One sixth grader’s bold haircut sparks a social whirlwind that tests her truest friendships.
Sarah Sax introduces us to the halls of Brinkley Middle School in this vibrant graphic novel series. In the first book, Picture Day, we meet Viv, a student who decides to reinvent her look with a sudden, edgy haircut right before the camera clicks. This choice turns her into a local celebrity and an unofficial event planner for her classmates’ own milestones. However, the spotlight starts to strain her relationship with her best friends, Al and Milo. With three books currently out in the collection, students have plenty of material to keep them moving through the school year.
This series is a fantastic pick for students who find long pages of text intimidating or are still mastering English. The dialogue stays simple and direct, often using modern phrases like “glow-up” or “being extra” that kids actually use. Even if a reader doesn’t know a specific word, the expressive full-color drawings explain exactly what is happening in every scene. Because Sarah Sax keeps the art style and the main group of friends the same across all three stories, readers don’t have to start from scratch when they pick up the next book. The school layout and how the characters react to each other is familiar, which makes jumping into the next adventure feel much more manageable. This is a great tool for a classroom book club or a social-emotional learning lesson about staying true to yourself.
Total Books in Series: 3 Best Starting Point: Picture Day
