Very Bad at Math: A Graphic Novel – A Heartfelt Story About Dyscalculia and Finding Your Voice for Kids (Ages 8-12) (A Very Graphic Novel, 1)

An ALA 2026 Notable Children's Book

From New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award–winning author Hope Larson comes a middle grade graphic novel full of hijinks, unexpected friendships, and pizza, perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Kayla Miller.

Verity “Very” Nelson can do it all.

She’s student body president, debate club whiz, and first chair clarinetist. You could say she’s pretty much the best at everything…Well, almost everything. Everything except math.

And it’s not like she doesn’t try. Math just doesn’t make sense in her brain. But it better start soon, or else she can kiss her presidency—and her campaign promises—goodbye. Soon Verity finds herself enrolled in a remedial math class where, despite her best efforts, failure persists. All seems lost until a teacher helps her discover the truth: Verity has dyscalculia, a learning disability that causes her to mix up numbers.

Armed with a new diagnosis and improved grades, Verity is confident her math struggles will remain secret. But when a gossipy podcaster dismantles her perfect image, Verity must choose: remain part of a broken system or fight to fix it.

A Children's Book Council Hot Off the Press Feature!
A 2025 Nebraska Sower Nominee!

Hope Larson is a New York Times bestselling, multi–Eisner Award–winning cartoonist and comics writer. Over a lengthy career as a middle grade author, she has created contemporary middle grade graphic novels like All Summer Long, dabbled in fantasy with Salt Magic (illustrated by Rebecca Mock), adapted Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time into a graphic novel, written Batgirl for DC Comics, and cocreated the Goldie Vance series for BOOM! Studios. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her family and an orange tabby, Popcorn.