Agent: Jennifer Linnan, Linnan Literary Management. Graphic novels have really come into their own and Sarah Winifred Searle’s new graphic novel The Greatest Thing stands on the shoulders of giants. First Second, 25.99 (352p) ISBN 978-3-5 Searle’s semi-autobiographical graphic novel covers teen relationships, mental health. Spare illustrations with a limited palette add to a visually and emotionally satisfying read about escaping depression and loneliness through art-making. The Greatest Thing Sarah Winifred Searle. With help from her empathic mom, meds, and a guidance counselor, Win eventually takes self-expression from the pages of her zine to real life, and finally reciprocates the overtures of a welcoming friend. The three share a love of art and struggle with self-esteem, and they find an outlet by creating a zine, Gutterglimmers, which evolves over the course of the story, conveyed in full issues accompanied by zine-making instructions. But she soon befriends wealthy, enthusiastic April, cued as white and nonbinary, and poetic, pansexual Oscar, who has brown skin. by Searle, Sarah Winifred (Author / Artist). Where Searle excels is in relatable storytelling from lived experience. I'd put content warnings for eating disorders, depression, anxiety, fatphobia, biphobia, self-harm, and chronic illness. It does handle topics that are sensitive and isn't for everyone. Win, who is self-conscious about eating in front of others, “trick” her body “into forgetting it was hungry by making it sick instead” at night and stays awake worrying. The Greatest Thing is an easy five-star book for me.

In 2002, Winifred Cunningham is an anxious white 10th grader whose closest friends have recently transferred to other schools. Searle’s semi-autobiographical graphic novel covers teen relationships, mental health, art-making, and disordered eating with crackling specificity.

The greatest thing searle