<strong>This was a book about cheerleading and standing up for yourself</strong>! Cheer Up is about BeeBee, a trans cheerleader who is reconnecting with her childhood friend Annie, when the latter is pushed by her mom to join the cheerleading squad. I <strong>loved the former best friends to lovers romance; it was such a slowburn and very tender</strong> ❤ Annie is rather anti-social and grumpy, the type of person to get into trouble and not get along with others as well. However, she also knows how to stand up for herself and is fiercely protective of those she cares about. BeeBee on the other side is the sunshine one in the duo, always eager to get along with everyone. <strong>Both girls personalities really complimented each other and they helped each other grow</strong>. BeeBee often feels like she cannot assert her boundaries or stand up for herself and has to try so hard to please other people, in order to not get stereotyped as the 'angry, mean trans girl' which broke my heart to see. <strong>Annie was really good at boosting her confidence and supporting her journey</strong> to take care of her own feelings instead of only taking care of what others were feeling.

Furthermore, the <strong>graphic novel touched upon the daily transphobic microaggressions BeeBee faces</strong><strong> and how even the people you love can end up hurting you</strong>. BeeBee's parents mean well, but their offhand comments and intense protectiveness can make their daughter feel trapped and misunderstood. The cheerleading squad supported BeeBee when she came out as trans, but don't understand that their behavior makes BeeBee feel like she's just a prop to make themselves feel better for being inclusive and 'good allies'. They only<strong> slowly beginning to realize that they tokenized their friend</strong> and try to truly include her in the group. I was proud that BeeBee managed to stand up for herself in the end, especially against people that try to stereotype and fetishize her. I<strong> felt like the graphic novel would have benefitted from more volumes or more pages though, as it felt rushed</strong>. There were so many subplots and important discussions, but I feel like we didn't have time to properly explore them. Especially with regards to BeeBee's friends, it wasn't enough space to explore their complicated dynamic, and that also made the reconciliation feel a bit quick and superficial. Cheer Up could have made a really great series and explored all of these topics and relationships more in-depth!<

<strong>IN CONCLUSION.</strong> ➽ <i>Cheer Up&nbsp;</i>was a <strong>great graphic novel about cheerleading, old best friends reconnecting & falling in love and a trans girl learning to stand up for herself</strong>. There were many wonderful themes in the story and I liked that it discussed he stereotypes and microaggressions that BeeBee faced, while also showing that in the end there were people to support her. I wished we had more volumes of this graphic novel or that it had been longer though, as the plots felt a bit rushed.

3.5 stars
this was super cute!! I loved the art style and the overall storyline, and I loved the two main characters as well. my main issue with it was that I feel like everything was a little bit rushed. I wish this was a bit longer, or maybe was even set up to be a duology/series, I wanted BeeBee and Annie's relationship, BeeBee's relationship with her parents, the people on the cheer squad & THEIR relationships - all of these things to have more time & development. would definitely be down to read more from the author!

I loved this so much! It's is a funny and sweet queer sports comic that also has serious & touching moments. It jumps right in to the hook (a super grumpy antisocial girl is forced to try out for cheerleading), and I was pulled into it right away. It moved super quickly, and I easily read it all in one setting. It’s awesome to see cheerleading celebrated as a real (extremely difficult) sport, while also highlighting some of the issues, like transphobia & body shaming, in the world of competitive cheerleading (and, of course all sports/everywhere). The trans rep is own voices.

I submitted this for consideration for the YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list.

This was a wonderful sweet and fun graphic novel. This story is a well written and diverse coming of age story about two cheerleaders. This book was entirely too sweet and dealt with issues such a transphobia and instances of sexual harassment without taking away from the plot. I would definitely recommend this book

**Disclaimer: I received a free early access copy of Cheer Up by Crystal Fraser and Val Wise through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you to them and to the publisher for this opportunity.

Cheer Up by Crystal Fraser and Val Wise is a YA contemporary graphic novel.  It's about Bebe and Annie who are former friends but reconnect when Annie joins the cheerleading squad.  It deals with some serious issues, but also features a very sweet romance.  It is set to be published on August 10th, 2021.  I rated it 5 stars on Goodreads.


Here's the summary from GoodReads.

A sweet, queer teen romance perfect for fans of Fence and Check, Please!
Annie is a smart, antisocial lesbian starting her senior year of high school who’s under pressure to join the cheerleader squad to make friends and round out her college applications. Her former friend BeeBee is a people-pleaser—a trans girl who must keep her parents happy with her grades and social life to keep their support of her transition. Through the rigors of squad training and amped up social pressures (not to mention micro aggressions and other queer youth problems), the two girls rekindle a friendship they thought they’d lost and discover there may be other, sweeter feelings springing up between them. 

This graphic novel was honestly the cutest thing ever.  

Let's start with the art.  The art style was really nice.  It looked cartoony, but it suited the storyline and the overall tone of the novel.  I loved that it was full colour because it really helped to make the story come alive and really beautifully represented each of the characters.

I also really loved both of the characters.  I loved how Annie was so unapologetically her, but also that she learned that sometimes you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.  I also really liked Bebe.  She was a people pleaser, but it came from a place of not wanting to take up more space than was needed, and I can really understand that.  She didn't want to be too much.  I loved watching her grow and learn to assert her boundaries more and more over the course of the story.

I also really loved the diverse cast of background characters.  The cheerleading squad wasn't made up of what you would consider 'conventional' cheerleading types.  They were a diverse group, which made the story that much more interesting.

The storyline was really well done, and I liked watching Annie and Bebe rekindle their friendship and watching it morph into something more.  I felt like they were really well suited to each other, and they were very sweet.  

The story did a good job of dealing with some complex issues.  Bebe's parents are overprotective, but she's able to help them see her perspective and how they can't keep her in a bubble to keep her safe.  There's a boy who won't take no for an answer when it comes to Bebe, but the other cheerleaders have her back and ultimately she's able to stand up to him.  Additionally, while the cheerleaders mean well, they (and Annie to some extent) end up trying to speak for Bebe and force her into a spotlight that she doesn't want.  Some of the cheerleaders seem to be doing it for the kudos of supporting a young trans woman, and they learn that they have to respect Bebe's wishes and they can't speak for her.

Overall, it's a very well done story and I loved it so much.  I highly recommend that you check it out when it publishes in August.

Absolutely adorable queer graphic novel about a transfemme and sapphic cheerleader?? UM YES! Sign me dafuk pls.

Content Warning: Transphobia, Sexual Harassment, Threat of Denial of Gender Expression.

First off, Cheer Up does a superb job at normalizing all body types - brown bodies, fat bodies, tall bodies, nonbinary bodies, etc - as healthy body types in athletic spaces while delivering a vibrant, clear, and engaging story about being yourself, having a fulfilling sense of belonging with an effective support group, and being okay with learning how to accept and grow into a better ally.

Fraiser addresses trans hyper-visibility in a respectful and tactful manner, bringing light to damage that can be done even when support groups have the best of intentions. There's a fine line between uplifting a voice and becoming that voice; something that Bebe's group of friends learn for themselves within the graphic novel when they realize that in their pursuit to make Bebe feel included, they've been increasing Bebe's feelings of self consciousness and alienation.

The author also does a good job bringing awareness to societal standards of perfection wherein trans people are expected to adhere to the extreme ends of the gender 'binary'. We even get scenes where characters, in their desire to defend Bebe, state that Bebe is "better at being a girl" than they are.

Our other main protagonist, Annie, is a sapphic badass who encourages Bebe to be more assertive throughout the development of their relationship ~ highlighting that it's okay to be trans and make mistakes because we're all still human at the end of the day. In return, Bebe helps Annie realize that she can be tough AND gentle and explore her own femininity without it being considered a weakness.

The only issue I had was with the lack of accountability from certain characters who made very pointed anti-trans comments. By the end of the novel it's evident that these specific characters have experienced growth; however, I would have preferred to see it addressed in more detail and with effective apology statements showcased. While some transphobic microagressions were dealt with, not all of them were ~~ and I don't forget that shit.

Overall, it was a cute graphic novel with a great message and awesome representation. I highly recommend picking it up yourself.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with an ebook version of this story. Yet another good experience urging me forth to purchase the actual physical copy lol.

I am crying rainbows and can’t wait to force all my friends to read it. :) I hope there’s a volume two where Bebe doesn’t have to deal with transphobia *at all*. My favorite part of the art was Bebe’s HAIR! This is a light and airy graphic novel that briefly glances over transphobia, helicopter parents, and assholes who refuse to listen when a woman is speaking. Is it August yet?

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3981393364

Cheer Up: Love and Pom-poms is a cute graphic novel about two girls who used to be friends, and who both end up on the cheer squad. Even though Annie is not your “cheerleader” type, she is encouraged and supported by her former friend BeeBee, who is going through her own problems at home whilst going through her transition.


If you’ve read Heartstopper and loved the cutesy vibes, then this graphic novel is definitely for you. I’ve seen people compare it to Fence, but alas I have not yet got my hands on a copy of that, so cannot compare, but this is funny and cute, and focuses on LGBT characters, which is nice to see.
The art style is fun and bright, and incredibly legible. The story was cohesive and understandable the entire time, and it made me want more, and I’m super excited to see where this goes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for an eARC of this title.

This is such a sweet and fun graphic novel. To start off I loved how the friendships were developed throughout the story. I loved how the relationships were complicated and layered. The friend group had to learn to be better to each other and work together. They also had to learn to put aside their differences and their previous interactions with one another to work together on the cheer team.

I also really loved the art style. It was cute and colourful and fun. I think the art style was perfect for the story being told. It is an adorable graphic novel about high school and friendships and developing relationships. I really enjoyed the diversity that was present as well. It just felt so real and honest, but also fun and hopeful.

Rating: 4/5 stars

This graphic novel manages to strike such a wonderful balance between heavy topics and an adorable romance. That, plus the development of the friendship between the teammates, really reminded me of the Check, Please! series of graphic novels. So if you're a fan of Biddy and his friends you might just enjoy Cheer Up as well. One bonus is that Cheer Up is definitely a little more teen friendly.

This was such a cute comic about friendship and acceptance, and how it is okay to be different.

+ Lesbian main character and a trans loveinterest.
+ The artstyle is absolutely gorgeous - and I especially loved the character art! All of the cheerleaders have different builds and other characteristics, which I really liked.
+ The message of friendship and acceptance was very well done, and I loved that it has girls uplifting girls (both figuratively and literally!)
- I found the romance itself to be abit too rushed for my tastes, and I would have liked more buildup. But I still really enjoyed the romance itself!
- The plot was kind of thin at times, but overall I didn't mind this that much.

A great, quick read for when you need something to cheer you up!


Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for giving me this arc!

I loved this book so much! More than I was expecting to even. I thought it was going to be a light read, but it was so much more. It was heartfelt and relatable, and so so wholesome. I loved the characters so much and their character developments. The author was able to fit so much in so few pages. I loved the representation this book had and it was so diverse. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a short, but amazing read.

This graphic novel was brilliant! Not only was the artwork beautifully done (and very inclusive of races, body sizes etc), but the story itself was very real and uplifting. It was quick read but a very enjoyable one, I found myself flying through it in one sitting. An LGBTQ+ story about teens navigating friendships and clubs in high school, all while feeling like they don’t quite belong.

My only qualm was feeling like the love interest was a tad rushed, but it was super cute nonetheless!

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in return for an honest review!

I absolutely loved this book! Reading this story was very insightful, but it was also so cute. The characters were awesome and they learned how to support their teammate, Bebe, in the way she wanted after transitioning. I think we all can learn best how to talk to and treat others through communication, and that's what the book showed. The artwork was amazing and I would love for there to be a sequel!

An absolutely gorgeous book, inside and out!

I picked this up on a whim when the cover grabbed my attention on NetGalley and I am SO glad that I did. I expected to enjoy the book based on the synopsis but nowhere near as much as I did. It’s rare for me to give a graphic novel (or any book, really) a very high rating, especially when it’s a contained graphic novel and not a series but Crystal Frasier did an incredible job writing these characters and Val Wise did an equally incredible job illustrating their story.

Despite the shorter length and fast pace, I immediately connected to our characters, especially BeBe, and fell for them as they were falling for each other. I loved watching BeBe and Annie develop, both as characters and as a couple, and the other characters were extremely well developed too, despite not being central characters.

Though the book doesn’t shy away from the realities that the characters face, particularly the transphobic microaggressions experienced by BeBe, overall the story is a light-hearted (and funny), fluffy, warm hug of a book that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Happy LGBTQIA+ stories, especially happy trans and sapphic stories, are always desperately needed and I’m so glad another one is out in the world.

Not to mention, the art is absolutely STUNNING. The illustrations and colors are so beautifully done there were multiple times I would stay on a page after reading the text just to really study the art.

I’m going to (and have been!) recommending this to absolutely everyone but I feel like fans of Check, Please!, Heartstopper, and Heavy Vinyl fans in particular would love this one!

I was looking for a quick, lighthearted, queer read and boy did this fit that description. I saw so much of myself in Annie, and had such a crush on Bebe. I loved the development of their characters, the revitalization of their friendship, and the innocence of their eventual relationship. I also loved the relationships within the squad. So often high school girls are portrayed as petty and cutthroat, but this really developed the sorority of the cheerleading squad. I hope this becomes a series. It gave me all the feels.

I acquired this book for an honest review from Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity to read this.
This was a fantastic read, A lot of comics focus on male relationships recently and it was amazing to see the alternative female side. It has good trans representation and It will appeal to fans of Heartstopper and Fence. The art style is cute but beautiful

Cheer UP: Love and Pompoms is exactly the kind of my book my queer heart hopes for every time I pick up a book with LGBTQ+ characters. This was quite possibly the sweetest thing I've ever read; it literally had me squealing with the utmost joy every couple of pages.

Cheer Up follows two childhood friends, Bebe and Annie, who drifted apart. Now teenagers, Bebe has come out as transgender and joined cheerleading as the first trans girl ever on the team, while Annie has become a social loner with a fiery temper and a tendency to make people dislike her. Annie is forced by her mother to join the cheer squad, and the two rekindle their friendship after Bebe stands up for her. What follows is a heart warming story of two girls who are polar opposites, helping each other to unlearn the worst parts of themselves while uplifting each other through the trials of being a queer teenager.

I truly adored this graphic novel. Everything from the characters, the writing, the art style, to the story were all done with so much love and care poured into it. I love the stark contrast between Bebe and Annie, and how they were able to play off of each other's strengths and learn so much in such a short amount of time. I deeply appreciate seeing the experiences that Bebe goes through as an out trans girl, and how the author showed that even those who are well-meaning can do and say hurtful things. The fears that Bebe has of making a scene, or being too loud in a place where she is already the centre of attention just for existing, is so relatable to me as a visibly queer person. I loved the conversations that were had surrounding boundaries, and seeing the reactions of others. The characters and their relationships were complex and so very real, and I loved every second of it. I think this is going to be a book that will be celebrated by the LGBTQ+ community, and I can't wait to see everyone fall in love with it as much as I have!

It's more like a 4,5 rating. I loved this graphic novel.

In this beautiful story we have Bebe, a trans girl who hates to be the center of attention, she just wants a normal life, but can't find her voice to speak up, to say what she really thinks or wants. And Annie, a tough girl who doesn't know how to treat people in order to make friends, she scares everyone away, but inside she's a lovely person. Both of them join the cheerleading team and that's how they get to know each other better. They learn from the other how to make friends, how to say no, and how beautiful life can be when you are true to yourself and have good friends that have your back when needed.

THIS WAS SUCH A HEARTWARMING BOOK. I'm honestly really sad because I read it so quickly! I was liking it so much, and when I wasn't expecting it, it was over.

The book has a lot of diversity, and we love to read it. And oh my god, the drawing is gorgeous, the design of the characters and the colors and everything was very beautiful. Also, this has some really funny moments, I found myself laughing out loud because Annie is such a hilarious character.

I really thought this was a series! I don't think it is, but if the author and illustrator want to expand this story, I'M IN! The only thing that I didn't like was that it was so short, that I felt that maybe the romance was a little bit rushed, but don't get me wrong, I LOVED IT, and that's why I need more!

Thank you to Netgalley & Oni Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book!
Content Warnings: transphobia & fatphobia

Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms is a contemporary graphic novel featuring cheerleading, an angry plus-size lesbian main character, a biracial queer trans girl main character, and a bit of a romance between both these girls.

Based on reviews of this book I’d previously seen, I was expecting it to be pretty light-hearted than it turned out to be - specifically, it was a bit more heavily focused on one of the main characters’ experience with transphobia than I had anticipated. That being said, once I adjusted my expectations a bit, I really loved this graphic novel! The topic of transphobia was explored very well, and I loved the two main characters & their romance.

Overall, if you enjoy graphic novels I’d highly recommend this one!