Drama: A Graphic Novel

Callie’s nuanced character is meant to be a relatable one for a tween audience. She’s not picture-perfect like Bonnie, and she has many things to figure out during her seventh-grade year—such as how to make her school’s production of “Moon Over Mississippi” the best that it can be, and how to make sense of and act on the romantic feelings that she has for both Greg and Jesse. And unlike Bonnie, she has trouble with unrequited feelings. Ultimately, it is within theater and through prioritizing her friendships that Callie finds fulfillment in her life. Theater, which has been a sustained passion that she has developed on her own—through both independent study and by being a part of her school’s stage crew—proves to be the thing that yields the most meaningful fruit in her life. Through her character, Telgemeier shapes a tender, believable, and emotional character arc that is meant to affirm young girls and encourage them to use their unique talents in order to pursue their own passions. 

Although he is one of Callie’s love interests, Jesse also gets an arc of his own within Drama. He is first introduced as a bit of a wallflower—but quickly given development so that the readers can see more dimension in his character.