Blog Tour
Review and Giveaway
I’m thrilled to be hosting a spot on the ALLERGIC by Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About the Book
Title: ALLERGIC
Author: Megan Wagner
Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter
Pub. Date: March 2, 2021
Publisher: Graphix
Formats: Hardcover,
Paperback, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 240
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org
A coming-of-age middle-grade graphic novel featuring a girl with severe allergies who just wants to find the perfect pet!
At home, Maggie is the odd one out. Her parents are preoccupied with getting ready for a new baby, and her younger brothers are twins and always in their own world. Maggie loves animals and thinks a new puppy to call her own is the answer, but when she goes to select one on her birthday, she breaks out in hives and rashes. She’s severely allergic to anything with fur!
Can Maggie outsmart her allergies and find the perfect pet? With illustrations by Michelle Mee Nutter, Megan Wagner Lloyd uses inspiration from her own experiences with allergies to tell a heartfelt story of family, friendship, and finding a place to belong.
Praise for Allergic
“Maggie’s inventiveness as she overcomes these trials is showcased through Lloyd’s captivating narrative and Nutter’s bright and dynamic illustrations. The story provides insight into the lives of those with allergies and the accommodations needed to avoid serious episodes … A heartachingly enjoyable tale of resilience.” — KIRKUS REVIEWS,
starred review
“Readers will root for this realistic and relatable fifth grader, who’s capable of kindness well as envy and self-doubt. Lloyd folds in information about allergy tests, anaphylaxis, EpiPens, and other facts that Maggie and her friend Sebastian, who also has allergies, recite to each other. Layouts rely on three to four large panels per page, creating a smooth visual flow; Nutter’s muted, uncluttered art has a cozy feel … Maggie makes new pals here—she’ll find even more friends in elementary and middle school libraries, where readers will easily identify with her trials and accomplishments.” – SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“A fun and entertaining story.” —
BLEEDING COOL
“The perfect graphic novel for kids of all
ages.” — FROLIC
“Allergic is the sweetest story you’ll read all year. A touching chronicle of a young girl’s severe allergies woven into a meaningful journey of friendship, family, and self-discovery.” — Terri Libenson, New York Times bestselling author of Invisible Emmie
My Thoughts
This graphic novel is sure to delight kids 
regardless of whether they have allergies. But if they do, it’s bound to be even more fun since they will be able to relate to the story.
Maggie Wilson thinks her 10th birthday is bound to be the perfect time to get a dog. Yes, she understands the dog will really belong to the whole family, but just having a pet is what matters. And after all, her twin brothers have each other, her parents will be busy with a new baby soon, so really the dog will be her buddy.
What she doesn’t factor into her perfect plan is her severe allergic reaction to the puppy they bring home from the shelter.
And so the journey begins. Maggie faces so many issues that she’s becoming overwhelmed. She is entering a new school, facing allergy injections, wanting a pet desperately, and dealing with crazy twin brothers. Ugh. What’s a 10-year-old to do?
Megan Wagner Lloyd allows us to follow Maggie through the ups-and-downs of the life of a young girl dealing with several issues. And illustrator Michelle Mee Nutter makes this story absolutely jump to life. The two women have created a graphic novel that is sure to appeal to both young and old. (Not that I’m referring to myself as “old” but I did love it!)
The story addresses so many issues, yet they all interlock beautifully. The me into the picture as I examined the details.
I recommend this for various reasons. Some of which are
- It’s not overwhelming for the reluctant reader
- It is fun yet filled with info
- It promotes facing disappointment then searching for alternatives.
- Shows real behavior, yet the ability to ask for forgiveness.
- Working through new friendships
- Shows how it feels to start a new school
- Admits to various emotions regarding changing family dynamics
- And the list goes on and on
What Concerned Me
Though it may have helped make the story sneaky and fun for kids, I was concerned that Maggie wanted a lock on her door. Why? So she could hide a pet from her parents. When she begins to have allergic reactions she doesn’t admit that she knows why. So what do good parents do? They worry and look for answers which include taking her back to the doctor. When it is finally discovered that she has been hiding a pet, we only see her dad sympathizing with her (which I liked) yet there was no consequence for her actions. This lost a full star for me.
My Final Thoughts
I thought is was fun and I loved the illustrations.
My thanks to Rockstar Tours and the publisher for a copy of this book and the ability to post a review of my opinion was.
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
About Megan:
MEGAN WAGNER LLOYD is the
author of several picture books, including Paper Mice, Building Books,
Finding Wild, and A Fort-Building Time. She lives in the
Washington DC area. Visit her online at meganwagnerlloyd.com.
Website | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon
About Michelle:
MICHELLE MEE NUTTER graduated
with a BFA in Illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, 3×3 Illustration,
Creative Quarterly, and more. Michelle lives in Boston. Visit her online at
michellemee.com.
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads
**Giveaway**
Details
3 winners will win a finished copy of ALLERGIC, US Only.
CATCH
MEGAN WAGNER LLOYD AND MICHELLE MEE NUTTER ON THE VIRTUAL ALLERGIC TOUR! Click on the photos for the Bookstore Events pages.
March
2, 2021 5:00 pm (PST) Launch event
hosted by Green Apple Books In conversation with Raina Telgemeier (GUTS)
March
4, 2021 7:00 pm (EST) Hosted by An
Unlikely Story In conversation with Jeff Kinney (DIARY OF A WIMPY KID)
March
10, 2021 4:00 pm (PST) Hosted by
The Reading Bug In conversation with Varian Johnson and Shannon
Wright (TWINS)
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