Skim -- Mariko Tamaki

Mariko Tamaki's Skim was the poignant coming-of-age tale about a teenage girl attending an all-girls high school in Toronto. Known as Skim (ironically, of course, because she's mildly overweight), she battles internally with conflicting desires and externally with the seeming naivete and glossiness of friends and classmates. The story is illustrated in a traditional Japanese ink-painting style by Jillian Tamaki and is presented in black and white.

I appreciated the artistic style of the illustrations, and the realistic skin it lent the story, as Skim was Asian in descent. The characters, especially Skim's English teacher with whom Skim develops a romance, are presented in a strong, articulate style while remaining tender, weak and human. The climax of this story brought good closure to the story of Skim's classmate who suffers the loss of her boyfriend, although also was forced thru the suffering of her bubbly friends swarming around her. It was a moving story, and I recommend it to people who enjoy "this is life" tales.

Posted by Collin Knopp-Schwyn