THE LEMONADE WAR GRAPHIC NOVEL, by Jacqueline Davies and Karen De la Vega, Clarion Books, April 29, 2025, Paperback, $15.99 (ages 8-12)
A brother and sister go head-to-head in a battle to see who has the best business smarts in The Lemonade War Graphic Novel, by Jacqueline Davies and Karen De la Vega.
Evan Treski is people smart. He’s good at talking to people, even grown-ups.
His younger sister, Jessie, on the other hand, is math smart—but not especially good at understanding people. She knows that feelings are her weakest subject.
With just five days left of summer vacation, Evan and Jessie launch an all-out war to see who can sell the most lemonade before school starts. As the battleground heats up, there really is no telling who will win—and, even more important, if their fight will ever end. —Synopsis provided by Clarion Books
I have to admit, I’m new to Lemonade War phenomenon. It was first introduced in 2007 as a novel by Jacqueline Davies. Since then, more than 1.5 million copies have been sold, and teachers have been utilizing its lesson on financial literacy in the classroom for just under 20 years.
Now, the popular book has been turned into a graphic novel, making it accessible to a new audience of emerging and reluctant readers.
And while the book teaches basic business and math concepts, it’s Even and Jessie’s relationship that brings the whole thing together.
The Lemonade War Graphic Novel offers something for almost everyone — brother-sister dynamics, growing independence, earning money, making friends, teamwork, problem solving, brainstorming, and more. The storyline is solid and the bold, bright illustrations bring it to life.
At approximately 200 pages, The Lemonade War is fast-moving and engaging. It’s a great option heading into summer.
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