The themes in this book are so relatable to any middle school reader, especially Maggie's changes in friendships. Moving to a new school isn't easy, especially when you do it in middle school. While I enjoyed the fact that Maggie had a lot of agency when it came to picking a new pet, I did kind of wish her parents showed her how much of a commitment it is to get any kind of pet.

The storyline about the new sibling was well done, though, especially as it related to Maggie's desire to get a pet. The art style worked really well for this particular story, and overall, it was an enjoyable read!

 Allergic is about a young girl, Maggie who can't wait to get a dog for her 11th birthday. But, when she meets the dog, she starts breaking out in hives and rashes. Ultimately, she is faced with learning she is allergic to animals, specifically anything with fur or feathers. As an animal lover, she is heartbroken by this news. So, she goes on a quest to find the perfect pet for her. 

This was a very informative graphic novel about what it's like to have an allergy. She takes allergy shots, medicine, and goes to the doctor frequently. There's also a side character who has a food allergy and we learn about the differences. Besides Maggie learning about her allergy and now living her life safer, she goes through a lot of mood swings and emotions as she tries to navigate her new way of life.
 
Meanwhile, she's also dealing with loneliness. Her mother is about to give birth to their fourth child, leaving Maggie feeling isolated. Her brothers are twins and have each other, and without a pet, she feels very lonely and feels as though she has no purpose.

I really enjoyed this, it was a quick read about family, being the oldest child, and living with an allergy. 

This one has a really warm, readable style, with sweet, dynamic artwork to match. I feel like the main character was a very real-seeming kid, and so she will be relatable to many young readers. It’s nice to have a GN that you could put into the hands of a younger reader and not feel like they were too young to appreciate all of the social dynamics that are often at play in some of the very popular graphic novels right now.

I admit I’d been intending to give this a higher star rating based on my initial reading experience, but then I read a review that raised some important concerns around how the book portrays pet ownership. I think these concerns are valid (not researching before getting a pet, especially when you have complex health issues to consider, problems associated with classroom pets, casually giving away a pet because you don’t like it or it doesn’t act how you wished it would, irresponsible pet stores...). I think that the author could have done much better, even while staying in the perspective of a child, to open up conversations around respecting the creatures we bring into our homes / other domestic environments and call “ours.”

So I ended up with some mixed feelings, but I think this book offers something important and engaging to the audience.