Pardalita

By Joana Estrela and Lyn Miller-Lachmann

MILDRED L. BATCHELDER HONOR WINNER

School Library Journal Best of the Year
BCCB Best of the Year (Blue Ribbon Selection)

A beautiful slice-of-life story that is This One Summer meets Ursula K. Le Guin’s Very Far Away from Anywhere Else, told in flashbacks

16-year-old Raquel lives in a small town in Portugal, the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else’s business. Her parents are divorced and she’s just been suspended for cursing out a school aide asking about her father’s new marriage. She has two best friends, Luísa and Fred, but wants something more. Then, from afar, she sees Pardalita, a senior and a gifted artist who’s moving to Lisbon to study in the fall. The two girls get to know each other while working on a play. And Raquel falls in love.

Using a gorgeous blend of prose poems, illustrations, and graphic novel format, author and artist Joana Estrela captures the feeling of being a teenager in a way that feels gentle, joyful, and real.

P R A I S E

★ “Intimate…Through a fledgling queer romance, the creator presents a story of change, connection, and transformation.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred)

★ "The elegant simplicity of this book belies the artistic depth and emotional resonance contained within. Will leave readers in quiet, piercing satisfaction."
—Booklist (starred)

★ “A leisurely, emotional stroll through a slice-of-life story that explores identity and sexuality in an authentically sweet and subtle way.”
—School Library Journal (starred)

★ “The writing style is intriguing and deliberate...the slice-of-life approach working perfectly with Estrela’s creative vision in switching up formats to best convey Raquel’s intense and powerful self-discovery…this tender, warm book will likely enchant all romantic fans.”
—BCCB (starred)

“Effectively conveys adolescent turmoil, the heady intoxication of first love, and sweet moments of connection as young queer love blossoms. The book’s strength lies in its careful presentation of telling details. Quietly resonant and sincerely told.”
—Kirkus Reviews

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chronicle Books Digital
• Release date: Apr 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9781646142583

Joana Estrela

Joana Estrela is a Portuguese author and illustrator with a degree in communication design from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Porto. Her picture books and graphic novels for young people have been translated into several languages. In 2016 her book Mana won the first SERPA International Award for Picture Books. Joana lives in Brussels.

Book preview

First English class after returning to school:

While I was out, they reviewed irregular verbs.

They’re verbs that don’t follow the pattern for past tense.

The teacher gave me a table with all of them and explained:

You’re not supposed to understand them. You just have to learn them by heart.

She must have noticed my annoyance because she added:

Actually, you’re in luck. English doesn’t have many irregular verbs. Portuguese is much worse.

I doubt I would learn Portuguese unless I was already Portuguese. There’s no reason to do it.

The only useful word in Portuguese is obrigadinha.

You can’t translate that.

Luisa and I cut each other’s hair:

Three fingers,

Cut, Cut, Cut

(irregular verb).

The challenge is not to wet it first.

Mine is a short bob, the way I like it.

My dad says I look like a Beatle.

Yeah Yeah Yeah

My dad:

Every other weekend I’m with my dad.

When I was a little kid, this annoyed him, because he wanted to go out and I wrecked his plans—because I had to be in bed by ten thirty, I had nightmares, I made him bring me a glass of water, or sit on the bed next to me. Sometimes, he brought me to dinner at his friends’ houses and put me to bed in some random room. When it was time to leave, he would pick me up and carry my dead weight to the car. I was already too old for him to carry me around, but this was the one exception, and I took full advantage—like if I awakened, I’d still pretend to be asleep. And I forgave him for leaving me in a stranger’s room.

Forgive Forgave Forgiven

My mom not as a mother.

Just a daughter. Listening to rock.

I can’t even imagine!

I’ve lived here as long as I can remember.

I could cross the town

with my eyes closed.

Luísa

I don’t remember the moment Luísa and I became friends. From age four on, we were in the same

Reviews for Pardalita

[bibliovermis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was really beautiful and expressive. The combination of forms (prose, sequential art, others) really worked here. A really lovely coming of age story, really set in a very specific time and place. I loved this story.