Is a Powerful and Playful Graphic Novel about Anxiety, OCD, RPGs, and Surviving School
Random House Graphic to Publish A Charming Graphic Novel For Everyone Who’s Ever Had A Complicated Relationship With Their Twenty-Sided Die
(December 9, 2021) Starting middle school is hard enough when you don’t know anyone; it’s even harder when you’re shy and anxious. Maggie just wants to get through her first year of middle school unscathed, but between finding the best after-school clubs, trying to make friends, and avoiding the rumored monster on school grounds, she’s having a tough time… And when she gets nervous, Maggie turns to her twenty-sided die. As long as Maggie rolls the right number, nothing can go wrong… or so she thinks. But what happens if Maggie rolls the wrong number?
JUST ROLL WITH IT is the debut graphic novel from writer Lee Durfey-Lavoie and the second graphic novel from artist Veronica Agarwal. Perfect for fans of Guts and Real Friends, JUST ROLL WITH IT is a touching story that explores the complexity of anxiety, OCD, and learning to trust yourself and the world around you.
“JUST ROLL WITH IT aims to open a dialogue about mental health for young readers and give them some terminology to help navigate talking about it,” said Veronica Agarwal. “I was inspired by Svetlana Chmakova’s ‘Berry Brook Middle School’ series (Awkward / Brave / Crush) that highlights issues kids deal with but doesn’t belittle them. I wanted this story to be something that shows how a lot of us live alongside our anxiety, and that the end goal of one’s mental health journey doesn’t have to be ‘fixing’ yourself, but rather becoming the best version of you, anxiety and all.”
“It was important for us to reflect the world we live in—from diversity of body size, race, sexuality, etc, to diversity of how we take in the world around us,” said Lee Durfey-Lavoie. “We wanted to make characters that were serious, goofy, afraid, silly, and who reflected all the wacky and wonderful aspects of being in middle school. We wanted the book to reflect our own experience: that mental illness can be scary and difficult, but it isn’t insurmountable, and the ones you love can help you through it.”
About Author
