“You’re doing the exact something. Deciding what’s best for me and what makes you feel good and just doing it without worrying about what I want.” If you are looking for a short, fun but meaningful graphic novel, then Cheer Up might be the one for you. I loved to see both MC grow and help each other to do so, while popping their own bubble. They are a perfect mirror for each other, learning how to stand up for themselves and to let the other do the same, learning to deal with opposition and confrontation in very different ways. These nice character arcs led to a cute romance, but also to a beautiful collective friendship story among the group of cheerleaders and an exploration of allyship that was one of my favorite things in the book. 4.5/5

Cheer Up! is a lovely, wholesome short comic with beautiful art. Cheer Up! introduces us to Annie - a badass who joins the cheerleaders of her school to have something to add to her college applications -, and Bebe - a cheerleader and trans woman still trying to find her place in the team and at school. The story of Cheer Up! is simple but effective, giving voice to several queer characters and their struggles and wishes. The art is beautiful, and really brings forth the emotions of the characters. Even with only 124 pages, the romance in Cheer Up! doesn’t feel rushed. The techniques behind the cheerleading really add to that. By showing Annie’s process in becoming a cheerleader (with only a few frames!), you know approximately how much time has passed and how much closer the characters have grown in that time. Cheer Up! is incredibly wholesome and lovely, and I wish it was at least ten times as long. Highly recommended!

Cheer Up: Love & Pompoms by Crystal Frasier is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel with a important message. I loved both the story and the characters. Bebe is active in cheerleading who is a people pleaser and feels like she has to be quiet about things that upset so she isn't known as an angry trans girl. Wheres Annie whose devil may care attitude and anti-social personality might make it hard to get into college no matter how good her grades and test scores. Bebe and Annie were both written very well and I thought the trans rep was done very well. I love Annie and how she helps Bebe learn to stand up for herself as well as helping her with her anxiety. I thought Annie had some great lines but the best one for me was "Hey, I'm the Homecoming Queen. They're staring at me."

This is a sapphic graphic novel about two girls who find their family in a cheerleading squad. One of the girls, BeeBee, is a POC trans female, who is struggling to find her voice and her place in the world. The other character, Annie is an antisocial plus-sized lesbian who needs to round off her college application by making friends and trying out an extra curricular activity. It’s a story about friendship, romance and learning to love yourself, set to the background of a high school cheerleading squad. It’s described as being perfect for fans of Fence and Check, Please. Which just so happen to be two of my favourite graphic novels of all time. This comic, although light and enjoyable, doesn’t stray away from hard topics such as transphobia, fatphobia, toxic masculinity, and harassment. But it’s done in a way that’s subtle but powerful, making this the perfect read for it’s intended teen audience. It reminds us that we should never be afraid to be who we are, and it also tells us how much words can hurt. At 128 pages this graphic novel is a really short read, and although I love that it was quick, and could be read in one setting, part of me hopes that it isn’t a standalone. I want to delve more into BeeBee and Annie’s story, as well as learn more about the awesome, diverse, side-characters in the Cheerleading Squad. I also want to mention that the art in this graphic novel is stunning, and very expressive! Cheer Up is the perfect book to curl up with at the end of the day. It’s wholesome, engaging and beautifully diverse. And it can be read in one sitting!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an early copy of Cheer Up. I loved this,it was such a quick read, the plot was really good, I loved the characters and I cannot wait to read more.