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Bounce Back #2
Bounce Back 2: No Such Thing as Perfect
Emma can’t help comparing herself to her bright and popular older sister, Julia. Try as she might, Emma can’t seem to please her mom as much as her sister does.
The more Emma measures herself alongside Julia and others, the more pressure she feels to try to change. But trying to be as good as everyone else at everything is exhausting and frustrating.
With help from her friends and basketball teammates, as well as Lexi, the French bulldog she’s dogsitting, Emma realizes that there’s no such thing as “perfect”—and it feels better to be true to herself, instead of trying to please others. But will other people, especially her mom, understand that Emma may not excel at the same things as her sister?
The more Emma measures herself alongside Julia and others, the more pressure she feels to try to change. But trying to be as good as everyone else at everything is exhausting and frustrating.
With help from her friends and basketball teammates, as well as Lexi, the French bulldog she’s dogsitting, Emma realizes that there’s no such thing as “perfect”—and it feels better to be true to herself, instead of trying to please others. But will other people, especially her mom, understand that Emma may not excel at the same things as her sister?
256 pages, Hardcover
Published November 7, 2023
14 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 29, 2023
Manga style graphic novel about Emma and the pressure of being perfect and be the best in everything. The theme is nice, but the execution isn’t.
The plot was all over the place, the characters were too crowded and didn’t have distinct personalities so I had a hard time recognizing them. Lots of filler dialogues which was basically just the characters arguing. Boring. Sorryy
The plot was all over the place, the characters were too crowded and didn’t have distinct personalities so I had a hard time recognizing them. Lots of filler dialogues which was basically just the characters arguing. Boring. Sorryy
August 27, 2023
Emma is a middle schooler feeling a lot of pressure. Her mom wants her to do better in everything and be more like her more perfect older sister. The thing she excels in is basketball and she is invited to play on an all star team made from the best in the schools in her area. Now she is no longer the star or starter making her lash out at others. Unfortunately, she makes everyone uncomfortable around her. Emma’s anger issue is a lot and doesn’t make you like her much. And her mother is just as angry most of the time as well. Her sister Julia, is the voice of reason and peace in the household, which is an odd dynamic.
This is a sequel to a book I haven’t read but involves another character in Emma’s friend group. A twist in the stories is that each gets an animal spirit guide to help them work out their problems. The illustrations in the novel are stylish and colorful, but I didn’t love how much of the story is anger based. Emma does finally learn to express her feelings but I’m not sure that really would solve all her problems. The best role modeling from adults comes from the basketball coach. I like that there is a lot of reading in this graphic novel. This is aimed at middle schooler but I could see it on my elementary school library shelf for older grades. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
This is a sequel to a book I haven’t read but involves another character in Emma’s friend group. A twist in the stories is that each gets an animal spirit guide to help them work out their problems. The illustrations in the novel are stylish and colorful, but I didn’t love how much of the story is anger based. Emma does finally learn to express her feelings but I’m not sure that really would solve all her problems. The best role modeling from adults comes from the basketball coach. I like that there is a lot of reading in this graphic novel. This is aimed at middle schooler but I could see it on my elementary school library shelf for older grades. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
January 6, 2024
Another great graphic novel by Misako Rocks! Our students enjoyed book 1- and I know they’ll love being back with these great characters!
Love the topics & themes throughout- basketball, sportsmanship, friendships, jealousy, communication, sharing how you feel, school, etc.
Love the topics & themes throughout- basketball, sportsmanship, friendships, jealousy, communication, sharing how you feel, school, etc.
May 15, 2024
Relatable story; reliably told.
Suitable for every young adult to read; my own tween did so in a single weekend.
Suitable for every young adult to read; my own tween did so in a single weekend.
February 5, 2025
The best book I read in quarter 2 was No Such Thing as Perfect by Misako Rocks!. The genre for my book is friendship, and it’s not my favorite genre. Have you ever wanted to be the best, better than everyone else? Have you ever felt like if you admitted you needed help, people would laugh at you? That’s exactly how Emma feels in No Such Thing as Perfect. The protagonist in No Such Thing as Perfect is Emma, and she wants to be perfect, just to be noticed. Emma is always being shown up by her beautiful, smart, special sister, Julia. Their mom favorites Julia because she is popular, and goes to a special school for smart kids. Emma loves basketball, and so does her friend, Lilico. When they both get accepted into the All Star team, a special team of talented players from different schools, they are extremely excited. The story takes place at Emma’s school, and house in the present. The problem that Emma has to deal with is trying her best to be a team player. It doesn’t help that some of her teammates are being rude, but Emma is pushing her good friends away from her. One antagonist in No Such Thing as Perfect, is Emma’s mom because she expects Emma to be a straight A student like Julia, beautiful and talented like Julia, and even told Emma that maybe if she got her grades way up, she could apply to Julia’s school. There are three reasons why you should read No Such Thing as Perfect, by Misako Rocks!. The first reason is that No Such Thing as Perfect shows a life lesson; that you’ll never be perfect, and you might need help, so be a team player. The second reason that you should read this book is because it teaches that good friendships are sturdy, and many examples in this book base off of real life problems. The third and final reason you should read my pick for best quarter two book is if you like graphic novels, and enjoy a little drama, this book might be for you. If you’re looking for a book that is really hard to put down, check out a copy of No Such Thing as Perfect by Misako Rocks!, today!
August 27, 2023
No Such Thing as Perfect follows Emma as she struggles with jealousy over her perfect sister and her friends who have decent talents, her acceptance in the All-Star basketball team and the knowledge that she is no longer the best player on the team, and the little dog that her sister is house-sitting who Emma is afraid of.
The artwork was very nicely done in the typical Japanese manga kawaii style. I love that the author put thought into changing the characters outfits and hairstyles throughout the graphic novel. I also think its fun that the author put how-to-draw tutorials at the end because kids love those.
I appreciate that the book was trying to teach a lesson about speaking out when something bothers you and about it being okay to not be perfect. It's also great that Emma's friends were good enough to give her second, and sometimes third, chances. I realize that Emma was supposed to be difficult to like in the beginning because she was working through her inner demons, but that is actually where I had a hard time with this book. Emma was a pretty self-centered brat in the first 3/4 of this book. Its hard to believe that her friends would have really stuck around with her as long as they did if that was the type of outbursts she was having at least weekly, especially if they were new friends through the basketball team or mutual friends.
With that being said, I still think that this is a book that will go over well with the target audience.
The artwork was very nicely done in the typical Japanese manga kawaii style. I love that the author put thought into changing the characters outfits and hairstyles throughout the graphic novel. I also think its fun that the author put how-to-draw tutorials at the end because kids love those.
I appreciate that the book was trying to teach a lesson about speaking out when something bothers you and about it being okay to not be perfect. It's also great that Emma's friends were good enough to give her second, and sometimes third, chances. I realize that Emma was supposed to be difficult to like in the beginning because she was working through her inner demons, but that is actually where I had a hard time with this book. Emma was a pretty self-centered brat in the first 3/4 of this book. Its hard to believe that her friends would have really stuck around with her as long as they did if that was the type of outbursts she was having at least weekly, especially if they were new friends through the basketball team or mutual friends.
With that being said, I still think that this is a book that will go over well with the target audience.
April 12, 2024
I always enjoy a good graphic novel, so I picked this up at my local library the other day when looking for a lighter read.
This was cute at times, but all the characters were pretty annoying. I empathized with our protagonist because who hasn't clashed with their mom? But I could not buy into the talking dog spirit guardian thing lol. I felt like it would've been a better story if bonding with the dog helped her make changes in her life--it didn't need to be a talking dog! It's also a very easy resolution where speaking up fixes everything, which we all know isn't always the case in real life.
Still, a good message for middle grade readers! Sharing your feelings doesn't make you weak, it makes you human and helps you connect with others.
This was cute at times, but all the characters were pretty annoying. I empathized with our protagonist because who hasn't clashed with their mom? But I could not buy into the talking dog spirit guardian thing lol. I felt like it would've been a better story if bonding with the dog helped her make changes in her life--it didn't need to be a talking dog! It's also a very easy resolution where speaking up fixes everything, which we all know isn't always the case in real life.
Still, a good message for middle grade readers! Sharing your feelings doesn't make you weak, it makes you human and helps you connect with others.
August 19, 2024
Emma can't help comparing herself to other people-especially her "perfect" older sister. Unfortunately, she always comes up short in these comparisons and it causes her to lash out at others in her distress. She doesn't have the strength to just tell someone else what she is feeling. Instead she just takes her insecurity and anxiety out on others. Until she gets a magical Guardian Spirit who helps her come to terms with who she is and to let others know how she is feeling. Emma was pretty mean and whiny. Her friends were pretty awesome to put up with her long enough for her to learn to speak out. Love the art.
September 10, 2023
I am interested in graphic novels, so I thought I’d request this book. The title and cover are eye catching. I liked the book, but yet I didn’t. The main character has anger problems. The mother also seems to pick favorites amongst her children. I didn’t see it as being perfect was the issue between the mother and daughter. I saw it as another conflict. I found it interesting that a talking dog and cat are what brought the girl to realize how she treated others. The idea of perfectionist is a good one, but the story, needs a bit of work.
September 10, 2023
I am interested in graphic novels, so I thought I’d request this book. The title and cover are eye catching. I liked the book, but yet I didn’t. The main character has anger problems. The mother also seems to pick favorites amongst her children. I didn’t see it as being perfect was the issue between the mother and daughter. I saw it as another conflict. I found it interesting that a talking dog and cat are what brought the girl to realize how she treated others. The idea of perfectionist is a good one, but the story, needs a bit of work
January 9, 2024
Our students love this series! I had to create a "holds" list for book one, they were all so excited to check it out!
They love this illustration style, and they really enjoyed these characters. I think it is often challenging to find manga style graphic novels that are appropriate for younger readers- but this is it! My grade 4-6 students really got into book one, and love book two! They always gravitate to books that showcase real-life friendship struggles, in a way they can relate to. They also liked the basketball games and team dynamics throughout.
They love this illustration style, and they really enjoyed these characters. I think it is often challenging to find manga style graphic novels that are appropriate for younger readers- but this is it! My grade 4-6 students really got into book one, and love book two! They always gravitate to books that showcase real-life friendship struggles, in a way they can relate to. They also liked the basketball games and team dynamics throughout.
May 7, 2024
I just finished reading this book and this is a good, relatable, graphic novel. It's a 4/5 because at the beginning it felt a bit confusing and crazy about a girl named Emma who got frustrated. After all, she couldn't stop comparing her sister and others so she took her anger against them. Towards the end of the story, she begins to realize that she doesn't have to be perfect to impress people, she just needs to be herself and be successful with trust, honesty, and open-minded to changes!
May 12, 2025
Splitting the difference again - I still find this series hard to follow but Kid1 absolutely adores it. Great themes and a similar cast of characters to Bounce Back (we read them out of order but that was ok).
Emma is the gorgeous, popular, basketball star but constantly comparing herself to others and needing to succeed everywhere takes a toll on her friendships, mental health, and performance on the court. Luckily a cute puppy/guardian shows up to help out!
Emma is the gorgeous, popular, basketball star but constantly comparing herself to others and needing to succeed everywhere takes a toll on her friendships, mental health, and performance on the court. Luckily a cute puppy/guardian shows up to help out!
July 27, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In this sequel to Bounce Back, we get to see the world through Emma's eyes. She's on the basketball team with Lilico, who came from Japan. (I need to check the print version of Bounce Back; I thought the main character was named Misako, but since I struggle with names, I might have to amend my review of that title.) She has a difficult home life because she and her mother have very similar temperments, so almost every interchange they have results in the two screaming at each other. Some of this conflict comes from the fact that Emma believes her mother likes her older sister Julia better, and pressures Emma to be more like Julia. Julia is actually a voice of reason in the household, but when she offers to watch Lexi, the adorable dog belonging to a boy she likes, Emma has another fit about that, since she hates dogs. Emma is pleased to make it on to the all star basketball team with Lilico, but has problems there are well. She starts a combative relationship with Alyssa, and the two fight on the court. Emma is used to being one of the few really good players on her team, so when everyone else is as good or better than she is, this causes her even more emotional turmoil. On the bright side, she does take to Lexi, who turns out to be her guardian spirit in the way Nicco was Lilico's magical guide in the first book. The entire all star team is affected by Emma's frequent outbursts, and don't play well because they are focusing on individual goals instead of coming together as a team. Emma has not been talking to Nala, since the two had a falling out in the first book, but the two have a bumpy road to reconnection, with Emma again disrepecting her friend on multiple occasions. When Lexi becomes ill when Emma is watching her, she has to work together with Lilico to get Lexi medical attention, and finally has a discussion that helps her to tell her mother what is bothering her. Can Emma get the help she needs to have constructive rather than destructive relationships?
Strengths: I would love to see more graphic novels with sports in them, like Dawson's Fifth Quarter or Tavares' Hoops. There is a bit of basketball in this, but most of the book is taken up with the friend drama, which is also a popular topic. The manga vibe of this one is strong, and Nala dresses in a very bold harujuku style of dress, which I have seen on a couple of girls at my school. This series definitely has a lot of tween appeal.
Weaknesses: If I had to diagnose Emma, I would say that she falls on the Oppositional Defiant Disorder spectrum somewhere. Her mother is also absolutely horrible in her interactions. I know this happens in real life, but in books I would like to see some of the characters model good behavior. It's wearing just reading about all of Emma's tantrums, and I'm surprised that she has any friends at all.
What I really think: Like the first book, this is absolutely overwrought, and handing it to students feels like giving them cotton candy for breakfast. The first book fell apart spectacularly after five circulations, even though I got a Follett Bound copy. I requested a replacement, so I'll see how well it circulates before ordering this. It's similar to the Chloe series by Tessier in many respects.
In this sequel to Bounce Back, we get to see the world through Emma's eyes. She's on the basketball team with Lilico, who came from Japan. (I need to check the print version of Bounce Back; I thought the main character was named Misako, but since I struggle with names, I might have to amend my review of that title.) She has a difficult home life because she and her mother have very similar temperments, so almost every interchange they have results in the two screaming at each other. Some of this conflict comes from the fact that Emma believes her mother likes her older sister Julia better, and pressures Emma to be more like Julia. Julia is actually a voice of reason in the household, but when she offers to watch Lexi, the adorable dog belonging to a boy she likes, Emma has another fit about that, since she hates dogs. Emma is pleased to make it on to the all star basketball team with Lilico, but has problems there are well. She starts a combative relationship with Alyssa, and the two fight on the court. Emma is used to being one of the few really good players on her team, so when everyone else is as good or better than she is, this causes her even more emotional turmoil. On the bright side, she does take to Lexi, who turns out to be her guardian spirit in the way Nicco was Lilico's magical guide in the first book. The entire all star team is affected by Emma's frequent outbursts, and don't play well because they are focusing on individual goals instead of coming together as a team. Emma has not been talking to Nala, since the two had a falling out in the first book, but the two have a bumpy road to reconnection, with Emma again disrepecting her friend on multiple occasions. When Lexi becomes ill when Emma is watching her, she has to work together with Lilico to get Lexi medical attention, and finally has a discussion that helps her to tell her mother what is bothering her. Can Emma get the help she needs to have constructive rather than destructive relationships?
Strengths: I would love to see more graphic novels with sports in them, like Dawson's Fifth Quarter or Tavares' Hoops. There is a bit of basketball in this, but most of the book is taken up with the friend drama, which is also a popular topic. The manga vibe of this one is strong, and Nala dresses in a very bold harujuku style of dress, which I have seen on a couple of girls at my school. This series definitely has a lot of tween appeal.
Weaknesses: If I had to diagnose Emma, I would say that she falls on the Oppositional Defiant Disorder spectrum somewhere. Her mother is also absolutely horrible in her interactions. I know this happens in real life, but in books I would like to see some of the characters model good behavior. It's wearing just reading about all of Emma's tantrums, and I'm surprised that she has any friends at all.
What I really think: Like the first book, this is absolutely overwrought, and handing it to students feels like giving them cotton candy for breakfast. The first book fell apart spectacularly after five circulations, even though I got a Follett Bound copy. I requested a replacement, so I'll see how well it circulates before ordering this. It's similar to the Chloe series by Tessier in many respects.
February 2, 2024
Book 2/companion to Bounce Back
Emma loves basketball but her perfectionist tendencies and her mother's criticisms make it difficult for her to always remember to play as part of a team - especially when she is selected to be on an elite team but not as a starter. When her older sister brings home a cute French bulldog for the family to care for temporarily, Emma is uncertain at first because she does not like dogs. Lexi (the dog), quickly wins her over though, and shows that sometimes there is more than meets the eye.
Upper elementary and middle school will be quick to pick up this anime style graphic novel. Illustrations are colorful and lively. Story is a little bit of a *message* but relieved by the sports, animal, and friendship aspects.
Emma loves basketball but her perfectionist tendencies and her mother's criticisms make it difficult for her to always remember to play as part of a team - especially when she is selected to be on an elite team but not as a starter. When her older sister brings home a cute French bulldog for the family to care for temporarily, Emma is uncertain at first because she does not like dogs. Lexi (the dog), quickly wins her over though, and shows that sometimes there is more than meets the eye.
Upper elementary and middle school will be quick to pick up this anime style graphic novel. Illustrations are colorful and lively. Story is a little bit of a *message* but relieved by the sports, animal, and friendship aspects.
September 25, 2023
Thank you to Macmillian Publications for the ARC. This was my first Misako Rocks! book and I am hooked. The book was so cute and had a wonderful life lesson. My students will be so excited to read this graphic novel about being kind to yourself and others.
February 24, 2024
Guess I mostly read books given to me by my daughter now. This was not my favorite graphic novel BUT it does have some decent conversation points about stress and apologizing and friend drama. So for that, two and a half stars.
March 17, 2024
This book is super good! I was on Lexis side about Emma needing to open up and tell her friends about her Mom and sister. I also like how Licco and Noah are still together!❤️ As I said before, this book is super good.
December 11, 2023
Good message overall.
dnf
February 6, 2024I need to read the first one, but this is consists of this annoying girl being annoyed and her mom yelling at her all the time. I liked the first one, what happened?!
September 12, 2024
It was so good because it was so colorful
February 13, 2025
I probably would have DNF’ed this one had one of my most precious students not loaned it to me.
July 5, 2025
pretty emotional
I cried in the ending
I cried in the ending
August 29, 2025
Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
December 31, 2023
Perfection is something that so many of us at one point or another strive for, but it is something that no one can be, including Emma who must figure out how to make it through as she navigates not being the best at something she loves. Luckily, her friends, and her new pet, are there for her. I also loved that this wasn’t just a normal sequel to Bounce Back, but was a companion, but we do get to see Lilico and how she is doing.
June 17, 2025
There are very little books that I like to read more than once! I read this on before the other one! ( Bounce Back ) I loved the Japaness culture in the second one, it still felt Asinine, because of the drawing, but everything else felt to USA. I read American books, but this one just wasn’t hitting the vibe, the style was Asinine but the story and everything else was American, it was confusing!
January 31, 2025
I think the book is very interesting and very well written I loved this novel and towards the end it can be emotional but besides that I loved it and I that’s why think you should read this book! 📖 ♥️😍
February 2, 2024
boooooooring
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews