Book Review About Spinning by Tillie Walden ~ Ellen

     I recently read a book called Spinning by Tillie Walden. This book is a graphic novel autobiography about the author's experience growing up as a figure skater along with traumas that she experienced as a teenager. Tillie is a gifted figure skater from New Jersey who moved to Houston, Texas when she was 10. She struggled to fit in in the new place she lived, especially among the people at her school and at the ice rink. She meets a girl named Rae at her school and falls in love with her. She later confesses her love and Rae's parents find out. Rae's parents removed Rae's email and Tillie was heartbroken. There was no way for her to talk to Rae ever again. Eventually, after realizing that figure skating was not right for her, she decides to quit and move on with her life.

    What I like about this book is how detailed Tillie writes and tells the story. She makes sure that the reader understands what she's talking about. Also, Spinning is a very interesting book because of the various conflicts she experiences during her figure skating career. She talks about being sexually harassed, being bullied, and the struggles of being a talented figure skater. 

     Another thing that I like about this book is the art style. The illustrations are good for depicting what is going on in the story and helps the reader understand the art in figure skating as opposed to just reading words. The drawings help the reader visualize the words that Tillie is using to describe her experiences and fills the book with more emotion. I definitely recommend this book.