Book Review: Dare to Disappoint: Growing up in Turkey

Dare to Disappoint: Growing up in Turkey, by Ozge Samanci
Published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux in 2015
Age level: 14 and up; Grade level 9-12; Lexile level HL570L

Summary:  Dare to Disappoint details the life of Ozge Samanci and her family, who live in Turkey. There is a lot of pressure on Ozge and her sister to do well in school, so they can get into prestigious colleges. Ozge's father wants them to be independent and make money, but Ozge has dreams of scuba diving, or being an actress. She is not as good of a student as her older sister, but more of a creative and artistic spirit. Her family is not religious, so she often does not fit in at her high school. Ozge goes from being an actress to a mathematician to finally realizing she was meant to be an artist. Samanci also goes into what the political world of Turkey was like in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the changes the country went through.

My Thoughts: After finishing a section on graphic nonfiction for class, I became inspired to seek out other graphic nonfiction works, especially graphic novels. I wasn't sure if I was going to like this, as there is so much on each and every page. I often found it hard to figure out where and what to read first. However, after getting into Samanci's story, I began to really like it. Teenagers who read other graphic memoirs such as Persepolis and enjoyed them will also feel a connection to Samanci's story. I think that many teenagers will be able to relate to Samanci's growing up, even if they don't live in Turkey. She goes through many of the same issues as any other teen: not having the "in" style fashions, or good grades, or a brand new Commodore 64 computer. But what I found to be the most profound issue of this book was Samanci's relationship with her father. She seeks his approval, but in the end must go down her own path to be happy.

Of note: The official website lists the awards the book has won and been nominated for, and also has the book trailer. http://www.daretodisappoint.com/

Ozge Samanci also has a website, that features her professional portfolio: http://ordinarycomics.com/portfolio/

She also has a blog: http://www.ordinarycomics.com/

Link to an interview from Comicsbeat.com where she discusses Dare to Disappoint: http://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-ozge-samanci-on-art-family-and-a-love-of-learning/