The Dark Matter of Mona Starr by Laura Lee Gulledge
on April 7, 2020
ISBN: 1419742000
Pages: 182
Goodreads

This graphic novel by Page by Paige author, Laura Lee Gulledge, is a book that everyone may need to read right now. Mona is the artsy oddball of her family. When her best friend moves away and Mona feels overwhelmed, alone, and sad; then her depression (or “dark matter”) begins to overwhelm her. Many readers in 2021 will relate to feeling overwhelmed and sad because of the isolation due to the current pandemic. Mona shares her story honestly with the reader in chapter titles that read as comforting pieces of advice: Notice Your Patterns, Break Your Cycles, Turn Emotion into Action, and Pull Yourself Up…With Help. The grayscale pictures are equally illuminating. Gulledge illustrates Mona’s “dark matter” in different ways for different situations, such as a black blanket that engulfs Mona or a monster that binds her in doubt. Mona’s diary and sketches are included that provide extra insight into her creativity and her depression; these pages burst with emotional impact. The author shares the connections between Mona and her personal story at the end of the book, along with playlists, reading lists, and her personal self-care plan. Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Elizabeth Andersen, Librarian, Westbrook High School