A First Time Time for Everything by Dan Santat

 

Last week on Monday, I finished reading A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat. This graphic memoir is about a class trip to Europe that Dan went on after finishing middle school in Camarillo, California. Although Dan is a good kid and helps others at school, he's bullied sometimes and wants to be invisible. Thus, he's not really looking forward to the trip. Although he has low expectations at first because the same girls who used to make fun of him are also part of the group going on the trip, as they go from country to country over the next three weeks, he actually starts to enjoy the trip. In France, he drinks Fanta for the first time, while in Switzerland, he tries his first fondue. He even has his first girlfriend as he gets close to Amy Glucksbringer, a girl from Quincy, Illinois. Despite his initial skepticism, all the firsts he experiences while in Europe change his life.

This sincere graphic memoir was amazing and made me laugh and cry. I definitely thought Dan was relatable because I didn't always have a good time in middle school and sometimes felt moody, as well. I did think he was really lucky to go to Europe at such a young age because my first trip to Europe wasn't until this past summer. It was really cool that he went to Paris like I did, though. Unlike him and his group, I took the elevator instead of the stairs at the Eiffel Tower, but I can definitely imagine how tiring that was, although the spectacular view is totally worth it. I really enjoyed how he was able go to so many different countries on the trip even if I know from experience that sometimes you need more than just a few days to really experience a place. I also loved how he slowly fell in love with Amy because it was cute and romantic, despite the awkward and embarrassing moments. The other feature I liked in this graphic memoir were the flashbacks to the times Dan helped out his fellow classmates because it showed the kind person he truly is. A First Time for Everything reflects what it's like to be a young person with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and anyone should read it.