"Eleven-year-old Tony Weaver, Jr. loves comic books, anime, and video games, and idolizes the heroic, larger-than-life characters he finds there. But his new classmates all think he's a weirdo. Bullied by his peers, Tony struggles with the hurt of not being accepted and tries to conform to other people's expectations. After a traumatic event shakes him to his core, he embarks on a journey of self love that will require him to become the hero of his own story"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

The founder of the social impact organization Weird Enough Productions shares his middle school experiences being labeled a weirdo, which causes him to spiral into depression, until he enrolls in a new school that fosters creativity and where he finally grows into the hero he’s always aspired to be. 20,000 first printing. Simultaneous. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

"A touching story of belonging." — Publisher's Weekly, starred review
"Honest, hopeful.." —Kirkus, starred review

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

Eleven-year-old Tony Weaver, Jr. loves comic books, anime, and video games, and idolizes the heroic, larger-than-life characters he finds there. But his new classmates all think he’s a weirdo. Bullied by his peers, Tony struggles with the hurt of not being accepted and tries to conform to other people's expectations. After a traumatic event shakes him to his core, he embarks on a journey of self love that will require him to become the hero of his own story.

From rising star Tony Weaver, Jr., Weirdo is a triumphant and comedic story for any kid who's ever felt awkward, left out, or like they don't belong—perfect for fans of Jerry Craft's New Kid.

Tony Weaver, Jr. is a storyteller who uses his passion for comics and anime to help people unlock their inner hero. With his TikTok videos and social impact organization Weird Enough Productions, he uses diverse stories to uplift young people. He made history as the first comic writer ever selected for Forbes 30 Under 30. His work has attracted coverage from CNN, NBC, HuffPost, and The Mary Sue, and landed him honors from organizations such as Microsoft, Gucci, and Coca-Cola. Funko profiled him on the side of a Pop figure box, and he won the AdColor Influencer of The Year award.

Jes and Cin Wibowo are Chinese Indonesian twins born in Jakarta. As Third Culture Kids, they spent their early childhood years moving back and forth between the US and Indonesia. The two both graduated with a BFA and eventually an MFA in Sequential Arts from SCAD. They're currently based in Jakarta, reading a mix of superhero comics, the occasional manga, and lots of graphic novels.

Booklist Reviews

Tony has always felt like an outsider, but when bullying from his classmates leads to a suicide attempt (which, very importantly, is not depicted), he's successfully able to use therapy and friends at a new school as a meaningful support system, later giving support back to his new school as it faces closure. Drawing from his real-life experience, Weaver creates an easily relatable story of overcoming obstacles and finding peace within yourself. Structured as a series of vignettes, the book can come off as incohesive, as it deals with everything from bullying and making friends to the more tangential topics of unrequited first love and crowdsourcing support for a failing school. Some of these points tie well to the main plot, but others seem to appear only briefly. The appealing, anime-inspired artwork perfectly captures the uplifiting tone, making great use of cartoonish expressions for big emotions and thoughtful color palettes during the depths of Tony's depressive episode. Some big endorsements will give this added interest, including one from Jerry Craft, whose New Kid is an ideal read-alike. Grades 5-8. Copyright 2024 Booklist Reviews.