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I am not Starfire

Tamaki, Mariko. (Author). Yoshitani, Yoshi. (Added Author).

Seventeen-year-old Mandy, who dyes her hair black and hates almost everyone, is not like her mother, the tall, sparkly alien superhero Starfire, so when someone from Starfire's past arrives, Mandy must make a choice about who she is and if she should risk everything to save her mom.

Book  - 2021
GN FIC Tamak
1 copy / 0 on hold

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Location
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  • ISBN: 9781779501264
  • Physical Description 166 pages : chiefly color illustrations ; 23 cm
  • Publisher [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 2021.

Additional Information

Syndetic Solutions - Kirkus Review for ISBN Number 9781779501264
I Am Not Starfire
I Am Not Starfire
by Tamaki, Mariko; Yoshitani, Yoshi (Illustrator)
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Kirkus Review

I Am Not Starfire

Kirkus Reviews


Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Sixteen-year-old Mandy considers herself the anti-Starfire: Unlike her scantily clad superhero mother, she doesn't have superpowers, can't fly, and doesn't even own a bathing suit. Mandy dyes her hair and dresses in all black to further call out how different they are. Mandy's best friend, Lincoln, whose parents were born in Vietnam, insightfully summarizes this rift as being down to an intergenerational divide that occurs whether parents and children come from different countries or different planets. Mandy tries to figure out what kind of future she wants for herself as she struggles with teenage insecurities and bullying, her relationship with her mom, and her budding friendship (or is it something more?) with her new class project partner, Claire. Yoshitani's vibrant and colorful stylized illustrations beautifully meld the various iterations of Starfire and the Titans with the live-action versions of those characters. Together with Tamaki's punchy writing, this coming-of-age story of identity, family, friendship, and saving the world is skillfully brought to life in a quick but nuanced read. These layers are most strongly displayed as the story draws parallels between cultural differences between the generations as evidenced in how the characters address bullying, body positivity, fatphobia, fetishization and sexualization, and feminism. This title addresses many important concepts briefly, but well, with great pacing, bold art, and concise and snappy dialogue. The cast is broadly diverse in both primary and secondary characters. Equal parts entertaining and thought-provoking. (Graphic fantasy. 14-16) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.