This is the Children’s Bookshelf and I’m Sue Ann Martin
ALLERGIC written by Megan Wagner Lloyd and illustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter is an energetic whirlwind of a graphic novel that tells the story of a girl who desperately longs for a pet that she can love totally and that will love her back. Maggie is feeling left out of the family routines which include getting ready for a new baby and putting up with the antics of her younger twin brothers who are devoted to each other.
When the book begins it is Maggie’s tenth birthday and off the family goes to try to find a puppy----and they do. Maggie is elated! Upon arriving home Maggie, playing with the puppy, begins to itch, scratch, swell, has a runny nose and generally feels terrible. Mom takes her directly to the Allergy Clinic where she is tested and finds out that she is allergic to animals that have fur or feathers! The puppy is returned.
One of the highlights of the story is found in Maggie’s decision, after she gets over her disappointment, to make a list of possible pets that do not have fur or feathers. However, after doing research, she finds that none of them work for her including a fish, a lizard, a snake, a turtle, a tortoise, a hedgehog and a tarantula! “Why’d I even write down a tarantula?! I don’t want a spider for a pet!”
The graphics provide a visual narrative that is outstanding. Members of Maggie’s family, her classmates and friends are depicted in a fresh realistic style. Maggie’s facial expressions vividly put forth her feelings throughout the book including excitement, disappointment, anger, pity, courage and finally happiness when she finds someone to take care of and love ---- her newborn baby sister.
ALLERGIC written by Megan Wagner Lloyd and illustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter hosts 236 pages of clear, clean and colorful graphics that will speak to middle grade readers 8-11 years of age (graphix/ an imprint of Scholastic, 2021).
The Children’s Bookshelf is a production of WCMU. Links to the podcast and the activity questions, ideal for home use, can be found at Children’s Bookshelf dot org.
Activity Questions for Allergic
This graphic novel has both speech bubbles ad thought bubbles. Look at the novel again and study what is being said and what is being thought by the characters. Why is it useful to have, in some cases, both what the character is saying and what the character is thinking?
An illustration that fills the whole page is called a splash. There are many examples of this in this book. Take a look them. Which splash is your favorite? Why?
Maggie is allergic to fur dander. How did it make her feel? Do you have any allergies? If so, please write a description of how you feel when you have an allergy attack coming on. This novel actually puts forth a lot of information about allergies. Go through the book and find discussions regarding animal dander, allergy shots, food allergies and anaphylaxis. Reread Maggie’s conversations with Sebastian and the allergy doctor.
Look at the full-page side by side illustrations of Maggie’s house and Claire’s house. Study the details both inside and outside the houses. How are these houses and the families inside them different?