BIG APPLE DIARIES

My debut graphic novel, Big Apple Diaries, is out now! Published by Roaring Brook Press:

In Big Apple Diaries, a heartfelt diary-style graphic memoir by Alyssa Bermudez, a young New Yorker doodles her way through middle school—until the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack leaves her wondering if she can ever be a kid again.

It’s the year 2000 in New York City. For 12-year old Alyssa, this means splitting time between her Puerto Rican dad's apartment in Manhattan and her white mom's new place in Queens, navigating the trials and tribulations of middle school, and an epic crush on a new classmate. The only way to make sense of it all is to capture the highs and lows in doodles and hilarious comics in a diary.

Then life abruptly changes on September 11, 2001. After the Twin Towers fall and so many lives are lost, worries about gossip and boys feel distant and insignificant. Alyssa must find a new sense of self and purpose amidst all of the chaos, and find the strength to move forward with hope.

BUY NOW: Bookshop | B&N | Booktopia AU | Dymocks AU | Amazon US

Big Apple Diaries Buzz:

As seen on the Short List for The Comic Awards of Australia 2022!

As seen on ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children List 2021!

"Fans of Craft’s New Kid, Telgemeier’s Smile, and Hale’s Real Friends will find much to love here." — The Horn Book

As seen in BBC Worldwide: 9/11 attacks: ‘I saw the world as a scary place for the first time’

As seen in Shelf Awareness: “Alyssa exudes wit, flare and personality, showing how second-guessing oneself is part of self-discovery. Big Apple Diaries is a beautiful snapshot of preteen life.”

As seen in Story Links AUS: “People sometimes say that graphic novels are not real books, that they don’t deal with real issues or have the same connection to their readers as ‘traditional books’. I’d like every one of those people to read this book and then try to tell me those same words.”

As seen in The Manhattan Mercury: “Alyssa Bermudez bases “Big Apple Diaries” on her own diaries of growing up in New York, so her graphic memoir accessibly blends the trauma of 9/11 with the ups and downs of everyday life.”

As seen in San Francisco Chronicle Datebook Review: “Reconstructed from the author’s own memories, this disarming graphic novel grafts optimism onto tragedy to plot the path forward.”

An interview with Fuse 8, A School Library Journal Blog by Elizabeth Bird

As seen in The Queens Public Library - 9/11 Reading Recommendations and Resources for Discussion with Children

Junior Library Guild Gold Star Selection 2021

As seen in School Library Journal, “Educators seeking firsthand accounts of 9/11 will want to share this with their students, while ­middle graders looking for an engrossing graphic novel in the vein of Raina ­Telgemeier’s or Shannon Hale’s work will be pleased.”

As seen in Kirkus Reviews, “An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy.”

As seen in Publishers Weekly, “Combining eye-catching layouts with frank vulnerability … Bermudez puts her whole heart on the page, and the love she holds for her younger self can be deeply felt in every entry.”

As seen in Sequential Tart, “Super great stuff -- good for some history and points of view and ... a journal of just growing up.”

As seen in Reading Middle Grade, 52 Best Middle-Grade Graphic Novels

As seen in No Flying No Tights

As seen in Raise Them Righteous, “This story is great and enjoyable, and I couldn’t put it down. I loved learning more about 9/11, and I finally knew what it was like to experience living in Queens when something as horrible as this was going on.” - Eleanor, Age 9

Big Apple Diaries was a thought in the making for almost ten years. Here are some snippets exploring the idea over the years:

School Visits and Activities: