What do you think?
Rate this book
Squished
From the Eisner-nominated duo behind the instant bestseller Allergic comes a fun new graphic novel about finding your own space… especially when you're in a family of nine!
Eleven-year-old Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland. She loves her neighborhood, school, and the end-of-summer fair she always goes to with her two best friends. But she's tired of feeling squished by her six siblings! They're noisy and chaotic and the younger kids love her a little too much. All Avery wants is her own room -- her own space to be alone and make art. So she's furious when Theo, her grumpy older brother, gets his own room instead, and her wild baby brother, Max, moves into the room she already shares with her clinging sister Pearl! Avery hatches a plan to finally get her own room, all while trying to get Max to sleep at night, navigating changes in her friendships, and working on an art entry for the fair. And when Avery finds out that her family might move across the country, things get even more complicated.
Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter have once again teamed up to tell a funny, heartfelt, and charming story of family, friendship, and growing up.
Eleven-year-old Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland. She loves her neighborhood, school, and the end-of-summer fair she always goes to with her two best friends. But she's tired of feeling squished by her six siblings! They're noisy and chaotic and the younger kids love her a little too much. All Avery wants is her own room -- her own space to be alone and make art. So she's furious when Theo, her grumpy older brother, gets his own room instead, and her wild baby brother, Max, moves into the room she already shares with her clinging sister Pearl! Avery hatches a plan to finally get her own room, all while trying to get Max to sleep at night, navigating changes in her friendships, and working on an art entry for the fair. And when Avery finds out that her family might move across the country, things get even more complicated.
Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter have once again teamed up to tell a funny, heartfelt, and charming story of family, friendship, and growing up.
248 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2023
446 people are currently reading
2614 people want to read
About the author
Megan Wagner Lloyd
20 books210 followersMegan Wagner Lloyd is the writer of the kids' graphic novels ALLERGIC and SQUISHED, co-created with illustrator Michelle Mee Nutter, and the SUPER PANCAKE series, co-created with illustrator Abhi Alwar. She's also the author of HAVEN: A SMALL CAT'S BIG ADVENTURE, and several picture books. She lives with her family in the Washington DC area.
Sign up for her newsletter: meganwagnerlloyd.com
Find her on Instagram: @meganwagnerlloyd
Sign up for her newsletter: meganwagnerlloyd.com
Find her on Instagram: @meganwagnerlloyd
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 498 reviews
April 2, 2023
This is my third Megan Wagner Lloyd book and I think that she will definitely be a writer that I continue to read. Allergic still stands as my favorite, but this one is definitely a close second.
Honestly, it was the name and cover that led me to picking up Squished. It's a middle grade graphic novel that follows the Lee family which is made up of seven children (hence the name of the book). Readers primarily see the book from the perspective of eleven year old Avery who loves both art and her family. Naturally, she's getting to an age where she wants her own space which seems relatively impossible due to the size of her family. While attempting to raise funds for the creation of her own room, Avery learns about the loss of friendship, the love of family, and the difficult parts about finally growing up.
What Worked: The artwork in this one was beautiful! I recognized Nutter's style from Allergic and was happy to see their name attached to this title. Some of my favorite aspects of this graphic novel included the family dynamics as well as the complexity attached to Avery's character development. Avery wants space away from her family in the form of having her own bedroom, but she still loves being around them. She thinks that they embarrass her at the most inconvenient times, but still appreciates the things that everyone does for each other. These conflicting feelings are shown both in Lloyd's words and Nutter's artwork and readers literally begin to feel the internal conflict that Avery deals with every single day. These continued conflicted feelings definitely come to head when Avery and her mother must deal with a difficult family decision; however, I like how the difficult decision was addressed and handled which gave Avery the space and respect that she needed. There were also some great discussions that addressed relationships that Avery had with others outside of the family. They taught Avery a lot about what it means to grow away from friends and move on to the new and unknown. These are definitely elements that a lot of middle grade readers will find interesting.
Overall, this was another good middle grade graphic novel and I'm excited for other readers to dive into it.
Honestly, it was the name and cover that led me to picking up Squished. It's a middle grade graphic novel that follows the Lee family which is made up of seven children (hence the name of the book). Readers primarily see the book from the perspective of eleven year old Avery who loves both art and her family. Naturally, she's getting to an age where she wants her own space which seems relatively impossible due to the size of her family. While attempting to raise funds for the creation of her own room, Avery learns about the loss of friendship, the love of family, and the difficult parts about finally growing up.
What Worked: The artwork in this one was beautiful! I recognized Nutter's style from Allergic and was happy to see their name attached to this title. Some of my favorite aspects of this graphic novel included the family dynamics as well as the complexity attached to Avery's character development. Avery wants space away from her family in the form of having her own bedroom, but she still loves being around them. She thinks that they embarrass her at the most inconvenient times, but still appreciates the things that everyone does for each other. These conflicting feelings are shown both in Lloyd's words and Nutter's artwork and readers literally begin to feel the internal conflict that Avery deals with every single day. These continued conflicted feelings definitely come to head when Avery and her mother must deal with a difficult family decision; however, I like how the difficult decision was addressed and handled which gave Avery the space and respect that she needed. There were also some great discussions that addressed relationships that Avery had with others outside of the family. They taught Avery a lot about what it means to grow away from friends and move on to the new and unknown. These are definitely elements that a lot of middle grade readers will find interesting.
Overall, this was another good middle grade graphic novel and I'm excited for other readers to dive into it.
March 20, 2023
The artwork is very appealing and like a lot of people, I love stories about the chaos of large families, an aspect that's captured well in Squished. However, there are an awful lot of subplots in this graphic novel—Avery wants personal space but now has to share a room with her toddler brother! Her family may be moving! One of her best friends is suddenly getting close to a new kid! Her older brother is being bullied and becoming distant! Avery starts a dog-walking business!—and few of them are really satisfactorily resolved. Too many ideas, not enough pages.
I also wished the book would've gone further with the casual parentification Avery experiences at home. Her parents are clearly loving but stretched thin, and they obviously depend a lot on Avery in a way they don't appear to depend on her older brother. This is explained away as her being very good with the little kids—she obviously does love her younger siblings—but it would've been interesting to explore Eldest Daughter syndrome a little more. At one point there's a pretty telling conversation where Avery tells her mom she wants just one kid someday, or maybe none at all, that might've been a good opening if they hadn't had to rush over it to introduce yet another new plot point.
I also wished the book would've gone further with the casual parentification Avery experiences at home. Her parents are clearly loving but stretched thin, and they obviously depend a lot on Avery in a way they don't appear to depend on her older brother. This is explained away as her being very good with the little kids—she obviously does love her younger siblings—but it would've been interesting to explore Eldest Daughter syndrome a little more. At one point there's a pretty telling conversation where Avery tells her mom she wants just one kid someday, or maybe none at all, that might've been a good opening if they hadn't had to rush over it to introduce yet another new plot point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2023
A family with seven kids and how the eldest girl child is handling their day to day life.
This graphic novel is so underrated. It actually has so many good things to offer to the young readers as well as to the adults as it shows how to handle some of the most mundane yet unavoidable situations we would face.
Eleven year old Avery is the second eldest and she is the one who is always helping her parents and her siblings. I do not understand why the oldest kid Theo is not expected to help with their younger siblings. I hope stories do make good changes when it tells realistic stories so that they encourage boys to help around.
Life is going to change big when their mom gets a new job and they have to move. The kids panic yet the family handles this issue with such maturity and understanding that reading this story makes me wish all adults be like them.
Such a good graphic novel with amazing art sequence. This book deserves its place in everyone’s bookshelves!
This graphic novel is so underrated. It actually has so many good things to offer to the young readers as well as to the adults as it shows how to handle some of the most mundane yet unavoidable situations we would face.
Eleven year old Avery is the second eldest and she is the one who is always helping her parents and her siblings. I do not understand why the oldest kid Theo is not expected to help with their younger siblings. I hope stories do make good changes when it tells realistic stories so that they encourage boys to help around.
Life is going to change big when their mom gets a new job and they have to move. The kids panic yet the family handles this issue with such maturity and understanding that reading this story makes me wish all adults be like them.
Such a good graphic novel with amazing art sequence. This book deserves its place in everyone’s bookshelves!
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 27, 2023
After reading Allergic earlier this month, I knew I had to read Lloyd and Nutter's other titles. They do such an amazing job of capturing complex family dynamics and giving everyone a unique personality (even if that personality is a touch one-note).
Avery Lee is the second oldest in a family with seven kids—and yes, she's heard all the jokes. She just wants her own space, her own room to get away from her family and to create art. And yet, her older brother Theo gets his own room, first! And her best friend met another girl at the beach, and Avery is feeling a lot out of the loop with her once-tight friend group.
Even worse, her family might be moving across the country!
Avery does not want to be the new kid amongst a swarm of sixth graders, not when she has plans for the rest of the summer and a chance to win an award at the county art fair.
There's a lot of growing within this book, as Avery battles with her annoying family (even as she loves them), and I really liked that Theo was shown as tackling just as much childcare and babysitting as Avery. I liked the relationship of the parents with their kids, each other, and with the "big kids" (Avery and Theo, who are 11 and 13), and their understanding that their children each need the space to grow into their own people.
Avery Lee is the second oldest in a family with seven kids—and yes, she's heard all the jokes. She just wants her own space, her own room to get away from her family and to create art. And yet, her older brother Theo gets his own room, first! And her best friend met another girl at the beach, and Avery is feeling a lot out of the loop with her once-tight friend group.
Even worse, her family might be moving across the country!
Avery does not want to be the new kid amongst a swarm of sixth graders, not when she has plans for the rest of the summer and a chance to win an award at the county art fair.
There's a lot of growing within this book, as Avery battles with her annoying family (even as she loves them), and I really liked that Theo was shown as tackling just as much childcare and babysitting as Avery. I liked the relationship of the parents with their kids, each other, and with the "big kids" (Avery and Theo, who are 11 and 13), and their understanding that their children each need the space to grow into their own people.
April 18, 2023
Hundreds more "Librarian's Perspective" reviews at MrsReaderPants.
Squished has cute and coloful graphics, but I’m sad to say I didn’t love it. I still recommend it for elementary libraries, but I’ve got several “didn’t likes” in the review. In fact, after writing the review, I’m thinking maybe I am being too hard on the book.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT SQUISHED
I love that this was about a large, imperfect family. They definitely have their struggles, but at the end of the day, they all love and support each other. Students who have large families will certainly identify with the quest for one’s own room. I didn’t have a large family (just me and my two sisters), but I did share a room with one sister until I was 12. I was the oldest, and I finally succeeded in my quest for my own room at age 12. I totally get where 11-year old Avery is coming from.
The parents are present in the family. Too often, parents are absent or practically absent in middle grade books. I get that neglect happens, but it seems middle grade books love to make their protagonists into overly-independent kids. Yes, middle graders can be very independent, but it’s nice seeing caring, involved parents in middle grade literature.
The dad in Squished is just as involved in the day-to-day household tasks and childcare as the mother is. And at the end, it’s the mother who finally gets a job. The dad will stay home and write. Or at least, he’ll attempt to – I don’t know how much writing he’ll get done once the mother starts working again. Good luck with all that, dad!
Avery’s emotional swings are realistic. I love that she isn’t portrayed as precocious or spunky, as kids this age often are in middle grade lit. She has her ups and downs, as any 11-year old girl will have.
The illustrations are gorgeous and colorful. I recently reviewed Allergic, which is from the same author and illustrator as Squished. This book will be popular with elementary readers for the same reason Allergic is.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT SQUISHED
A whole lot happens, but it's somehow still boring. At 256 pages, this is on the long side for a middle grade graphic novel. That's not terrible, but a lot of it could have been cut in favor of some more serious issues. So much is packed in, but most of it is just day-to-day stuff that doesn't matter.
Avery's failed businesses, the art contest, the school awards ceremony, playing video games at Avery's friend's house, the two lost children...none of these are important to the story. They are all things that happen and are quickly forgotten and never mentioned again.
Actually...the two lost children just made me mad because no one thought to alert the police or to knock on neighbors' doors when two preschoolers are lost in a storm as it is getting dark outside.
The children, ages 4 and 5, could not have gotten that far, so it makes sense that a neighbor might have them and be waiting out the storm (which is exactly what happened). At the very least, the neighbors could have helped with the search.
Things that should have gotten more air time instead:
--13-year old Theo's possible depression. His door is always closed, and he's often seen wearing a frown or a scowl (see the front cover). Maybe it's normal 13-year old boy angst, but it could be more. He seems quite disconnected from the rest of the family, and he doesn't appear to have any friends.
--The bullying incident involving Avery's older brother Theo at the skating rink - is this why he seems depressed? Who are these kids? Does this happen often? Unfortunately, once they leave the skating rink, the bullying doesn't come up again.
--Avery's jealousy of her best friend's new friend. It's a short plot point that doesn't continue much beyond a mention or two. It's a very normal jealousy for tweens this age, and I wish it had been explored further.
--The parent-ification of the older siblings, particularly Avery. I understand that the parents are stretched too thin and that they need Avery and Theo help a lot. But this should have been acknowledged in the story. It should have been something Avery and Theo talked about and that the parents recognized. They ultimately move to Oregon, where it seems they have some family close by, to help ease the burden on the family. This should get more than one mention. These parents are trying to make it better, but because they don't talk about how much Avery and Theo have to do, it feels normalized. Because of this, I don't believe anything will really change for Avery and Theo once they move to Oregon.
--The house is too clean! There is a small amount of clutter, but with seven children under age 13, two overwhelmed parents, and a dog and a cat, it really should be a LOT messier. In my blog post of this review, I included two images from the book. One is of 13-year old Theo's room. His bed is made neatly. His dresser is clean on top, and his bookshelf is neat. The second image is of the living room. There is no clutter anywhere except for a toy behind the sofa and a dragon toy on the box. Images of the kitchen show spotless, uncluttered countertops. The van is also squeaky-clean inside. No goo stuck to the seats or trash on the floor.
DIVERSITY
The family's last name is Lee, and they all have dark hair. No ethnicity is mentioned, but they cue Asian American.
One of Avery's two best friends is an African American boy whose mother is the elementary school principal.
The children are 13, 11, 8, 5, 4, 2, and 4 months old. They are a mix of boys and girls.
ARTWORK/ILLUSTRATIONS
Gorgeous and colorful! This will be popular with elementary readers!
THEMES
large families, the need for quiet, wanting one's own room, siblings, friendship, responsibilities, moving away, daily life, older siblings caretaking younger ones, bullying
LIBRARIANS WILL WANT TO KNOW
Would adults like this book? I think adults who have large families will appreciate Avery's quest for her own room. It seems families this large are not as common today as they once were (in 18 years of teaching, the largest family I can think of had four children), but older adults who come from large families will probably identify.
Would I buy this for my high school library? No - this is too young for high school.
Would I buy this for my middle school library? Maybe - Avery has just finished 5th grade, so it's probably a bit young for most middle schoolers. Sixth graders would be a good fit though.
Would I buy this for my elementary school library? 100% YES! I recommend this for elementary libraries.
MATURE CONTENT
No content concerns for elementary or middle school.
--Language: none
--Sexuality: none
--Violence: mild; a bullying incident at the skating rink
--Drugs/Alcohol: none
--Other: none
Squished has cute and coloful graphics, but I’m sad to say I didn’t love it. I still recommend it for elementary libraries, but I’ve got several “didn’t likes” in the review. In fact, after writing the review, I’m thinking maybe I am being too hard on the book.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT SQUISHED
I love that this was about a large, imperfect family. They definitely have their struggles, but at the end of the day, they all love and support each other. Students who have large families will certainly identify with the quest for one’s own room. I didn’t have a large family (just me and my two sisters), but I did share a room with one sister until I was 12. I was the oldest, and I finally succeeded in my quest for my own room at age 12. I totally get where 11-year old Avery is coming from.
The parents are present in the family. Too often, parents are absent or practically absent in middle grade books. I get that neglect happens, but it seems middle grade books love to make their protagonists into overly-independent kids. Yes, middle graders can be very independent, but it’s nice seeing caring, involved parents in middle grade literature.
The dad in Squished is just as involved in the day-to-day household tasks and childcare as the mother is. And at the end, it’s the mother who finally gets a job. The dad will stay home and write. Or at least, he’ll attempt to – I don’t know how much writing he’ll get done once the mother starts working again. Good luck with all that, dad!
Avery’s emotional swings are realistic. I love that she isn’t portrayed as precocious or spunky, as kids this age often are in middle grade lit. She has her ups and downs, as any 11-year old girl will have.
The illustrations are gorgeous and colorful. I recently reviewed Allergic, which is from the same author and illustrator as Squished. This book will be popular with elementary readers for the same reason Allergic is.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT SQUISHED
A whole lot happens, but it's somehow still boring. At 256 pages, this is on the long side for a middle grade graphic novel. That's not terrible, but a lot of it could have been cut in favor of some more serious issues. So much is packed in, but most of it is just day-to-day stuff that doesn't matter.
Avery's failed businesses, the art contest, the school awards ceremony, playing video games at Avery's friend's house, the two lost children...none of these are important to the story. They are all things that happen and are quickly forgotten and never mentioned again.
Actually...the two lost children just made me mad because no one thought to alert the police or to knock on neighbors' doors when two preschoolers are lost in a storm as it is getting dark outside.
The children, ages 4 and 5, could not have gotten that far, so it makes sense that a neighbor might have them and be waiting out the storm (which is exactly what happened). At the very least, the neighbors could have helped with the search.
Things that should have gotten more air time instead:
--13-year old Theo's possible depression. His door is always closed, and he's often seen wearing a frown or a scowl (see the front cover). Maybe it's normal 13-year old boy angst, but it could be more. He seems quite disconnected from the rest of the family, and he doesn't appear to have any friends.
--The bullying incident involving Avery's older brother Theo at the skating rink - is this why he seems depressed? Who are these kids? Does this happen often? Unfortunately, once they leave the skating rink, the bullying doesn't come up again.
--Avery's jealousy of her best friend's new friend. It's a short plot point that doesn't continue much beyond a mention or two. It's a very normal jealousy for tweens this age, and I wish it had been explored further.
--The parent-ification of the older siblings, particularly Avery. I understand that the parents are stretched too thin and that they need Avery and Theo help a lot. But this should have been acknowledged in the story. It should have been something Avery and Theo talked about and that the parents recognized. They ultimately move to Oregon, where it seems they have some family close by, to help ease the burden on the family. This should get more than one mention. These parents are trying to make it better, but because they don't talk about how much Avery and Theo have to do, it feels normalized. Because of this, I don't believe anything will really change for Avery and Theo once they move to Oregon.
--The house is too clean! There is a small amount of clutter, but with seven children under age 13, two overwhelmed parents, and a dog and a cat, it really should be a LOT messier. In my blog post of this review, I included two images from the book. One is of 13-year old Theo's room. His bed is made neatly. His dresser is clean on top, and his bookshelf is neat. The second image is of the living room. There is no clutter anywhere except for a toy behind the sofa and a dragon toy on the box. Images of the kitchen show spotless, uncluttered countertops. The van is also squeaky-clean inside. No goo stuck to the seats or trash on the floor.
DIVERSITY
The family's last name is Lee, and they all have dark hair. No ethnicity is mentioned, but they cue Asian American.
One of Avery's two best friends is an African American boy whose mother is the elementary school principal.
The children are 13, 11, 8, 5, 4, 2, and 4 months old. They are a mix of boys and girls.
ARTWORK/ILLUSTRATIONS
Gorgeous and colorful! This will be popular with elementary readers!
THEMES
large families, the need for quiet, wanting one's own room, siblings, friendship, responsibilities, moving away, daily life, older siblings caretaking younger ones, bullying
LIBRARIANS WILL WANT TO KNOW
Would adults like this book? I think adults who have large families will appreciate Avery's quest for her own room. It seems families this large are not as common today as they once were (in 18 years of teaching, the largest family I can think of had four children), but older adults who come from large families will probably identify.
Would I buy this for my high school library? No - this is too young for high school.
Would I buy this for my middle school library? Maybe - Avery has just finished 5th grade, so it's probably a bit young for most middle schoolers. Sixth graders would be a good fit though.
Would I buy this for my elementary school library? 100% YES! I recommend this for elementary libraries.
MATURE CONTENT
No content concerns for elementary or middle school.
--Language: none
--Sexuality: none
--Violence: mild; a bullying incident at the skating rink
--Drugs/Alcohol: none
--Other: none
March 20, 2023
I’d had high hopes for this but the story drove me nuts. The family kept doing things that made no sense. If the problem with the basement is that it’s too cold to sleep in…just get a space heater?? This child is acting as a primary caregiver—and she’s *not even in middle school yet*—and everyone is like “she’s fine! why is she being so selfish?!” and I wanted to throw the book across the room.
October 19, 2023
Delightful graphic novel about a family with seven kids. It is told from the second child and oldest daughter Avery's point of view. Avery is an artist, she's emotional and even though she longs for solitude and her own room, she loves her family very much. There's Theo her older brother and moody teenager, Pearl her next oldest sister who is the musician, Juliet & Josie who are not twins but act like it and youngest siblings Max and baby Bea.
If you long for a big family or are curious about what it might be like, this is the graphic novel for you.
If you long for a big family or are curious about what it might be like, this is the graphic novel for you.
June 20, 2023
I loved this book about Avery and her six siblings. She has to take care of her five younger siblings when all she really wants is her own space. As the youngest of six, I was the one taking up the space. But just like in Avery’s family, everyone helps out and accommodates.
It reminds me that big families can be difficult, but I have wonderful memories of my siblings taking care of me and including me in all they did.
This is a heartwarming read. Thanks to EI for the recommendation.
It reminds me that big families can be difficult, but I have wonderful memories of my siblings taking care of me and including me in all they did.
This is a heartwarming read. Thanks to EI for the recommendation.
February 15, 2024
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Avery (mc) & her family are Korean-American; Black sc.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
▷ Representation: Avery (mc) & her family are Korean-American; Black sc.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
January 1, 2024
Ok, technically I didn’t finish this book until 12:30am, but I was so close to finishing my 100 book reading goal and I didn’t ignore my family most of the day for nothing…so I’m going to claim it.
Another cute, relatable graphic novel by the duo that brought us Allergic.
Another cute, relatable graphic novel by the duo that brought us Allergic.
Read
March 14, 2024Trigger & Content Warnings:
Brief scene of missing children/siblings but they had ‘run away’ to a neighbour’s house
Bullying (minor)
Brief scene of missing children/siblings but they had ‘run away’ to a neighbour’s house
Bullying (minor)
March 26, 2023
It was a nice little story :]
January 29, 2024
I would certainly want my own room if I had that many siblings too.
February 1, 2024
I hope Avery will be earning a lot of money as an artist. She's going to need it for all the therapy sessions when she grows up.
February 25, 2024
Forgot about this the moment I finished reading it because the ending is kind of nothing, which is always a risk for slice of life. But I vaguely remember enjoying it while I was reading it
June 21, 2025
I enjoy this author/illustrator team. They understand the lives of young teens, what they worry about and how their emotions drive their decisions.
January 11, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Avery Lee is a thoughtful and artistic tween who values her quiet time and privacy. She doesn't get much of it because she has six brothers and sisters. Older brother Theo is getting his own room, but this means that Avery has to punk with Pearl and her toddler brother Max. She also frequently watches preschoolers Juliet and Josie, as well as baby Bea. Her father is a high school teacher, and her mother is gonig to school to learn coding, so things are always busy. She likes to hang out with her best friends, Cameron (whose mother is their elementary school principal!) and Dani, and is looking forward to going to the Hickory Valley fair in her Maryland town. She even is thinking about submitting some of her artwork, if she can find the time to create some when she is not exhausted from Max being up at night! She tries to earn money so that she can convince her parents to let her set up a bedroom in the basement, but there are bigger issues confronting the Lee family. While change can be difficult, Avery and her brother work together to make this important transition easier for the entire family.
Strengths: There is something appealing about large families, especially now that there are not as many of them as when my mother was growing up in the 1940s with eight siblings! Certainly, my Gen X friends and I, all of whom seemed to have just one sibling, adored the chaotic household of The Brady Bunch. What makes Avery's story particularly appealing is that she enjoys her family, who present as Asian, for all the grief they sometimes cause her. She's patient with Max and Peal even though she wants her own room. She used to play a lot with Theo before he became a teen, and the two do band together when it's necessary. She is frequently pictured holding Bea, and clearly has a lot of affection for her. There is an illuminative conversation with her mother about WHY there are so many children, and aside from wanting her own room, Avery doesn't have issues with her parents, and doesn't fight with them. She lives in an enjoyable community and has some good friends. Again, the appeal of the Bradys was that while they did have problems, they weren't MY problems, and they weren't so bad that just reading about them made me feel traumatized. This will be a wildly popular book with my students.
Weaknesses: I almost wish that this had been a blended family, because we do see some larger sibling groups, but they are almost always combinations of children who share parents when they are not members of the LDS Church.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, since it will see steady circulation along with this duo's Allergic and other graphic novels with family drama like Harper's Bad Sister, Fajardo's Miss Quinces, Russo's Why Is Everybody Yelling? Growing Up in My Immigrant Family, Jeong's Kyle's Little Sister, Edwards' A Tale as Tall as Jacob: Misadventures with My Brother and Knisley's Stepping Stones.
Avery Lee is a thoughtful and artistic tween who values her quiet time and privacy. She doesn't get much of it because she has six brothers and sisters. Older brother Theo is getting his own room, but this means that Avery has to punk with Pearl and her toddler brother Max. She also frequently watches preschoolers Juliet and Josie, as well as baby Bea. Her father is a high school teacher, and her mother is gonig to school to learn coding, so things are always busy. She likes to hang out with her best friends, Cameron (whose mother is their elementary school principal!) and Dani, and is looking forward to going to the Hickory Valley fair in her Maryland town. She even is thinking about submitting some of her artwork, if she can find the time to create some when she is not exhausted from Max being up at night! She tries to earn money so that she can convince her parents to let her set up a bedroom in the basement, but there are bigger issues confronting the Lee family. While change can be difficult, Avery and her brother work together to make this important transition easier for the entire family.
Strengths: There is something appealing about large families, especially now that there are not as many of them as when my mother was growing up in the 1940s with eight siblings! Certainly, my Gen X friends and I, all of whom seemed to have just one sibling, adored the chaotic household of The Brady Bunch. What makes Avery's story particularly appealing is that she enjoys her family, who present as Asian, for all the grief they sometimes cause her. She's patient with Max and Peal even though she wants her own room. She used to play a lot with Theo before he became a teen, and the two do band together when it's necessary. She is frequently pictured holding Bea, and clearly has a lot of affection for her. There is an illuminative conversation with her mother about WHY there are so many children, and aside from wanting her own room, Avery doesn't have issues with her parents, and doesn't fight with them. She lives in an enjoyable community and has some good friends. Again, the appeal of the Bradys was that while they did have problems, they weren't MY problems, and they weren't so bad that just reading about them made me feel traumatized. This will be a wildly popular book with my students.
Weaknesses: I almost wish that this had been a blended family, because we do see some larger sibling groups, but they are almost always combinations of children who share parents when they are not members of the LDS Church.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, since it will see steady circulation along with this duo's Allergic and other graphic novels with family drama like Harper's Bad Sister, Fajardo's Miss Quinces, Russo's Why Is Everybody Yelling? Growing Up in My Immigrant Family, Jeong's Kyle's Little Sister, Edwards' A Tale as Tall as Jacob: Misadventures with My Brother and Knisley's Stepping Stones.
May 8, 2023
4.5 STARS
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2023
Un libro sobre una familia.
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2023
Un libro sobre una familia.
July 30, 2023
Super cute comme BD, à la hauteur de l'autre BD《Allergique》créée par le même duo d'auteures. On suit une famille coreo-americaine de sept enfants où la vie de groupe n'est pas toujours facile. Amelie aimerait vraiment avoir sa propre chambre pour peinturer et avoir son intimité. Ils sont aussi confrontés à un déménagement. C'est super bien écrit, les sujets sont intéressants et c'est une belle bande dessinée que je recommanderais à tous les profs qui souhaitent garnir leur bibliothèque de classe. A paraître en français en octobre prochain !
April 2, 2024
I loved the art and story style. So basically, Avery Lee has a huge family, which I’ve always sort of wanted, but also not… idk.
Avery feels squished by her family and like she needs her owns space to work on her art which I also love to do. Other than that whole thang, one of her best friends has a new friend that is way more grown up and causes the best friend to become a completely different person, which Avery DOES NOT LIKE
All around great book, would recommend.
-5 stars-
Avery feels squished by her family and like she needs her owns space to work on her art which I also love to do. Other than that whole thang, one of her best friends has a new friend that is way more grown up and causes the best friend to become a completely different person, which Avery DOES NOT LIKE
All around great book, would recommend.
-5 stars-
April 28, 2024
3.25🌟
I don’t have many thoughts on this because it was so short. But it was fast paced and kept my attention. I could relate to the main girl for being annoyed with her siblings a lot. The main character could be a tiny bit annoying and the story was a bit predictable but other than that it was a good book. Recommended to read if you want to get out of a slump or just enjoy graphic novels. For 9 and up.
I don’t have many thoughts on this because it was so short. But it was fast paced and kept my attention. I could relate to the main girl for being annoyed with her siblings a lot. The main character could be a tiny bit annoying and the story was a bit predictable but other than that it was a good book. Recommended to read if you want to get out of a slump or just enjoy graphic novels. For 9 and up.
April 9, 2024
Pretty good.
November 24, 2024
How many other people can say they’re thanked in the acknowledgements for early drafting feedback? (No one else, just me)
January 31, 2025
not me tearing up a couple of times because of a children's book. I'm an only child, but I empathised with Avery so much.
Read
March 31, 2023The author made a splash with her debut, Frizzy and her sophomore effort doesn't disappoint. It balances the annoyances of life in a huge family with the laughter and love. Sweet, relatable story.
April 29, 2023
Really good at expressing the characters with the illustrations as sometimes in books they cannot express the characters emotions as much
September 2, 2025
“No matter what, our family has to stick together.”
I was excited to read ‘Squished’ but as this was my first book by the author and artist, I didn’t really know what I was getting into. Upon finishing the read, I can say it reminded me of ‘Stepping Stones’ by Lucy Knisley, perhaps? Regardless, it was a good read, and I want to pick up some more books by the authors, as I can see much talent in their work. Let me give you a bit of an overview on the book, so you can see if this might be something you would enjoy, as well.
The story stars young Avery, who is only 11 years old, but has a lot on her plate. She has six siblings, and often has to take care of them, and even has to share her room with her 8-year old sister, Pearl. Her parents put a LOT on her- so much is expected of her for someone so young. So, on graduation day of 5th grade, she makes a promise to herself- she’s going to get her very own room! With peace, quiet, and the space to finally just be ‘Avery’…. It would be a dream come true!
But that doesn’t come easily! To start, Theo, her older brother, gets his own room in place of her!! Avery is very upset, and worse yet, in order for Theo to get the room to himself, Avery’s younger brother Max is moving into a room with her?! Her parents tell her she needs to ‘try and understand’. Of course, when you’re a kid, that isn’t easy, and it sometimes feels your life is just at the whim of your parent’s choices. Avery reminisces on how close she used to be to Theo, before he went to middle school. Perhaps puberty changed her, perhaps not. But whatever it is, she finds him just impossible to get along with now.
Even sleeping is a struggle now with little Max in her room- he keeps throwing toys out of his crib! Avery tries everything she can think of- for example, sleeping in the basement, but it’s too cold! (I agree with another review I saw, which is why can’t she get a space heater! That made no sense?) Max causes a lot of trouble for her in this way.
And besides that, it’s also lonely in the summer! Her best friend, Dani, is away on vacation. Avery tries to comfort herself, remembering that at the end of summer, her and her other best friend, Cameron, will go to a fair. They always have, and the only thing that will be different this year is that Avery is also entering an art contest for the fair! While working on the art, two of her younger sisters, Juliet and Josie get into her paints, and she can hardly take it!! WHY do her siblings have to cause so much trouble?! Wanting an escape, she goes to Cameron’s house, but his mom asks Juliet and Josie to also come along. Begrudgingly, she takes them. Avery tries to stay mad at them, even through their silly joke where they change the first letter of every word to ‘j’, but eventually Avery lets go of her anger. I liked this because it’s relatable how sometimes even when you want nothing more than to just spite someone by being angry, you can’t stay that way forever.
Avery soon comes up with an idea- she could get the basement remodeled, and make that her room! It would cost thousands, though- so it’s going to be a lot of work. Her first idea is a dog walking business- but that goes haywire on her very first client! Theo saves the day, and they become just a little closer there. In this portion of the book, Avery also finds a way to keep Max from crying so much at night.
When Dani invites Avery to go with her to a pool, Avery can’t wait! That is, until she realizes that it isn’t just the public pool- it’s the pool of Dani’s new friend Avery has yet to met, Charlotte! Avery feels a little left out and awkward when she’s with them, even though Charlotte is nice. After getting home, Theo and Avery are able to interact for a bit with each other, where Avery learns he isn’t friends with his old best friend anymore, and he accidentally lets the worst news slip- their parents are thinking of moving!! This causes tension between the two siblings, and they are fighting again.
Trying to ignore the idea of moving, Avery comes up with a new plan- a lemonade stand! With Pearl’s violin playing, it’s a huge success…. But Avery feels like it’s only right to spilt the money with her sister. And anyway, it’s only a small step towards the huge sum of money she needs in order to remodel the basement (apparently, she hasn’t heard of a space heater, but oh well). Avery is overjoyed when her mom invites her out on a mom-daughter date to her favorite restaurant, but it doesn’t turn out quite how she expected- her mom gives her the news that she has a job interview coming up- all the way in Oregon?! That’s quite a long ways from Maryland, where Avery lives- and her mom tells her that the family might be moving there, if she gets the job! Avery is broken hearted and pretty much just cries and curls up in her bed, telling Pearl the news as well. However, she later comforts Pearl, telling her she won’t let the move happen… not mentioning that she really has no say at all.
Later, at a roller skating event for 6th graders, her father decides to bring practically the entire family- and they cause quite a scene! They keep falling over and clinging to Avery, causing her to lose balance, as well. Needing a break, she decides to get some water. During this quest, she sees Theo, who was sitting by himself and reading, getting bullied by Nick, his old best friend, and a few other kids. They take his book, but Avery can’t stand to see her brother mistreated like that, so she tries to grab the book back. In her effort, she causes Nick and his friends to slip, and gets kicked out, although she didn’t mean to knock them over at all, and no one was hurt. Theo is very touched by her actions, and the two become closer again.
The next chapter opens with a dream of Avery’s- a world where her parents always do whatever she says, and never make her life harder. A rude awakening by Max on her bed teacher her it was nothing more than a dream- and to add to things, her parents soon give her the dreaded news-
I liked various things about this book- Avery herself, the way the family dynamic is shown, and the unpredictable ending. I also enjoyed the art, I found it expressive and well done. My main complaint is that we never really got to learn what was going on with Theo and Nick- I understand that it’s honestly not likely that her brother would tell her what happened, but I was just curious about it, and sad it was never resolved or explained. Although for me, nothing about this book was exactly ‘groundbreaking’ or ‘life changing’, it was a fun read, and I would recommend, especially for anyone with siblings, or wanting to learn how it feels to live with them.
(This book contains some bullying and It also contains topics of moving, and Avery is often emotional and has difficult feelings. I would give this book an age rating of all-ages)
I was excited to read ‘Squished’ but as this was my first book by the author and artist, I didn’t really know what I was getting into. Upon finishing the read, I can say it reminded me of ‘Stepping Stones’ by Lucy Knisley, perhaps? Regardless, it was a good read, and I want to pick up some more books by the authors, as I can see much talent in their work. Let me give you a bit of an overview on the book, so you can see if this might be something you would enjoy, as well.
The story stars young Avery, who is only 11 years old, but has a lot on her plate. She has six siblings, and often has to take care of them, and even has to share her room with her 8-year old sister, Pearl. Her parents put a LOT on her- so much is expected of her for someone so young. So, on graduation day of 5th grade, she makes a promise to herself- she’s going to get her very own room! With peace, quiet, and the space to finally just be ‘Avery’…. It would be a dream come true!
But that doesn’t come easily! To start, Theo, her older brother, gets his own room in place of her!! Avery is very upset, and worse yet, in order for Theo to get the room to himself, Avery’s younger brother Max is moving into a room with her?! Her parents tell her she needs to ‘try and understand’. Of course, when you’re a kid, that isn’t easy, and it sometimes feels your life is just at the whim of your parent’s choices. Avery reminisces on how close she used to be to Theo, before he went to middle school. Perhaps puberty changed her, perhaps not. But whatever it is, she finds him just impossible to get along with now.
Even sleeping is a struggle now with little Max in her room- he keeps throwing toys out of his crib! Avery tries everything she can think of- for example, sleeping in the basement, but it’s too cold! (I agree with another review I saw, which is why can’t she get a space heater! That made no sense?) Max causes a lot of trouble for her in this way.
And besides that, it’s also lonely in the summer! Her best friend, Dani, is away on vacation. Avery tries to comfort herself, remembering that at the end of summer, her and her other best friend, Cameron, will go to a fair. They always have, and the only thing that will be different this year is that Avery is also entering an art contest for the fair! While working on the art, two of her younger sisters, Juliet and Josie get into her paints, and she can hardly take it!! WHY do her siblings have to cause so much trouble?! Wanting an escape, she goes to Cameron’s house, but his mom asks Juliet and Josie to also come along. Begrudgingly, she takes them. Avery tries to stay mad at them, even through their silly joke where they change the first letter of every word to ‘j’, but eventually Avery lets go of her anger. I liked this because it’s relatable how sometimes even when you want nothing more than to just spite someone by being angry, you can’t stay that way forever.
Avery soon comes up with an idea- she could get the basement remodeled, and make that her room! It would cost thousands, though- so it’s going to be a lot of work. Her first idea is a dog walking business- but that goes haywire on her very first client! Theo saves the day, and they become just a little closer there. In this portion of the book, Avery also finds a way to keep Max from crying so much at night.
When Dani invites Avery to go with her to a pool, Avery can’t wait! That is, until she realizes that it isn’t just the public pool- it’s the pool of Dani’s new friend Avery has yet to met, Charlotte! Avery feels a little left out and awkward when she’s with them, even though Charlotte is nice. After getting home, Theo and Avery are able to interact for a bit with each other, where Avery learns he isn’t friends with his old best friend anymore, and he accidentally lets the worst news slip- their parents are thinking of moving!! This causes tension between the two siblings, and they are fighting again.
Trying to ignore the idea of moving, Avery comes up with a new plan- a lemonade stand! With Pearl’s violin playing, it’s a huge success…. But Avery feels like it’s only right to spilt the money with her sister. And anyway, it’s only a small step towards the huge sum of money she needs in order to remodel the basement (apparently, she hasn’t heard of a space heater, but oh well). Avery is overjoyed when her mom invites her out on a mom-daughter date to her favorite restaurant, but it doesn’t turn out quite how she expected- her mom gives her the news that she has a job interview coming up- all the way in Oregon?! That’s quite a long ways from Maryland, where Avery lives- and her mom tells her that the family might be moving there, if she gets the job! Avery is broken hearted and pretty much just cries and curls up in her bed, telling Pearl the news as well. However, she later comforts Pearl, telling her she won’t let the move happen… not mentioning that she really has no say at all.
Later, at a roller skating event for 6th graders, her father decides to bring practically the entire family- and they cause quite a scene! They keep falling over and clinging to Avery, causing her to lose balance, as well. Needing a break, she decides to get some water. During this quest, she sees Theo, who was sitting by himself and reading, getting bullied by Nick, his old best friend, and a few other kids. They take his book, but Avery can’t stand to see her brother mistreated like that, so she tries to grab the book back. In her effort, she causes Nick and his friends to slip, and gets kicked out, although she didn’t mean to knock them over at all, and no one was hurt. Theo is very touched by her actions, and the two become closer again.
The next chapter opens with a dream of Avery’s- a world where her parents always do whatever she says, and never make her life harder. A rude awakening by Max on her bed teacher her it was nothing more than a dream- and to add to things, her parents soon give her the dreaded news-
I liked various things about this book- Avery herself, the way the family dynamic is shown, and the unpredictable ending. I also enjoyed the art, I found it expressive and well done. My main complaint is that we never really got to learn what was going on with Theo and Nick- I understand that it’s honestly not likely that her brother would tell her what happened, but I was just curious about it, and sad it was never resolved or explained. Although for me, nothing about this book was exactly ‘groundbreaking’ or ‘life changing’, it was a fun read, and I would recommend, especially for anyone with siblings, or wanting to learn how it feels to live with them.
(This book contains some bullying and It also contains topics of moving, and Avery is often emotional and has difficult feelings. I would give this book an age rating of all-ages)
August 17, 2023
Step right up, folks, and watch me get absolutely enraged by a children's graphic novel. I sincerely do not understand what the creators were thinking. There's nothing "cute" nor "quirky" about witnessing a child have ALL her boundaries crossed and be forced to RAISE her siblings because her idiot parents had more kids than they could afford so they could have a--and I quote--"support network". Like what the actual fuck? How is this seen as "heartwarming" and "wholesome"??? It's a raw cry in the dark for antinatalism and the ending of generational trauma.
I'm legitimately disgusted.
I'm legitimately disgusted.
June 12, 2023
This middle grade graphic novel explores the life, loves, and trials of 11 year old Avery Lee. Avery is one of six kids, and her large family are "squished" and on top of each other in their home. The author gently explores themes of belonging, while still wanting your own space. The illustrations are colorful and cute, and this would be a fun read for the target age group. Docked a star as there are a tad too many subplots - tighter editing would make this a more compelling read.
July 22, 2023
I like the artwork and enjoyed the story. There were many subplots that were brought up but never really addressed. I do get annoyed with big families in literature when the older kids have to be responsible for the younger kids especially when it seems the older brother has less responsibility than the Avery. Avery loves her siblings and loves helping them out, but the whole thing just rubbed me the wrong way.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 498 reviews