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Bunt! Striking Out on Financial Aid
Molly Bauer's first year of college is not the picture-perfect piece of art she'd always envisioned. On day one at PICA, Molly discovers that—through some horrible twist of fate—her full-ride scholarship has vanished! But the ancient texts (PICA's dusty financial aid documents) reveal a loophole. If Molly and 9 other art students win a single game of softball, they'll receive a massive athletic scholarship. Can Molly's crew of ragtag artists succeed in softball without dropping the ball?
The author of the New York Times best-selling Check, Please series, Ngozi Ukazu returns with debut artist Madeline Rupert to bring an energetic young adult story about authenticity, old vs. new, and college failure. It also poses the question: “Is art school worth it?”
The author of the New York Times best-selling Check, Please series, Ngozi Ukazu returns with debut artist Madeline Rupert to bring an energetic young adult story about authenticity, old vs. new, and college failure. It also poses the question: “Is art school worth it?”
288 pages, Paperback
First published February 13, 2024
About the author
Ngozi Ukazu
21 books1,236 followersNgozi Ukazu is an American cartoonist and graphic novelist. She is the author of the online graphic novel series Check, Please!. She studied at Yale University and the Savannah College of Art and Design.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
March 1, 2024
Molly grew up in Peachtree, Georgia, in her lesbian moms' hardware store, in the shadow of the town's prestigious and expensive art college, PICA. Every since she can remember, she's wanted to attend PICA- despite the fact that her best friend dropped out last year and says the school chews people up and spits them out. But Molly got a full ride scholarship, so her first semester should be a breeze, right? No! Because when she shows up to orientation, no one can find her scholarship or even her registration. It turns Molly will have to pay for her first year after all; she takes out some dodgy loans and scours the financial aid booklets for any other scholarship she can apply for. It turns out, if she can scrape up a full team of softball players... and they compete against other college teams in the same division... and they win at least one game over the course of the semester... the whole team gets a free tuition! Is it possible to win one game with a bunch of big-ego, burned-out, athletically-challenged artists? I loved the energy of this story, with many well-informed digs at art school culture and hypocrisy. The team has great chemistry and the art style is full of action, physical humor, and delightfully expressive cartooning.
March 13, 2024
“THERE ARE NO FURRIES IN SOFTBALL!!!”
I loved every second of this silly little story! All the characters were unique and fun, and I have never laughed so hard over a graphic novel before. I also appreciated the critiques of private education and the wonderful portrayal of teamwork and bonding!
September 21, 2023
If you’ve ever gone to art school and/or dropped out of art school (me), you will obviously enjoy this. Mad Rupert’s art is SO solid and silly and brings a lot of range to the characters. I was charmed!! I was endeared!!!
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2024
When her full-ride scholarship falls through, Molly Bauer hatches a plan to cover her financial aid gap. If she can start a softball team with the quirky students at her art school and win one game, she can get a retroactive athletic scholarship.
While the characters and art are good, the plot is simply too thin to sustain nearly 300 pages of diddling around. There are some attempts to introduce a villain and make a statement about gentrification, but nothing really gels there. A large portion of the book is simply Molly keeping her problem and plan a secret from her mothers, and I've just never been a fan of stories built around a big lie that will inevitably be exposed.
Also, the whole thing just reminded me of the funnier and livelier The Avant-Guards, Carly Usdin's series about an art school basketball team.
While this was disappointing, I've liked Ngozi Ukazu's other books and will certainly check out whatever she does next.
While the characters and art are good, the plot is simply too thin to sustain nearly 300 pages of diddling around. There are some attempts to introduce a villain and make a statement about gentrification, but nothing really gels there. A large portion of the book is simply Molly keeping her problem and plan a secret from her mothers, and I've just never been a fan of stories built around a big lie that will inevitably be exposed.
Also, the whole thing just reminded me of the funnier and livelier The Avant-Guards, Carly Usdin's series about an art school basketball team.
While this was disappointing, I've liked Ngozi Ukazu's other books and will certainly check out whatever she does next.
August 18, 2024
So fun and queer!
July 24, 2023
*4.25 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Molly Bauer has lived her whole life in a university town. And all she's ever wanted was go to said university, PICA. But on orientation day, she finds out her grant has been rescinded and she can't actually attend school unless she comes up with the cash. She takes on a bunch of loans and finds out she can get a scholarship if she's part of a softball team that wins at least a game. So it's recruitment time! But not all is done, now they actually have to find the people and actually train them... And what if PICA wasn't actually the paradise Molly always thought it was?
I really liked this book. It was a fun, fast read and just overall captivating. I liked the talks of gentrification, of the problems with the whole university system as a whole. And I really liked the characters, Molly, of course, but also the other people on the team. It had me rooting for so many of them. I was into the story from beginning to end, I just wished it had been a little bit longer, that we could have gone deeper on some topics and storylines. Overall, though, this was simply very good and I had a good time with it. And I really liked the illustrations as well.
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Molly Bauer has lived her whole life in a university town. And all she's ever wanted was go to said university, PICA. But on orientation day, she finds out her grant has been rescinded and she can't actually attend school unless she comes up with the cash. She takes on a bunch of loans and finds out she can get a scholarship if she's part of a softball team that wins at least a game. So it's recruitment time! But not all is done, now they actually have to find the people and actually train them... And what if PICA wasn't actually the paradise Molly always thought it was?
I really liked this book. It was a fun, fast read and just overall captivating. I liked the talks of gentrification, of the problems with the whole university system as a whole. And I really liked the characters, Molly, of course, but also the other people on the team. It had me rooting for so many of them. I was into the story from beginning to end, I just wished it had been a little bit longer, that we could have gone deeper on some topics and storylines. Overall, though, this was simply very good and I had a good time with it. And I really liked the illustrations as well.
February 5, 2024
My fave graphic novel so far this year!
After reading Check, Please! back in 2022 I was eager to see more from this creator. This was a hilarious and heartfelt story about a girl who’s desperate to get into art school and help change her community. When her financial aid lapses, she is forced to try to scam her way to a scholarship by creating a softball team.
I loved the ragtag group that is formed for the team. They were all so cute and funny in their own way. And as art school weirdos, they had such big personalities. I loved seeing them interact and try to get to know each other and get along.
The romance between the characters was also very cute. I loved the fantastic rep and the chemistry between everyone.
Deep down this book is about the predatory nature of fanatical aid and higher education. It shows rhetorical lengths that students go and how stressed they are to try to afford to go to college. As someone who is currently in debt, I appreciated the message. While I don’t think college is a bad idea, I don’t think it’s for everyone. Adored this graphic novel and can’t wait for more!
After reading Check, Please! back in 2022 I was eager to see more from this creator. This was a hilarious and heartfelt story about a girl who’s desperate to get into art school and help change her community. When her financial aid lapses, she is forced to try to scam her way to a scholarship by creating a softball team.
I loved the ragtag group that is formed for the team. They were all so cute and funny in their own way. And as art school weirdos, they had such big personalities. I loved seeing them interact and try to get to know each other and get along.
The romance between the characters was also very cute. I loved the fantastic rep and the chemistry between everyone.
Deep down this book is about the predatory nature of fanatical aid and higher education. It shows rhetorical lengths that students go and how stressed they are to try to afford to go to college. As someone who is currently in debt, I appreciated the message. While I don’t think college is a bad idea, I don’t think it’s for everyone. Adored this graphic novel and can’t wait for more!
April 29, 2024
THIS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD LETS GOOOOOO. i just want to thank marianna for being such a great book exchanger and krish for pairing us up. ANYWAYS
1) this was SO FUNNY 2) i loooooved the art style 3) THE CHARACTERS WERE EVERYTHING 4) the running jokes omfg 5) GAY 6) the best friends!!!!!! the besties!!!!! 7) gay art softball found family 8) AHHHHHHHHH
1) this was SO FUNNY 2) i loooooved the art style 3) THE CHARACTERS WERE EVERYTHING 4) the running jokes omfg 5) GAY 6) the best friends!!!!!! the besties!!!!! 7) gay art softball found family 8) AHHHHHHHHH
July 19, 2024
I've had this book out from the library for a while. I wanted to savor it, since I adore Ngozi Ukazu's Check Please series and I didn't know when we'd be getting her next graphic novel. But I had a dream last night about reading Bunt!, so I felt like it was time to pick it up!
And it was SUCH fun!
In this book, we follow Molly Bauer, an artist eager to attend her dream college on a scholarship. But when her scholarship falls through, Molly finds the PICA loophole to pay her way: form a softball team and win just one game! Shouldn't be too hard to find enough players at an art school, right?
I loved the art style and the vibrancy of every character. They're each so unique and multi-faceted, not to mention absolutely hilarious! Molly's relationship with her best friend Ryan was one of my favorite parts, but every dynamic, from the team-building to the romance, was absolutely delightful! There's so much nuance and endearing-ness to everyone!
I also really liked the themes of gentrification and the struggles and pressure of attending a private art school. I'm a writer, not an artist, so while I couldn't fully relate to Molly's experience it still felt wildly understandable. This is a fantastic read for art students, potential art students, softball players, gays, or anyone who enjoys an underdog story!
5/5 stars!
And it was SUCH fun!
In this book, we follow Molly Bauer, an artist eager to attend her dream college on a scholarship. But when her scholarship falls through, Molly finds the PICA loophole to pay her way: form a softball team and win just one game! Shouldn't be too hard to find enough players at an art school, right?
I loved the art style and the vibrancy of every character. They're each so unique and multi-faceted, not to mention absolutely hilarious! Molly's relationship with her best friend Ryan was one of my favorite parts, but every dynamic, from the team-building to the romance, was absolutely delightful! There's so much nuance and endearing-ness to everyone!
I also really liked the themes of gentrification and the struggles and pressure of attending a private art school. I'm a writer, not an artist, so while I couldn't fully relate to Molly's experience it still felt wildly understandable. This is a fantastic read for art students, potential art students, softball players, gays, or anyone who enjoys an underdog story!
5/5 stars!
May 3, 2024
I loved this wacky graphic novel tale about struggling art college students. It was so fun! I love fun.
February 6, 2024
Having read and loved Check, Please!, I had high hopes for this book. Maybe I should have lowered them before I read it and I would have enjoyed it a bit more.
The writing was classic Ukazu. Very funny and chaotic. As well, there was a wacky cast of characters that all attended this art school. They all needed extra funds for one reason or another (or just wanted more friends!). It was fun to see how this group of characters from all different backgrounds and with completely different interests played off of each other. That's a good way to get some interesting dialogue.
The plot was a bit boring to me, if we're being honest. I stuck around because the writing was funny enough, but I wasn't sucked in. The magic and chemistry I felt in Check, Please! wasn't quite here for this book. Maybe that's because I love Bittle so much and it's hard to find a main character to compare to him. I don't know. But this book was missing that thing.
Overall, this was an okay read. If you like a ragtag, kooky cast of characters and enjoy graphic novels, you'll probably enjoy this one. Otherwise, check back in when Ukazu realizes their next novel.
The writing was classic Ukazu. Very funny and chaotic. As well, there was a wacky cast of characters that all attended this art school. They all needed extra funds for one reason or another (or just wanted more friends!). It was fun to see how this group of characters from all different backgrounds and with completely different interests played off of each other. That's a good way to get some interesting dialogue.
The plot was a bit boring to me, if we're being honest. I stuck around because the writing was funny enough, but I wasn't sucked in. The magic and chemistry I felt in Check, Please! wasn't quite here for this book. Maybe that's because I love Bittle so much and it's hard to find a main character to compare to him. I don't know. But this book was missing that thing.
Overall, this was an okay read. If you like a ragtag, kooky cast of characters and enjoy graphic novels, you'll probably enjoy this one. Otherwise, check back in when Ukazu realizes their next novel.
September 26, 2023
If I had a nickel for every time a Ngozi Ukazu graphic novel got me interested in a sport that I previously knew nothing about, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.
Bunt! is the perfect graphic novel for college students to read, especially first-generation students who are trying to navigate the college experience and financial aid for the first time or by themselves. Nothing bonds people together more than a mutual dislike of financial aid departments and generally frustrating institutions, which is exactly what brings most of the wonderful cast of Bunt! together in the first place.
I consumed this book in one sitting, and I wish it never ended. The authors have a talent for making large casts of little weirdos so loveable and hilarious. Each character is so unique and strange in their own way, you can't help but be intrigued (even while simultaneously cringing in some moments), and the story is full of plenty of laugh out loud moments.
I desperately hope we can see more of these characters in some capacity in the future, whether it's doodles posted online from the authors or a short story or even a sequel of some sort. I feel like the ending is satisfying as-is, but it could also lead into another book exploring what happens with Molly and Susanna.
This is a great read that I plan on buying the physical copy of and would highly recommend, especially for fans of Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu.
Thanks to Netgalley and First Second Books for a copy of this ARC.
Bunt! is the perfect graphic novel for college students to read, especially first-generation students who are trying to navigate the college experience and financial aid for the first time or by themselves. Nothing bonds people together more than a mutual dislike of financial aid departments and generally frustrating institutions, which is exactly what brings most of the wonderful cast of Bunt! together in the first place.
I consumed this book in one sitting, and I wish it never ended. The authors have a talent for making large casts of little weirdos so loveable and hilarious. Each character is so unique and strange in their own way, you can't help but be intrigued (even while simultaneously cringing in some moments), and the story is full of plenty of laugh out loud moments.
I desperately hope we can see more of these characters in some capacity in the future, whether it's doodles posted online from the authors or a short story or even a sequel of some sort. I feel like the ending is satisfying as-is, but it could also lead into another book exploring what happens with Molly and Susanna.
This is a great read that I plan on buying the physical copy of and would highly recommend, especially for fans of Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu.
Thanks to Netgalley and First Second Books for a copy of this ARC.
February 6, 2024
Molly is an incoming freshman who is thrilled to be attending PICA, a prestigious art university in her hometown when she discovers her scholarship has fallen through. Afraid to tell her two moms, she researches other options and finds a loophole that enables her to earn an athletic scholarship if she can field a softball team and win at least one game. There is the expected comedy of errors as she assembles a motley group of artists and wrangles her art school drop-out best friend to coach them. Molly is depicted as Black, and her group of teammates is a diverse mix of different cultures, sexualities and sizes.
Author Ngozi Ukazu, known for her popular Check, Please graphic novel duology, has once again created an appealing coming-of-age college narrative. Illustrator Mad Rupert has a fun and cartoony art style, bringing the college campus and ragtag team to life. However, a lot is stuffed into the story, as it touches on gentrification, school loans and whether paying for school is worth it, but then the entire story receives a feel-good but unrealistic conclusion.
Verdict: This breezy graphic novel tries a bit too hard to check all the boxes, but nevertheless is a charming story that will have readers rooting for Molly to persevere against the odds.
I read and reviewed this book for the School Library Journal magazine.
Author Ngozi Ukazu, known for her popular Check, Please graphic novel duology, has once again created an appealing coming-of-age college narrative. Illustrator Mad Rupert has a fun and cartoony art style, bringing the college campus and ragtag team to life. However, a lot is stuffed into the story, as it touches on gentrification, school loans and whether paying for school is worth it, but then the entire story receives a feel-good but unrealistic conclusion.
Verdict: This breezy graphic novel tries a bit too hard to check all the boxes, but nevertheless is a charming story that will have readers rooting for Molly to persevere against the odds.
I read and reviewed this book for the School Library Journal magazine.
May 15, 2024
this was SOOOO FUCKING GOOD!! thank you to bindi and emily for reading along with me!! such a wonderful, silly, beautiful little story. will be rereading very soon!!!
March 17, 2024
I loved this!! I've been anticipating this book for ages and it didn't disappoint. I've been a fan of "Check, Please!" for so long, and this book has a similar tone. Molly is such a wonderful protagonist! The story is light and fun while still touching on deeper topics (gentrification, student debt, furries). The illustrations are detailed, vibrant, and dynamic--especially the panels depicting the softball games.
February 24, 2024
"That's part of being on a team. You can't pick and choose when it hurts."
June 16, 2024
A combination of two of the worst sins: Boring and unlikeable.
This book was not very interesting, and also hard to follow. There were too many characters for anyone to be distinctive enough and protagonist Molly was hard to like. Some scenes felt disjointed but I wasn't invested or engaged enough to truly care. Who cares about softball? Not me.
The art was fine, the plot felt like many loose threads tangled together haphazardly, but I did love the ending and themes of teamwork. An unmemorable read overall.
This book was not very interesting, and also hard to follow. There were too many characters for anyone to be distinctive enough and protagonist Molly was hard to like. Some scenes felt disjointed but I wasn't invested or engaged enough to truly care. Who cares about softball? Not me.
The art was fine, the plot felt like many loose threads tangled together haphazardly, but I did love the ending and themes of teamwork. An unmemorable read overall.
June 3, 2024
this was cute
February 23, 2024
HONEST TO GOD 5 STARS THIS TIME GUYS, THIS IS A HISTORICAL MOMENT! OMG!! this is the first graphic novel I've rated 5 stars after I started reading consistently! (Technically, that's what I thought about "Snapdragon", but I read that back in 2022 and didn't log it...) And thank you to my Booksta mutual, Raven, for recommending this one on her Goodreads! I haven’t read “Check, Please” yet, so this is my first experience with Ngozi Ukazu’s work, but it’s definitely not going to be the last!
All the characters had large personalities that just oozed off the page, from some absolutely hilarious dialogue to impeccable designs! They truly felt like college students, in all their essence. (Virginia Slaughter was my favorite of the teammates!!! <3 perhaps i just love tall scary women but also her & her country family were so goofy + her relationship with Jasmine was so cute) Despite this, they meshed with each other very well on-page, and the progression of their companionship/group dynamic felt believable. I got the ending spoiled for me unfortunately(well..half of it) so I was expecting it, but all I'll say is that it's unconventional for a story like this, but leads to some cool character growth with Molly! Molly in particular changes more than expected throughout the story, but for the good.
Also, the rep!! Of course there's queer people in the main cast, the main setting is an art school. Fork found in kitchen. But!! We got sprinklings of adorable sapphic romance(loved the chemistry) and an oddball nonbinary character in the form of Kaci. That was pretty cool to see. (+ the cast is of all different shapes and sizes, which isn't just neat on a silhouette/design level but also for diversity y’know??)
While this is a lighthearted, silly read, it also works well as a satire about how colleges prey on students. This is an unbelievable, fictional story yes, but it shows the downsides of depending on financial aid, and the lengths Molly goes to not only try to save herself from debt, but also to follow a dream that she steadily becomes more unsure of.
I think that should be all my thoughts, or at least a good place to cap things off unless I want to truly go off the rails and ramble? TL;DR: please, go read this book!!!
All the characters had large personalities that just oozed off the page, from some absolutely hilarious dialogue to impeccable designs! They truly felt like college students, in all their essence. (Virginia Slaughter was my favorite of the teammates!!! <3 perhaps i just love tall scary women but also her & her country family were so goofy + her relationship with Jasmine was so cute) Despite this, they meshed with each other very well on-page, and the progression of their companionship/group dynamic felt believable. I got the ending spoiled for me unfortunately(well..half of it) so I was expecting it, but all I'll say is that it's unconventional for a story like this, but leads to some cool character growth with Molly! Molly in particular changes more than expected throughout the story, but for the good.
Also, the rep!! Of course there's queer people in the main cast, the main setting is an art school. Fork found in kitchen. But!! We got sprinklings of adorable sapphic romance(loved the chemistry) and an oddball nonbinary character in the form of Kaci. That was pretty cool to see. (+ the cast is of all different shapes and sizes, which isn't just neat on a silhouette/design level but also for diversity y’know??)
While this is a lighthearted, silly read, it also works well as a satire about how colleges prey on students. This is an unbelievable, fictional story yes, but it shows the downsides of depending on financial aid, and the lengths Molly goes to not only try to save herself from debt, but also to follow a dream that she steadily becomes more unsure of.
I think that should be all my thoughts, or at least a good place to cap things off unless I want to truly go off the rails and ramble? TL;DR: please, go read this book!!!
June 10, 2024
Technically New Adult, but definitely HS appropriate. This was cute, quirky, and queer. Molly learns that her scholarship to her chosen art school (in her historic hometown) has not processed her scholarship, so she uses a financial aid loophole to make a softball team of the misfits you'd think you'd find in art school (a furry streamer, a fashion princess on her parent's money, an Amish furniture maker, a nonbinary erotic comics maker...you get the idea) to win one game so they can all get scholarships. It's really...about the friends you make a long the way. Has some surface things to say about how predatory small private colleges can be both to students and to the town they're in, which is true and works in this format as a light examination of these problems. Art and coloring were fun.
May 10, 2024
I want to rate this one 3.5. It covers a really important topic of the current situation of trying to achieve a college education with unreasonable costs associated with it. I think maybe part of the reason I didn't like this more is it stressed me out too much. Really beautiful illustrations and great representation.
May 9, 2024
this was SO FUCKING GOOD!!! thank you marianna and bindi for letting me read it. i love them all and i just want to read more! the art was beautiful and there were so many funny moments. one of the best graphic novels i have ever read
January 2, 2024
This was SO much fun! I have had my eye out for Ukazu to put something new out since absolutely LOVING her earlier queer hockey romance series, Check, Please! This did not disappoint! Although less focused on the squishy delectable romance, this is another sports-centric college graphic novel, this time set at an expensive private art school. This was a super satisfying story of decidedly (mostly) un-sporty art kids banding together on the field. If you love fish out of water, found family, sticking it to the man, and a tiny bit of queer romance (and some *hilarious* misquoted titles and sayings, seriously, guffawed so loudly) - this is a grand slam. (Did I do that sports right?)
June 29, 2023
Softball and financial aid. Not two subjects I would see put in the same story, but it works. The story is also about a band of misfits who come together to play a game they know nothing about, to end up fighting for what they believe in and making life long friendships. I will say that the story sometimes seems a little jerky, bouncing from character to character. There were times I had to go back and reread a page or two. Great graphics, all the same color as the fictional PICA University. Thanks NetGalley and First Second Books for the arc.
July 2, 2024
Maybe 3.5. I did that thing where I start it and let it sit and then it gets returned. So essentially read in two parts and that might have interrupted the flow
October 23, 2023
I had no idea this would be coming out, so when I came across a glowing review on Instagram, I RAN to request it. And I had an absolutely amazing time reading it. It's utterly delightful. It's so funny, with a rag-tag team of characters who worked so well together and provided so much chaos. I could see myself rereading this loads!
March 4, 2024
A really cool graphic novel about a young woman who finds out her first day of freshman year at her dream school, that she doesn’t have any financial aid.
When she finds out that she could be eligible for a scholarship if she forms a softball team and wins one game. Enter a ragtag group of individuals who work hard, and play harder. This was a fun and endearing read. I enjoyed it.
When she finds out that she could be eligible for a scholarship if she forms a softball team and wins one game. Enter a ragtag group of individuals who work hard, and play harder. This was a fun and endearing read. I enjoyed it.
March 11, 2024
Everything Ngozi writes is just charming and funny and so damn good! The art by Mad Rupert is also just so fantastic! It brings the characters to life and made me giggle. I sent several panels and pages to friends to try and get them to read it!
April 25, 2024
Listen, I'll read anything by Ngozi Ukazu. She's so good at creating fun characters! And the fact that this was also a story about softball, and college loans, and some subversive scheming and rebelliousness just made it even more perfect for me. Love the bright cover and Mad's art too!
May 9, 2023
the FUNNIEST graphic novel i’ve ever read!!!
love all these characters (especially kwan and kavi lol). this was so much fun <3
love all these characters (especially kwan and kavi lol). this was so much fun <3
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