A-Okay by Jarad Green

At the start of 8th grade in Washington Middle School in Tampa Florida, Jay, who had previously been teased for his ‘porcelain’ skin, has broken out in quite severe acne. The year doesn’t start well as art, his favourite subject, doesn’t fit easily into his schedule. The necessary changes mean he is no longer in the same classes as his friends. The easy social groups he is used to are no longer available and when he sits with the ‘popular jerk boys” at lunch he earns himself a new nickname “Rudolf”. Art class is his happy place, helping him get through the school day, but even there he is confused by a girl who seems to want to be more than friends and Mark, his teaching assistant buddy who seems to be friendly but is a bit stand offish. Devastatingly, his best friend who he gets to see on the bus home, abandons him for his new musical friends. Acne just seems to compound his problems and his first visits to a dermatologist have little effect. A second specialist recommends isoretinoin, known as Accutane, an effective six month treatment but one which can have a lot of side effects. After some setbacks Jay starts to take some control of his life, a clothes and hair makeover not only distracts attention from his acne but helps to build his confidence. He makes new friends and builds some bridges with his old ones learning more about himself on the way. The author’s note tells us that the story is heavily based on his own experiences with acne. He also says that the book is about asexuality as two of Jay’s friends, a girl and a boy both seem to have romantic feelings for him that he does not recognise in himself, a labelling that I found a little premature and forced at this stage in the character’s life. The colourful graphic style similar to Raina Telgemeir’s novels will appeal to the primary to middle school age group especially those experiencing acne, this is one of few books to highlight this subject. Jay is a likeable, relatable character but his story seems a little long and slow paced at times.

Themes: Acne, Friendship, Bullying, Asexuality.

Sue Speck