Click

In Click, the protagonist, Olive, navigates the complex social dynamics of middle school and attempts to reconcile the universal struggle of choosing whether to express her individuality or focus on fitting in with her friends. Through Olive’s journey, Kayla Miller explores the pressures of social conformity, the pain of exclusion, and ultimately, the empowerment found in embracing one’s uniqueness. Over the course of the graphic novel, Olive evolves from a need to seek external acceptance and instead works on discovering and showcasing her individual strengths, thereby carving her own niche in a complex social world.

At the outset, Olive is a well-adjusted, happy fifth-grader with numerous friends and interests. Her interactions are depicted in a cheerful, vibrant manner, and Miller employs several impressionistic, dialogue-free montages to show Olive moving fluidly and happily through her many social circles. These illustrations show her engaging actively with peers, smiling and laughing frequently, and the many positive images indicate an effortless sense of belonging. However, the announcement of the school variety show triggers a seismic shift in Olive’s social landscape, and as her friends form new groups to prepare their acts, Olive finds herself left on the outside.