Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Sep 2023
464 pages
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Publication Information
Drawn from real life, here is a bracingly honest illustrated diary of a teenage girl that captures the explosive turmoil and joy of adolescence.
Meet Phoebe. She's cool and insecure, talented and vulnerable, sexy and awkward, driven and confused, ecstatic and tragic.
Like you.
And here is her diary, packed full of invaluable friends and heartbreaking crushes, spectacular playlists and vintage outfits, drama nerds and art kids, old wounds and new love. Based on her own teenage diary, Phoebe Wahl has melded truth with fiction and art with text, casting a spell that brings readers deep into the experience of growing up.
"Pacing mimics the inconsistencies of young adulthood, varying with each entry based on the teen's emotional investment in individual topics, skillfully presenting a raw, unfiltered story about growing up and taking risks that will surely resonate." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Wahl's distinctive, instantly recognizable art adds humor and heart to each page... . An earnest, relatable, and affecting celebration of teenage yearning." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Phoebe's Diary honestly captures teenage angst, confusion, and the yearning for love and identity. In parts funny and philosophical, it speaks to every person on earth." ―Maira Kalman, award-winning and bestselling author, artist, and designer
"I couldn't stop smiling as I read this relentlessly relatable book. Phoebe Wahl has created a glittering treasure map of teenage life. She illuminates a year of adolescent longing, discovery, pleasure, and heartbreak. It is deeply sweet, sexy, and true. I wanted it to last forever." ―Sophia Glock, creator of the graphic memoir Passport
This information about Phoebe's Diary was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Phoebe Wahl is an award-winning illustrator and surface designer. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design and has published several acclaimed picture books including Little Witch Hazel and The Blue House. Her clients include Maisonette, Patagonia, and The New York Times. She lives with her family in Bellingham, Washington, in an old house with sunflowers in the garden. She invites you to visit her on Instagram @phoebewahl.
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