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Spinning Library Binding – September 12, 2017

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 289 ratings

Tillie Walden's Eisner Award winning graphic memoir Spinning captures what it’s like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving behind everything you used to know.

It was the same every morning. Wake up, grab the ice skates, and head to the rink while the world was still dark.

Weekends were spent in glitter and tights at competitions. Perform. Smile. And do it again.

She was good. She won. And she hated it.

For ten years, figure skating was Tillie Walden’s life. She woke before dawn for morning lessons, went straight to group practice after school, and spent weekends competing at ice rinks across the state. Skating was a central piece of her identity, her safe haven from the stress of school, bullies, and family. But as she switched schools, got into art, and fell in love with her first girlfriend, she began to question how the close-minded world of figure skating fit in with the rest of her life, and whether all the work was worth it given the reality: that she, and her friends on the team, were nowhere close to Olympic hopefuls. The more Tillie thought about it, the more Tillie realized she’d outgrown her passion―and she finally needed to find her own voice.

This title has Common Core connections.

A New York City Public Library Notable Best Book for Teens
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2017
A 2018 YALSA Great Graphic Novel
A 2017 Booklist Youth Editors' Choice

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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Turtleback Books; Bound for Schools & Libraries ed. edition (September 12, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Library Binding ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0606406182
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0606406185
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.6 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.25 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 289 ratings

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Tillie Walden
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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
289 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the artwork lovely and expressive. They describe the book as an amazing read by a talented author. Readers appreciate the relatable storyline and interesting take on growing up in figure skating.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

9 customers mention "Artwork"9 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the artwork. They find it lovely and expressive, making it a great memoir/comic.

"Beautifully drawn, it meanders a bit but it does give you an idea of what it's like to be a young figure skater...." Read more

"...I was definitely surprised with the artwork, it was clean and simple, and suited the storyline." Read more

"Spinning features some lovely artwork, and thoughtful introspection on the author’s late childhood and adolesence...." Read more

"Beautifully drawn, choice of colors is touching and overall I was very much drawn into it <3" Read more

7 customers mention "Readability"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it an engaging read and a solid early effort by a talented author.

"Came in excellent condition. I read this in like a day. It's a good read and an interesting take on growing up in figure skating and discovering..." Read more

"...I read it. It was a good read. What some goes through life." Read more

"Everything good about the delivery and book conditions. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. I love it." Read more

"...Overall this feels like a solid early effort by a talented author. I look forward to seeing more!" Read more

3 customers mention "Narrative quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the narrative's authenticity, but it lacks drive and coherence. They find the passage relatable and clean and simple, suited to the storyline.

"...surprised with the artwork, it was clean and simple, and suited the storyline." Read more

"...So the narrative benefits from some authenticity, but also lacks drive, and coherence...." Read more

"A great coming of age story A lot of passage is relatable" Read more

3 customers mention "Storyline"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline. They find it relatable and say it's an interesting take on growing up in figure skating and discovering oneself.

"...I read this in like a day. It's a good read and an interesting take on growing up in figure skating and discovering yourself." Read more

"...It's really more of a young adult coming of age story, than a story about skating." Read more

"A great coming of age story A lot of passage is relatable" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2018
    Beautifully drawn, it meanders a bit but it does give you an idea of what it's like to be a young figure skater.

    Also it's unwittingly an illustration of the difference between Texas and New Jersey's attitudes toward culture and child achievement.

    The end is unsatisfying, The author is in her very early twenties and that lack of perspective shows. I've quit a number of sports, musical instruments, and hobbies throughout my childhood and teenage years and while at the time being mediocre and miserable at your hobby seems like a tremendous waste of time it never actually is a waste. I remember wishing I'd quit sooner but as an adult I grew to appreciate being able to do things effortlessly and a great deal better than someone who started learning as an adult . And I'm sure with time the author will appreciate the time spent figure skating, she will probably enjoy her skills more when they're no longer an obligatory chore.

    Also if you enjoyed this book I recommend her webcomic "On a Sunbeam."
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2021
    Came in excellent condition. I read this in like a day. It's a good read and an interesting take on growing up in figure skating and discovering yourself.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2023
    Spinning by Tillie Walden is on a subject of ice skating instead of ballet as I originally thought. I was definitely surprised with the artwork, it was clean and simple, and suited the storyline.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2020
    Got it from r my grand daughter but she didn’t want it. I read it. It was a good read. What some goes through life.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2020
    Everything good about the delivery and book conditions. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. I love it.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2018
    Spinning features some lovely artwork, and thoughtful introspection on the author’s late childhood and adolesence. Although it is a story with queer themes, it isn’t really a traditional ‘coming out’ narrative, or romantic drama. It feels like real life with all real life’s banalities. So the narrative benefits from some authenticity, but also lacks drive, and coherence. I enjoyed the fondly remembered coach Barbara, the insights on figure skating’s cut throat atmosphere, and the ‘otherness’ of being a queer young person. The character art is nicely expressive. I wished there had been a bit more variety in the paneling. It felt a bit rigid, with a lot of 2x3 cube pages. I like how the coloring plays with negative spaces. Overall this feels like a solid early effort by a talented author. I look forward to seeing more!
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2017
    Beautifully drawn, choice of colors is touching and overall I was very much drawn into it <3
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2018
    Bought this for an 8 year old by mistake. Look Inside pages gave no hint there would be sex and f-bombs further in. Money down the toilet. It would be considerate to warn people.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • @comicsvstheworld
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and moving auto-bio graphic novel
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2024
    This is a re-release put out by Avery Hill, and they've done a wonderful job as it's a beautiful book. Tillie's story had a melancholy beauty to it, with some really affecting scenes.
  • Le Tigre
    4.0 out of 5 stars Beaucoup aimé
    Reviewed in France on January 26, 2023
    J'avais lu "on a sunbeam" auparavant (l'histoire qui se passe dans l'espace) et avais été déçue du style de Walden. Tous les personnages se ressemblaient, l'intrigue me laissait froide comme du marbre, je ne comprenais pas grand chose à l'histoire au bout d'un moment et je n'aimais pas trop le style de dessin.

    Cette fois-ci, j'ai beaucoup aimé. Les mémoires graphiques de Walden sont fascinantes, on est touché et impliqué dans tous les périples de sa vie, on est complices avec elle. Je me suis retrouvée à me dire que j'aurais aimé lui apporter du soutien pendant son enfance, car clairement il y a un truc qui cloche dans la façon dont ses parents se sont occupés d'elle. Il semblerait qu'elle ait été éloignée le plus possible de la maison, ce qui fait que Tilly a eu des demi-nuits et de très très longues journées. Je me demande toujours pourquoi une telle "cruautée, est-ce que le foyer familial représentait un danger pour une fille? Ou est-ce que les filles étaient méprisées? On ne le saura pas mais on éprouve beaucoup de peine et de tendresse pour Tilly.

    Je recommande la lecture de ce livre à tous, adultes comme plus jeunes.
  • ERA
    5.0 out of 5 stars A nice surprise
    Reviewed in Canada on July 28, 2020
    I bought this book to my daughter. She didn’t want to read it because the story was about a girl who was gay.
    I felt confused. I was absolutely sure it was a story about skating. I read it myself to prove her wrong.
    I was right it was not about being gay, but I was also wrong it was not about skating either.
    I was about feelings. Honest feelings. I loved it. So well written. A moving story with great pictures.
    I hope my daughter will read it someday, when she gets older.
  • Daniella Miranda
    5.0 out of 5 stars v pretty
    Reviewed in Brazil on December 11, 2018
    its huge and amazing and beautiful
  • sam222
    4.0 out of 5 stars Es un cómic lleno de corazón
    Reviewed in Mexico on December 13, 2018
    Tillie Walden es una joven talento del cómic, con apenas 22 años de edad ella ha encontrado su estilo. Este cómic es una semibiografia de ella en sus años de adolescencia y el centro de su vida en ese entonces que es el patinaje sobre hielo. Nos refleja el carrusel de emociones que es ser una adolescente lidiando con el cotidiano y cambiante entorno de una niña pasando a ser una adolescente.