- Graphic Novels
- Ages 8–12
- Contemporary
Squished
A warm, relatable middle-grade graphic novel about needing space in a big, loving, overwhelming family. It is a strong fit for Raina Telgemeier-adjacent readers who want realistic feelings rather than fantasy peril.
- Best for8–12
- FormatGraphic
- Length256 pp
- Read aloud~2 hr
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Warm
- Heartwarming
- Gentle
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Avery loves her family, but with lots of siblings, a crowded house, and very little privacy, she feels completely squished. She wants a room of her own, or at least a corner of life that belongs just to her. When her parents begin talking about a possible move, Avery's frustration turns into worry: what if the solution to one problem creates a whole new one? Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter create a lively, affectionate graphic novel about big-family noise, sibling tension, changing plans, and the hard work of being heard without hurting the people you love. It is funny, emotionally recognisable, and full of everyday conflicts that many children will understand immediately.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 8–12
- Read aloud · 7–11
- Independent · 8–12
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Works well for
- Bedtime
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Preview before sharing if a child is sensitive to: bullying.
Bedtime suitability
4 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Realistic graphic novel
- Sibling story
- Big family
- Raina telgemeier adjacent
- Reluctant reader pick
Avoid if
- Wants fantasy
- Wants high action
- Sensitive to bullying
Particularly good for children who are…
- Moving house
- Anxiety and worry
- Being bullied
- Low self esteem
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A warm, funny graphic novel about craving space in a big family — a reluctant-reader pick that opens talk about siblings and belonging.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific recognition is being one of seven — Avery sharing a room with three sisters, no privacy anywhere, wanting a corner of life that's just hers. The graphic novel for any child in a big family who's started feeling crowded.
- Being understood finally
- Family belonging
- Cosy safety
Why parents love it
The graphic novel for big-family middle-grade readers — Megan Wagner Lloyd on overcrowding, sibling tension, the question of how to be heard without hurting people. Telgemeier-adjacent in spirit. Useful for any child currently feeling squished.
- Shared humour
- Conversation starter
- Quick to read
About the creators
About the creators.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Where you’ll find it
On these reading lists.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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