough topics brought up are nicely balanced with adorable humor and sweet, supportive characters.
Great artwork. I loved the character designs and how different the characters are. The red toned coloration worked well for the story.
The backmatter includes a bit of information about periods in general, period pain, and period activism.
So happy to learn this is a series. I can’t wait to read the next book.