True Colors
Growing Up Weird in the '90s
by Elise Gravel
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Pub Date 19 Aug 2025 | Archive Date 15 Nov 2025
Drawn & Quarterly | Drawn and Quarterly
Description
Growing up is always just a little too much for a kid to handle, but taking your time is all it takes
Tweeny-bopper Elise knows she’s different, but kind of just chalks it up to being a weirdo. And in the 90s, who isn’t? Other girls might be shifting their attention to boys, but Elise is putting the freeze on all that adult stuff to get lost in play with her besties and pour her energy into making her art. Besides, what’s the point in rushing when being a kid is such a blast?
In True Colors: Growing Up Weird in the 90s, Elise invites readers into the pages of her diary and takes them back to a radically different time before smartphones and home computers. It’s a world where fun means going to the mall and making mix tapes on cassette, and where imagination reigns supreme! It’s also a world where making new friends can be confusing, nerve-wracking, and utterly mind-boggling.
Creative and curious kids, anybody dealing with anything from not fitting in, to anxiety—or even an ADHD diagnosis—will see themselves in the pages. And through it all, Gravel shows the power of art and creativity to transform, as we see Elise turning her differences into her superpower in this funny and encouraging artistic origin story.
Advance Praise
“A rare mix of wackiness and savvy counsel.”—Kirkus Reviews
“There’s a welcoming simplicity to her work, but images also showcase her skill with denser, more immersive visuals, and she creates a sea of distinct textures and shapes while maintaining a youthful, minimalist aesthetic.” —Oliver Sava, A.V. Club
“If you’re not familiar with her art work, prepare to be charmed.”—Youth Services Book Review
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781770467996 |
| PRICE | US$18.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 188 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Yaz -, Reviewer
This was a really fun read that also did a fantastic job at covering topics such as periods and anxiety.
The main character was funny, insightful and honest and as an child who grew up in the 90s I really enjoyed a lot of the references.
The drawings also added lots of enjoyment to this and really helped create a visual aspect to the diary entries.
This feels like it would be a really useful book for children to read to realise they are not alone with how they're feeling about growing up and is down in a really attainable and enjoyable way.
Overall a really fun experience and a book I'd definitely be recommending to readers both young and old!
Educator 539848
I love anything by Elise Gravel so was very pleased to get this. It's the diary of Elise growing up and addresses some of the issues that most kids will face at some point, such as puberty, feeling anxious and friendship worries. Elise was later diagnosed as having ADHD, having grown up at a time when this was something thought to only affect boys so it was really interesting to read her account of how she remembers feeling as a child.
Emma B, Reviewer
I really enjoyed this fictionalised autobiography. The art and colours were fun, and I loved all the 90s references. I would recommend it to anyone who has ever felt like they don't fit in, whether that's because of neurodivergence, questioning their sexuality or any other reason.
Reviewer 1394760
A comforting read, does not bug the reader.
Our female lead is a youngster growing up in the 90s.
She is multiple times different; different because most teens feel so, different because of her neurodivergence, and these combined; different because she is trying to make sense of who she is.
All told in a light-hearted tone. Elise goes through some challenges and understanding.
I liked the juvenile tone of the narrative and art, but if there were a diverse use of techniques, this might have been more rich.
I also appreciated the ADHD not openly stated as a fresh approach. I only wish this were longer, and we could get more glimpses into Elise’s life, her ADHD/neurodivergence (more examples). I hope we will get to see her more.
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