Skim by Mariko Tamaki

Is Laguna Beach real? Ever seen that show? MTV claims this “real” drama depicts the life of true high school kids dealing with the everyday drama. Because that’s what the world needs to see, a bunch of whiny students with too much money and too much time on their hands. The real life dramas are usually unnoticed and yet the media tells us that kids are ok. Some kids aren’t ok. Some kids are lonely and suffering but that doesn’t get ratings. How are kids supposed to relate to reality shows or books if no one is being honest?

Enter, Skim. Skim IS the epitome of teen angst. She is chubby and has few friends. Skim wanders the hallways alone and confused. She isn’t your typical teen. She is quiet, smart, funny and very alone. Her interest for WICCA makes her standout but it also makes her stand alone. Her friend Lisa is that friend that is a better enemy than friend. To top it off, Skim’s parents aren’t exactly the “Leave it to Beaver” kind. The boys in school don’t interest her, but her teacher Ms. Archer…. that’s another story. Skim is the real drama. Her school is hit with a bombshell when a popular boy commits suicide. All eyes turn to Skim because they all believe her be the “type” to try and kill herself.

Skim finds a new way to deal with her problems and she finds out that the “popular” crowd isn’t always happy. She finds that sometimes people just need someone to listen to them. Looks can be deceiving in this book.

Skim, by Mariko Tamaki is a very enjoyable book to read. I first thought “ugh graphic novel” but as soon as I started reading it I knew I wanted more. Skim’s diary of high school is very insightful and real. She shows us that people are not who they appear to be. More importantly, this book deals with the issue of suicide in an interesting manner. The author merely presents the idea but she leaves it to the reader to learn how suicide affects different people. Tamaki also teaches us that an exterior façade does not give us insight into the person within. This is book is perfect for teens because it is a story they can relate to. Who hasn’t felt alone at some point? The growth starts with the character but ends with the reader. Teen readers grow to understand that high school is difficult for a lot of people but there is always hope. Also, this book is a perfect for teens to understand that seeing a person is different than KNOWING that person.