Kiss Number 8

Last updated
Kiss Number 8
Kiss Number 8.jpeg
Cover of Kiss Number 8
Author Colleen AF Venable
Language English
Genre Young adult fiction, Romance
Publisher First Second
Publication date
March 12, 2019
ISBN 9781596437098

Kiss Number 8 is a 2019 graphic novel written by Colleen A. F. Venable, illustrated by Ellen T. Crenshaw, and published by First Second Books. In 2019, the novel was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. [1] [2] The following year, it was a finalist for an Eisner Award [3] [4] and Prism Award. [5]

Contents

The novel follows the protagonist's experiences through a series of horrible kisses and humorously explores her sexuality, family, and faith.

Reception

Reviews

Kiss Number 8 received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly , who respectively called the novel a "rare blend of tender and revolutionary" [6] and a "queer coming-of-age story that earns its powerful emotional impact." [7]

The New York Times 's Jen Doll wrote, "Venable's frequently heartbreaking recollection of the abuse and torment that people went through for being 'different' — and the fact that it still happens all too frequently — is a powerful reminder of how far we still have to go." [8]

School Library Journal called the book "thought-provoking" and a "solid addition to YA shelves." [9]

Awards and honors

In 2019, the New York Public Library included Kiss Number 8 on its list of the best books for teens published that year. The following year, the book was included on the Texas Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List [10] and the TAYSHAS Reading List. [11]

YearAwardResultRef.
2019 National Book Award for Young People's Literature Longlist [1] [2]
2020 Eisner Award for Best Publication for TeensFinalist [3] [4]
2020Great Graphic Novels for TeensTop 10 [12] [13]
2020 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers Top 10 [14] [15]
2020Prism Award for Mainstream PublisherFinalist [5]

Controversy

In the summer of 2021, at a Leander Independent School District board meeting, a parent complained about In the Dream House , a memoir by Carmen Maria Machado, which led to a review of all the books on the district's Language Arts Reading List. Eight books, including Kiss Number 8, were ultimately removed. [16]

In August 2022, 62% of Jamestown Charter Township residents voted to defund their public library system after librarians refused to remove three books from the library's shelves: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Kiss Number 8, and Spinning by Tillie Walden. [17] Community activists claimed that the presence of these books in the library's young adult and adult sections meant the library was trying to "groom" young children. [18] According to Library Board President Larry Walton, without fund renewal, "the library will run out of money in 2023, jeopardizing its existence." [17] Despite not wanting to close the library, Walton has stated that the board refuses to ban the books. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shannon Hale</span> American author (born 1974)

Shannon Hale is an American author primarily of young adult fantasy, including the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy and The Goose Girl. Her first novel for adults, Austenland, was adapted into a film in 2013. She is a graduate of the University of Utah and the University of Montana. She has also co-written with her husband, Dean.

Svetlana Chmakova is a Russian-Canadian comic book artist. She is best known for Dramacon, an original English-language (OEL) manga spanning three volumes and published in North America by Tokyopop. Her other original work includes Nightschool and Awkward for Yen Press. She has been nominated for an Eisner Award twice. Previously, she created The Adventures of CG for CosmoGIRL! magazine and the webcomic Chasing Rainbows for Girlamatic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd Strasser</span> American novelist

Todd Strasser is an American writer of more than 140 young-adult and middle grade novels and many short stories and works of non-fiction, some written under the pen names Morton Rhue and T.S. Rue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Myracle</span> American young adult novelist

Lauren Myracle is an American writer of young adult fiction. She has written many novels, including the three best-selling "IM" books, ttyl, ttfn and l8r, g8r. Her book Thirteen Plus One was released May 4, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Donnelly</span> American writer of young adult fiction

Jennifer Donnelly is an American writer best known for the young adult historical novel A Northern Light.

Stephanie Kuehn is an American author of young adult fiction, best known for her William C. Morris Award-winning debut novel Charm & Strange, Delicate Monsters, and Complicit. Her novels often explore themes of mental illness and psychology.

<i>Smile</i> (comic book) Graphic novel written by Raina Telgemeier

Smile is an autobiographical graphic novel written by Raina Telgemeier. It was published in February 2010 by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. The novel provides an account of the author's life, characterized by dental procedures and struggles with fitting in, from sixth grade to high school. The book originated as a webcomic, which was serialized on Girlamatic. It is most appropriate for readers between fourth and sixth grade. Smile has had a pedagogical impact, and reviews have been written on this novel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kasia Babis</span> Polish author and cartoonist (born 1992)

Katarzyna "Kasia" Monika Babis is a Polish author of comic books, cartoonist, illustrator, painter, author of children's books, YouTuber and political activist.

<i>Spinning</i> (comics) 2017 graphic novel memoir by Tillie Walden

Spinning is a graphic novel memoir by cartoonist Tillie Walden that was first published by First Second Books on September 12, 2017. The memoir chronicles Walden's years coming-of-age as a competitive figure skater, as she navigates romance, bullying and various traumas. It won the 2018 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work.

Anna-Marie McLemore is a Mexican-American author of young adult fiction magical realism, best known for their Stonewall Honor-winning novel When the Moon Was Ours, Wild Beauty, and The Weight of Feathers.

<i>Long Way Down</i> (book) 2017 novel by Jason Reynolds

Long Way Down is a young adult novel in verse by Jason Reynolds, published October 24, 2017, by Atheneum Books. The book was longlisted for the National Book Award and was named a Printz Honor Book, Coretta Scott King Honor Book, and Newbery Medal Honor Book, alongside other awards and positive reviews.

<i>Hey, Kiddo</i> 2018 graphic memoir by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction is a graphic memoir by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, published October 9, 2018 by Graphix. The book tells the story of Krosoczka's childhood living with his grandparents while his mother lived with a substance use disorder.

<i>They Called Us Enemy</i> 2019 graphic novel

They Called Us Enemy is a 2019 graphic novel that is a collaboration by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker. It is about his experiences during the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II. It is published by Top Shelf Productions.

<i>You Should See Me in a Crown</i> (novel) 2020 young adult novel

You Should See Me in a Crown is a debut young adult novel by Leah Johnson, published by Scholastic in June 2020. The book was given a Stonewall Book honor, and TIME magazine named it one of the best 100 young adult books of all time.

<i>Legendborn</i> 2020 fantasy novel by Tracy Deonn

Legendborn is a 2020 debut young adult fantasy novel by Tracy Deonn. Called "a modern day twist on Arthurian legend", it follows a black teenage girl who discovers a secret and historically white magic society. The book is the first in the Legendborn series. It was released on September 15, 2020, and it was published under Simon & Schuster/McElderry. Legendborn received the Coretta Scott King Award/John Steptoe Award for New Talent as well as a nomination for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

<i>Rani Patel in Full Effect</i> 2016 young adult novel by Sonia Patel

Rani Patel in Full Effect is a young adult, historical fiction novel by Sonia Patel, published October 11, 2016 by Cinco Puntos Press.

<i>When Stars Are Scattered</i> 2020 nonfiction young adult graphic novel by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

When Stars Are Scattered is a nonfiction young adult graphic novel written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson and Iman Geddy, and published April 14, 2020, by Dial Books.

The American Library Association's Great Graphic Novels for Teens, established in 2007, is an annual list presented by Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) division of graphic novels and illustrated nonfiction geared toward individuals ages 12–18.

Don Brown is an American author and illustrator of children's books.

Nathan Hale is an American author and illustrator of children's books, most notably the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series. He is also the illustrator of the graphic novels Rapunzel's Revenge, its sequel, Calamity Jack,Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody, the Dinosaur's Life Before Christmas, and many others. His work has been nominated for four Eisner Awards.

References

  1. 1 2 "Kiss Number 8". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  2. 1 2 Ishizuka, Kathy (2019-09-16). "Longlist Announced: 2019 National Book Award for Young People". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  3. 1 2 "2020 Eisner Awards Nominations". Comic-Con International: San Diego. 2020-06-02. Archived from the original on 2022-01-22. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  4. 1 2 "The 2020 Eisner Award Nominations, Reviewed". School Library Journal. 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  5. 1 2 "The Fourth Annual Prism Awards Will Be Presented Online – Oct 17-18, 2020". Prism Comics. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  6. ↑ "Kiss Number 8". Kirkus Reviews. 2018-12-09. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  7. ↑ "Kiss Number 8 by Colleen AF Venable". Publishers Weekly . 2018-12-24. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  8. ↑ Doll, Jen (2019-05-29). "First Love and Other Investigations". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  9. ↑ Riember, Carla (2019-02-01). "Kiss Number 8". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  10. ↑ "2020 Texas Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List". Austin Public Library. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  11. ↑ "2020 TAYSHAS Reading List". Austin Public Library. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  12. ↑ Lam, Anna (2020-01-02). "YALSA names 2020 Great Graphic Novels for Teens". American Library Association . Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  13. ↑ NGILBERT (2020-01-02). "2020 Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  14. ↑ NGILBERT (2020-01-07). "2020 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  15. ↑ Lam, Anna (2020-01-08). "YALSA announces 2020 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". American Library Association . Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  16. ↑ "Intellectual Freedom Updates" (PDF). American Library Association . June 2021. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  17. 1 2 3 Schaub, Michael (2022-08-05). "Michigan Library Is Defunded Over LGBTQ+ Books". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  18. ↑ French, Ron (2022-08-03). "Upset over LGBTQ books, a Michigan town defunds its library in tax vote | Bridge Michigan". Bridge Michigan. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.