In the sidesplitting, pitch-perfect middle-grade graphic novel Chickenpox by Remy Lai (Fly on the Wall; Pie in the Sky), eldest sister Abby suffers when she and her four rambunctious siblings catch the itchy virus and are forced to quarantine together at their home in Indonesia.
Twelve-year-old Abby's father has a work trip during the 10-day chickenpox lockdown, meaning Abby's mother is left alone with five sick children between the ages of three and 12. Abby has "all the responsibilities of a big sister," which include caring for and entertaining her "zombie"-like brothers and sisters. The full-fledged tween counts down the days in "the maximum security zoo" and bemoans that "even though I have big sister responsibilities, my parents still treat me like a kid." Yet when Abby's two best friends witness her explode at her relentlessly bothersome siblings, they label her as immature and ostracize her.
Lai's storytelling expertly pairs honest narration and lively dialogue with spirited illustrations that are both funny and achingly relatable. The author/illustrator depicts the siblings in various states of chaos, including as boxers in a ring and as wild animals roaming free. Abby narrates, "My siblings always take my stuff. From my toys... to my dignity... to my sanity." The text accompanies an illustration of Abby leading her youngest brother through a crowd of teens as he proclaims, "I NEED TO WEE-WEE!"
Chickenpox is based on real events from Lai's life growing up in Indonesia in the 1990s. Anyone who has ever struggled with raucous siblings or lived through the social and emotional struggles of adolescence should empathize with Abby and her siblings. --Kieran Slattery, freelance reviewer, teacher, co-creator of Gender Inclusive Classrooms