The “Heartstopper” books by Alice Oseman are the perfect graphic novels to help teens find comfort in the struggles of growing up

On October 16, 1994, in the rainy town of Chatham Kent, an award-winning author, illustrator, and screenwriter was born. Her name is Alice Oseman.
The ‘Heartstopper’ books by Alice Oseman are young adult graphic novels based solely on the coming-of-age story of 16-year-old Nicolas Nelson and 15-year-old Charlie Springs. Charlie is scrawny and plays the drums, while Nick is a buff rugby player. It is made known that Charlie was outed last school year and everyone just assumes Nick is straight.
‘Heartstopper’ is truly an international success. It has sold over 8 million copies and is available in a whopping 37 languages. The books have officially become the U.K.’s fastest-selling graphic novel in history. There are also two ‘Heartstopper’ novellas called ‘This Winter’ and ‘Nick and Charlie.’
The story starts right when Charlie and Nick meet in the second term of their freshman and sophomore years. Their friendship starts slowly with greetings in the hallway and small conversations. As they begin to hang out outside of school, Nick convinces Charlie to join the rugby team. While Charlie is falling madly in love with Nick he is not so sure if Nick is feeling the same. When Charlie kisses Nick at a party, Nick is left in shock. As Nick runs away Charlie believes hope for this relationship is over. The following day, Charlie gets a knock on his door. Nick shows up at his doorstep to kiss Charlie and tells him he feels the same. Young Queer love.
Senior Gwen Kreel said, “Queer media means a lot to Queer people. ‘Heartstopper’ has such a wide range of characters. Their stories and experiences relate to a lot of real-life people.”
The story also showcases other queer characters and couples. There are the lesbians, Tara Jones and Darcy Olsson (both 16) who guide Nick through his acceptance of his sexuality and coming out. There is also a transgender girl named Elle Argent who is one of Charlie’s closest friends. Later in Volume 5, we find out Victoria “Tori” Spring, Charlie’s sister, is asexual, on the aromantic spectrum, and heteroromantic. This means she doesn’t feel love like most people, but if she were to feel that way one day she would like the opposite sex. Lastly, there is Aled Last who is in the books but not the show. Aled is gay and demisexual, meaning he doesn’t feel sexual attraction until forming a deep connection with someone.
English two teacher Mr. Shirlen said, “I love that so many people enjoy the show and books. They represent a portion of the population that doesn’t get to see themselves reflected on screens very often. The stories apply to all genders, orientations, and ages. Everyone experiences a first love, the fears/ struggles of hiding a secret, and mental health issues.”
‘Hearstopper’ has made quite a name for itself. It all started as a webcomic that was posted on Tumblr and Tapas. Now the story is officially published in libraries, bookstores, and reader’s homes. When ‘Heartstopper’ Volume 5 was published, it was named an instant number-one best seller. ‘Heartstopper’ is loved for the way it can tackle difficult topics such as figuring out your sexuality, homophobia, coming out, eating disorders, battles with self-harm and deciding when to be intimate. It shows all these things in a way that is easy for the readers to comprehend. Oseman also includes websites, organizations, and hotlines to help people who may be dealing with these struggles in the back of the books.
Junior Jordan Jefferys said, “I have struggled with my identity in many respects that touch on similar topics. It took me a while to confirm my desires, but I also occasionally envy those who have almost always known who they are.”
This book is one of the few LGBTQ+ stories to get turned into a massively loved Netflix original. This provides another way for young teens to find this media and maybe find a character they relate to or a realization about themselves. Jefferys also said, “In coming-of-age stories, especially queer ones, we often have depictions of queer people that are very bold and confident in who they are from birth. Still, it’s important to have representation of kids that don’t necessarily ‘seem gay’ or are invalidated of their identity due to societal assumptions because the search for identity isn’t linear. It’s constantly occurring and changing through every stage of life.”
When taking on tough topics like eating disorders and self-harm it is good to show the negative effects these things have on the character experiencing them and the people around them. According to Eating Disorder Help, about 17% of teens in America have an eating disorder, and according to University Hospitals, 1 in 5 teens engage in intentional self-harm activities. This is a serious issue for the target demographic of the books. That’s why Oseman takes a careful approach to these topics and has the character who experiences them reach out and get help from friends, family, and professionals.
‘Heartstopper’ has become one of the most well-known queer books in history. With the smash hit TV series to accompany the book saga, Oseman has been able to spread queer joy with all kinds of demographics. English two teacher Mr. Woods said, “I love that the story doesn’t try to present any one interpretation of queerness as correct or as better than how other people present their identity. I think that showing that queer teenagers go through a lot of the same issues but with an added dimension is the best way to tell stories about these groups.” Having different kinds of Queer teenagers all over the pages of the book is what has truly made ‘Heartstopper’ the success it is. Many youth can find a character who has the same sexuality, gender, and/or personality as them.
All the ‘Heartstopper’ books are available digitally for free on Alice Oseman’s website, Aliceoseman.com. Reading this saga can help teens find comfort and prepare themselves for future battles in life. Season three of the ‘Heartstopper’ show will air on Netflix on October 3rd.
For more information and support on mental health please visit these websites,
National Eating Disorders Association
nationaleatingdisorders.org
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
adaa.org
Heard Alliance
heardalliance.org
The Trevor Project
thetrevorproject.org