Kusonoki's Flunking Her High School Glow-Up by Mitsuki Mii

This adorable manga has all the elements that will attract middle school readers: an engaging, colorful cover, relatable school events, and a high school protagonist (!). Main characters Kusoniki and Shizuki were shy, introverted classmates in middle school who self-labeled as "library lurkers". It's now the beginning of high school and they've both undergone a glow-up. For Shizuki (our male narrator of volume 1), it's both a physical and social transformation. Kusonoki is still struggling with her confidence and asks for Shizuki's help.

I'll be curious if this series goes deeper into the importance of character, actions, friendship, etc. to go beyond the surface level of looks and popularity. That being said, I really enjoyed this title. 

Kodansha rates this as 13+ and Volume 1 is a strong purchase for MS. Verdict: Buy this one, y'all. I have volumes 2 and 3 on order; I'll add an addendum after I read them!

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