Cheer Up is a cute graphic novel with lesbian, trans, and non-binary rep. It was a quick read that left me smiling and feeling super happy. The art was so beautiful throughout the book. Each character was unique and detailed. The formatting was super fun, especially the text messages, which made the story feel more authentic because this story focuses on high schoolers.

There were so many important conversations in this graphic novel about what it means to be trans and how people can be better allies. This is the story that I wish I had when I was first learning about the LGBTQ+ community. It's entertaining yet eye opening and it encourages acceptance. I highly recommend this graphic novel to everyone. It's about so much more than just cheerleading and if you happen to like cheerleading, then that's just added encouragement for you to read this graphic novel when it's released.

This truely cemented for me that Graphic novels are amazing!

I didn't expect any less after hearing about this book from people I trust but it was just amazing!

I learnt so much, my heart is so warm and I can't wait for this to hit shelves so people can enjoy what I experienced.

A heart warming, fluffy sapphic romance with a cheerleading backdrop that doesn't shy away from addressing the difficult parts of transitioning and being out as a teenager. I just felt like it went by so quickly and i didn't get to know these characters as well as i would've liked, but there is definitely potential for this to be a series that explores other characters or even cheerleading more in depth
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

*Thank you NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Cheer Up!: Love and Pompoms follows antisocial Annie as she finds herself in need of some extracurricular activities. Unwillingly, she ends up joining the cheerleading squad, along with her former friend, Bebe. Bebe is transgender and juts wants everyone to be happy, even if it puts her in uncomfortable positions. These former friends are reunited and help each other grow. Bebe helps Annie learn to play nice and make friends, while Annie helps Bebe learn to stand up for herself.
This book is adorable. The illustrations are so cute and perfectly match the tone of the story. I loved Annie and Bebe and their relationship. They were great, likeable characters who came together and really balanced each other out. It was just a nice, supportive relationship that felt real. They complemented each other so well. They didn’t pressure each other to label their identities. They just connected and truly cared for each other. It was so sweet!
One thing I really appreciated about this book was how it handled Bebe’s storyline. It wasn’t so much about her facing transphobia, but about people using her to show how accepting they are. The cheer squad was so supportive and accepting of her, but they focused more on making a big deal out of it rather than listening to what Bebe wanted. This is a really important message. Just because someone is openly trans (or any part of the LGBTQIA+ community) doesn’t mean that they want to become a champion of the movement. And part of being an ally is respecting the wishes of queer individuals. Just because you have a queer friend doesn’t mean you can parade them around to show how accepting you are.
I also loved Annie’s story. She was a tough girl who didn’t play well with others, but learned to be more open and let people in. And she helped Bebe find her voice to stand up for herself (including standing up to Annie sometimes).
My only complaint about this book is that it was so short. There was a lot packed in, and while it didn’t necessarily feel rushed, I wanted more. I got attached to these characters in this short amount of time and I didn’t want to leave them!
Overall, this is a lovely, funny, and heartwarming story about friendship and I just loved it.

Will someone pinch me, because this book was just one of the absolute most sweet and delightful graphic novels I've read this year! The representation is sensational along with a well paced story, characters who are perfectly crafted, and graphic novel that is able to make you feel all of the feelings in a matter of pages. This book will make you laugh and cry and if Annie isn't your cheerleading/life hero, I don't know what to tell you! This is a necessary purchase for every YA graphic novel collection and one that teens and adults will love!

Cheer is such a sweet wholesome graphic novel about girls who need to stand up for themselves, being a true self all while they were having fun cheerleading 🥰
The characters are all very sweet and sympathetic to read all about their lives as they are navigating through high-school, making friends, stand up to love, and respect the lgbtq+ identities. On top of that, the novel shows different body types and skin tones as a non bullying thing and this makes it all very convenient to read.
On the other side, the book resembles very well the two types of parents behaviour when they find out they're kids are trans or gay. While one of the girl's parent were supportive, the other's were very reticent and shocked. This resembles so well the type of parents some of us are facing, but altogether the parent's live is unlimited, they do make mistakes, but I love the fact that they always come back to loving the child no matter what.
Such a lovely story that I urge everyone to read! Not to mention, the graphics were over the top. As an art passionate, this book truly deserved some hype in terms of art appreciating and story telling
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for approving me to read this title
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cheer Up was a fun time. The characters, their development and the overall message of were all things I could get behind. I wish that it had been a little longer because it felt rushed at times and I think there were moments we could’ve explored more. I’d love to to see more from their characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

EXCUSE ME WITH THIS CUTENESS!!!
I received an early copy from NetGalley, thank you so much for the publisher <3

I had totally forgotten what the story was about, only it was about cheerleading and one of my friends who also read it early said it was suuuper cute. And she was right. I was not expecting an amazing story about two girls who find each other again when one of them enters the cheerleading squad, that is about girl support, super queer and that it made me smile so much. I wish it had been longer because, by the end, I just wanted to know the entire life of the main characters. And they couldn't have been more different, which I loved a lot. they were such normal problems in a normal teenager life which I found super realistic and wanting to know more about them.
Suuuper cute, I will obviously scream about this beauty in my monthly wrap up 💜

Such a lovely read. The art was amazing, the representation was great, the character development was surprisingly good, given how quick a read this was. I grew attached to the characters so quickly and was engrossed in the challenges they were facing. It was great as a standalone, but I would definitely read more if the author continued this as a series.

A wholesome graphic novel about friendship, first loves, and the power of being yourself.

This is the first graphic novel I have read in a while, and the storytelling blew me away. It is impressive that Crystal Frasier has managed to discuss so many important topics in only 128 pages. They do not shy away from the hardships queer kids have to face even if they are accepted by their families and social circles but they also highlight young queer joy.

One of my favourite parts of this story is its sapphic representation. Since the story centres around team spirit and women empowerment, one may think that every girl on the team would be flawless in their inclusion of their queer peers. But this is not the reality for many people, although BeBe is welcome, she has understandable fears concerning how others see her. Watching her overcome this was wonderful. Her love interest is a smart but antisocial outcast lesbian whom she used to be best friends with. Both characters were distinct and unique and the romance that bloomed between them was delightful.

It would be amiss to not end this review by highlighting the gorgeous art style of Val Wise. He brings this story to life and after looking into his work it is clear that he was the perfect choice for this graphic novel detailing transness and coming of age. I can't wait for this book to be released so I can read the reviews of more trans people and hear their thoughts about this story.

This book is perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Check Please.

CW: transphobia; fat-shaming; harassment.

Cheer Up is a YA graphic novel about friendship and being yourself.

Annie has been told she needs to improved her social skills by joining a club if she hopes to get into college. This leads her to try out for the cheerleading team. Annie’s former friend BeBe has just been voted captain. The two girls work together to train Annie up so she’s ready to become a flyer for the team. We see Annie learn to be a good friend as she becomes less defensive and loves herself more.

The other main character BeBe is transgender and while her parents do support her to an extent we see that support is conditional based on BeBe keeping her grades up. We see a range of situations that BeBe struggles to deal with and how Annie and the other girls on the team don’t always manage to support her in the right way.

The reason I only gave Cheer Up 3/5🌟 is because all of the conflict was resolved too quickly. It was great that we were shown a range of struggles BeBe faced because that helps us understand some of what transgender people experience but because each issue was resolved so fast it made them not seem as serious as they really were. I think this needed to be longer for it to touch on all of the issues it did and allow time for more realistic conclusions. I would also have liked to see more emotional depth from the other characters, not just BeBe.

I’d recommend this as a light read for summer.
Read for:
• Cute artwork

• Representation - transgender and lesbian main characters, non binary side character

• Friends to lovers

• Cheerleading squad friendships

I received a free copy from @onipress through @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I was not able to download a copy of this book prior to the archive date. The archive date was several weeks prior to the publication date. I’m looking forward to reading it in the future. It’s great to see more graphic novels with LGBTQ representation.

Trigger Warnings: Faulted parents, transphobia, cursing, kissing, consent/boundaries, violence

Representation: Transgender, Lesbian, POC

Cheer Up is a graphic novel about senior, Annie who joins the cheerleading team in order to spruce up her college applications. The team captain is Annie’s old friend Bebe with whom she develops a rekindled bond.

I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute little story! It’s an easy read and has a happy ending, which I love. Both main characters are fully developed despite the short story. I loved the illustrations and the storyline! I also loved the development of Bebe’s parents and the chance to see how our parents are humans and imperfect. The story also deals with consent in an appropriate and applicable way. Overall, I loved the novel and it’s overarching themes of being true to yourself and standing up for yourself!

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGally for allowing me to review this book.

This graphic novel is definitely a fun, informative and a quick read. I definitely did enjoy this.

To be honest, I wasn’t really that hooked at the beginning of the story but I did end up enjoying like after the 10 pages.

The characters were relatable. Ginter and Bebe, I so relate to them, Ginter being this Grumpy and Bebe this shy person. I’m so happy that they get to find good friends and good family.

This graphic novel really speaks important message, from people being transphobic, bully and to parents being this overprotective and pressure (I’m glad that this problem was talked) and this narcissistic boy I hate so much (I really hoped he got lectured more).

Although I hoped that this was much longer to really show the development of the Ginter and Bebe and the resolution on the conflict.

Overall this is such a fun read. Highly recommended.

I always find it kind of difficult to write reviews for books that I absolutely adored, but I’m going to do my best for this one because I just want to gush about it!

This was the first graphic novel that I had read in quite a while and I’m so glad that it’s the one that I got a chance to read because not only did it rekindle my love of reading them, but it was also just such a lovely story that made me really happy. The novels follows two high school students, Annie and Bebe who end up on the cheerleading squad together and who rekindle a friendship (and maybe something more)

The novel manages to touch on so many important topics, Bebe’s recent transition as a trans girl and the way her parents and peers are dealing with being the main one, it also talks about friendship and acceptance and the general struggles of being a teenager. It’s still such a wonderful and truly lovely story though, I felt for the characters and just wanted the best for them! Luckily it’s not a sad book, it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside and after writing this review I just want to go read it again since it’s been a couple months.

The art is also perfect! I love that the sense of the characters you get from the writing is portrayed so perfectly with the art style. Honestly this was just as much fun to look through even without paying attention to the story itself.

I don’t really know what else to say about this one. It’s perfect, I want to read it again and I hope that there’s about 100 more installments.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS BOOK! It was such a cute, coming-of-age story, and both of our MCs went through some major character development. Annie became more friendly to others, and BeeBee learned to speak up for herself and figured out what she wanted. I absolutely loved reading Cheer Up, and will definitely read more by this author in the future!

I haven't picked up a graphic novel for years, and Cheer Up was the perfect reintroduction. I love the art style and how diverse the characters are: from the main characters to other people standing in the backgrounds. We follow Annie, who is has been told she needs to join some type of team to improve her college applications, and Bebe, who is trying to get everyone to accept her after her transition. Annie ends up on the cheerleading team where Bebe has been elected captain.

The story is one of friendship and what it's like to grow up. The main characters help each other blossom into more rounded individuals. I enjoyed this book and think it would be the perfect addition to a school library. No matter your background, everyone can understand how difficult it can be to belong while trying to be true to yourself during the four years of high school.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a free copy in return for an honest review!

This was such a cute high school friends to lovers romance. I loved how diverse and supportive the cheer team was, and I love how Beatrice and Annie both learned from each other and with each other. They helped each other grow into better people and it was all just very wholesome.

I think maybe it could have been a little longer just to flesh out certain parts, but it also didn't feel like anything was too rushed.

If you're looking for a cute sapphic high school graphic novel, definitely consider Cheer Up!

This was so well done. It managed to be a story about a trans cheerleader that wasn't about her coming out & transitioning, but still dealt with series issues that she faced. It was also the story of another 'troubled teen' who managed to find the right squad and right relationships to help her grow as a person. Not to mention the entire squad was able to grow & evolve about trans issues. But during all of this it was still entertaining & heart-warming. A+, must buy!

Wow, I absolutely adored this graphic novel! It was so adorable and sweet and just completely melted my heart! Firstly I absolutely fell in love with the art style! I absolutely loved the character visuals for each of the Cheer team and for all the other characters throughout.

Cheer Up follows Annie who is smart but lacking “social skills”, after getting into trouble at school her mum urges her to join the cheer team. She believes it will not only help her get into college but it will also be a great environment for Annie to grow in. Bebe is a shy girl who is head of the cheer team and also trans. She has trouble standing up for herself from the fear of coming across as rude or mean and people therefore thinking negartively of her transition. However with Annie back in the picture the two support each other in areas of their life they would like a little nudge to grow in. This graphic novel explores the rekindling of their friendship and also both Annie and Bebe’s journey of growth respectfully and together. It was such a delight to read and I will definitely be recommending it to my friends.

Also sidenote, I want to give off Annie’s mum energy one day! She ROCKS!!