Review: False Starts

False Starts
Series: A Nansi Graphic Novel

Author: Carl Brundtland
Illustrator: Claudia Dávila

Kids Can Press, 2026

ISBN: 9781525310058 (hardcover)
9781525311710 (eBook)

$18.99 CAD (hardcover)
$12.99 CAD (eBook)

164 pages

Ages: 8 to 12 years old
Recommended library audience: School and public library

Will this be the summer of drama?

Best friends Nansi, Ayesha, and Angela plan to spend as much time together as they can in the summer between 7th and 8th grade. Then, Ayesha gets a star role in the summer festival play McDude. Excited by the news, Nansi films Ayesha joking around in the mall. But a text gone wrong leaks the video, jeopardizing their friendship. Friend drama, stage fright, revenge plots, and theatre take centre-stage, making this a perfect middle-school read  for adolescents navigating the complicated world of middle school.

In this second installment of the Nansi Graphic Novels series, kids will learn about the true meaning of friendship. The colourful illustrations match the tone, creating an engaging and fun read. The main character, Nansi, is loosely based off of the trickster Anansi the spider, and scenes of her family life incorporate aspects of Jamaican culture into the book. Full of humour and forgiveness, this book would be a great addition to any school or public library.