Teen Boat! by Dave Roman and John Green

The teen years are full of awkward, angst-filled moments. But if you thought your teen years were awkward, you've got nothing on Teen Boat, a boy who can turn from teen boy into a boat at will. The tag line of this graphic novel says everything you need to know about it: the angst of being a teen, the thrill of being a boat. And with that, you get an idea of the quirky humor and ridiculous yet intriguing premise.

This is a graphic novel that one might initially dismiss as fluff, but don't allow yourself to only be enamored with its quirkiness; there's a lot happening beneath the surface too. Upon first reading, I'm sure I missed all the symbolism permeating the story because I was just so delighted by the quirk factor. I think I will have to encounter a second reading very soon because I know there will be things I missed the first time around.

This book was a delightful surprise and I'm looking forward to reading more of Roman's work, especially after getting the chance to talk to him at NCTE/ALAN.

Dave draws in my copy of Teen Boat!

My personalized copy of Teen Boat!

Oh, and just in case you were wondering (like I was), the John Green of Teen Boat! is not the same as the John Green of VlogBrothers, The Fault in Our Stars, and Looking for Alaska.  Thanks Alyson Beecher for clearing that up for me! :)


Teen Boat! by Dave Roman and John Green
Published: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Clarion Books
Pages: 144
Genre: Graphic Novel
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Copy acquired at the 2012 ALAN conference

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