Alls Faire in Middle School

This might be blasphemy to say, but... I think All's Faire is even better than Roller Girl. Impy has grown up at the renaissance faire. She quickly sees the nobility she's developed and continues to uphold fly out the window when she's thrown into the ruthlessness of middle school. Soon, she's falling into the wrong crowd, needing to buy certain brands, and the stress of it all is affecting her family and faire life. Can Impy right this ship? A tale of growing up, kids are going to fall in love with Jamieson's newest and greatest. Recommended By Jordan S., Powells.com

Calling all Raina Telgemeier fans! The Newbery Honor-winning author of Roller Girl is back with a heartwarming graphic novel about starting middle school, surviving your embarrassing family, and the Renaissance Faire.

Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with two parents working at the Renaissance Faire, and she’s eager to begin her own training as a squire. First, though, she’ll need to prove her bravery. Luckily Impy has just the quest in mind — she’ll go to public school after a life of being homeschooled! But it’s not easy to act like a noble knight-in-training in middle school. Impy falls in with a group of girls who seem really nice (until they don’t) and starts to be embarrassed of her thrift shop apparel, her family’s unusual lifestyle, and their small, messy apartment. Impy has always thought of herself as a heroic knight, but when she does something really mean in order to fit in, she begins to wonder whether she might be more of a dragon after all.

As she did in Roller Girl, Victoria Jamieson perfectly — and authentically — captures the bittersweetness of middle school life with humor, warmth, and understanding.

"Readers will cheer [Imogene’s] victories, wince at her stumbles, and likely demand visits to the nearest faire themselves to sample the wares and fun." Kirkus (Starred Review)

"Roller Girl was terrific…All’s Faire in Middle School is even better…The story has shades of Harriet the Spy, Monty Python and Peanuts, and the ending is tremendously satisfying without feeling false or unearned…I dub thee brilliant." The New York Times Book Review

"All’s Faire in Middle School is a delightful, funny, and thoughtful adventure through the challenging worlds of friends and family. Huzzah!" Jennifer and Matthew Holm, New York Times bestselling authors of Sunny Side Up

Victoria Jamieson received her BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and worked as a children’s book designer before becoming a full-time illustrator. She has also worked as a portrait artist aboard a cruise ship, and has lived in Australia, Italy, and Canada. She now lives with her family in Portland, Oregon, where she maintains a not-so-secret identity as Winnie the Pow, skater with the Rose City Rollers roller derby league.