Fitting In

Fans of The Crossover and Roller Girl will love Fitting In, an original full-color graphic novel about two middle school boys, the soccer team, the music club, and middle school drama, with many thematic cues from Raina Telgemeier’s Guts.

Twelve-year-old Rodrigo doesn’t exactly feel invisible, but sometimes he wishes he was. When he gets nervous, his stomach acts up, and that’s the last thing he wants anyone to notice. The only place Rodrigo feels comfortable at is the after school music club with his best friend Elias. But the club doesn’t have many members and might get cut. Elias devises a plan to save the club—have Rodrigo join the popular soccer team and convince them to promote the music club at the upcoming arts festival so they can get new members.

Easy, right?

Well . . .

Rodrigo used to be part of the soccer team, but after an unfortunate incident involving his nervous stomach before a game, he quit. He already deals with the occasional teasing for his team’s captain, but when the music club on the line, Rodrigo thinks the risk is worth it. He rejoins the team and soon becomes the one thing he’s never been: popular. Is it even worth saving the music club anymore, and is his friendship with Elias doomed?

This graphic novel explores diversity, anxiety, friendship, and fitting in—all important topics for middle schoolers—embedded in a classic story about music, soccer, and being “popular.”