The Real Riley Mayes

Written & illustrated by Rachel Elliott

Riley navigates fifth grade, friendship, and self-discovery through humor and art.

4.1/5 Goodreads · 488 ratings

224 pages· 9,642 words· Est. 2 hour read

$12.99Save 4%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Riley feels out of place in fifth grade, missing her best friend and struggling with grades. Her solace is comedian Joy Powers, whose jokes she adores. When tasked with writing to someone she admires, Riley chooses Joy. With help from Cate and new friend Aaron, Riley begins to find her footing. But a rumor from Whitney forces Riley to confront her feelings about Aaron's family and her admiration for Joy. As Riley's journey unfolds, she learns about identity, friendship, and embracing her unique self, all while navigating the ups and downs of being an outsider.

From the publisher

A Stonewall Book Award Honor * A Sid Fleishman Humor Award HonorFunny and full of heart, this debut graphic novel is a story about friendship, identity, and embracing all the parts of yourself that make you special. Fifth grade is just not Riley’s vibe. Everyone else is squaded up–except Riley. Her best friend moved away. All she wants to do is draw, and her grades show it.One thing that makes her happy is her favorite comedian, Joy Powers. Riley loves to watch her old shows and has memorized her best jokes. So when the class is assigned to write letters to people they admire, of course Riley’s picking Joy Powers!Things start to look up when a classmate, Cate, offers to help Riley with the letter, and a new kid, Aaron, actually seems to get her weird sense of humor. But when mean girl Whitney spreads a rumor about her, things begin to click into place for Riley. Her curiosity about Aaron’s two dads and her celebrity crush on Joy Powers suddenly make more sense.Readers will respond to Riley’s journey of self-discovery and will recognize themselves in this character who is less than perfect but trying her best. And creative kids will recognize themselves in her love of art and drawing.While often funny and light, Riley’s exploration of what it feels to be an outsider and how hard it can be to make a friend break your heart in the best way. And with all of Riley’s hijinks and missteps, this story is laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish.