Parents' Guide to

The Tryout

Book Christina Soontornvat Graphic Novel 2022
A girl wearing a PE uniform smiles as she walks past two rows of cheerleaders in mid-cheer.

Common Sense Media Review

Andrea Beach By Andrea Beach , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 8+

Lively, moving graphic novel memoir of 7th grade.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 8+?

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Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 8+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Pengellyfor3
Pengellyfor3 Parent of 3, 6 and 8-year-old
November 23, 2022
age 8+

My eight-year-old read this book in a day; she picked it up at the bookstore and didn't put it down until she finished the last page. Our conversations following centered on two themes: race-based bullying and exclusion, which she understood as "other kids not liking Christina because she was different." She had questions about the language--"Rice Girl" in particular and felt that situation was unfair to Christina. I asked if the bullying ever resolved and she said no, which meant to her "some bullies never change." Her favorite part of the book was Christina's resiliency--Christina felt disappointed but, together with her friend, was able to find "her thing" and be successful.
MrSquiggles
MrSquiggles Parent of 6, 9, 11 and 15-year-old
June 29, 2024
age 8+

This book is personally my favourite graphic novel, and is awesome! The Tryout talks about friendship and teamwork. This is a book you should definitely read!!

See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THE TRYOUT, Christina's starting seventh grade at a new school. Meeting new teachers and some new classmates offers her a lot of reminders of how her community sees her as different just because her father is from Thailand. Christina and her best friend Meghan soon decide they want to try out for the cheerleading squad. It's long process that takes months, and it will put Christina and her friendship with Meghan to the test. But Christina will also learn a lot of surprising things about herself and her place in the community, too.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This lively, engaging, and sweetly moving graphic novel embraces middle-school awkwardness as well as a growing sense of personal empowerment. The bright, animated, and expressive illustrations in The Tryout add emotional depth and help keep the pages turning.

Big kids and tweens will relate to narrator Christina's desire for a sense of belonging, and her story will provide a lot of food for thought about important issues like inclusion, community, and racism at a time when kids are starting to learn more about the larger world around them. They'll find Christina easy to root for, all the way to the satisfying ending.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about racism in The Tryout. What does racism mean? How do some of the characters show racism? How does that hurt Christina and her family?

  • How do the techniques and skills Christina learns for cheerleading help her stand up to someone who's bullying her? Have you ever been bullied, or seen someone else being bullied? What did you do? What happened?

  • Why is diversity in media like books, movies, and videos important? What do we learn when we see people represented who are different from us? How do we feel when we see ourselves represented?

Book Details

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