Why Is Everybody Yelling?: Growing Up in My Immigrant Family

Gr 7 Up–Russo, known to her family and friends as Cookie, tells the story of growing up in her immigrant family (her mother was German, her father Italian). The graphic memoir spans 1957 to 1967. Cookie’s mind races with confusion when she realizes that despite her Catholic upbringing, her family is Jewish. When she expresses her dreams to become a nun, her mother pulls her out of Catholic school, and she must adjust to life in public school. As she grows older, her mother puts pressure on her to succeed academically like her half brothers. Russo sheds light on how family dynamics were tested and changed because of World War II. Cookie knows that her mother and her fiancé were part of the Resistance, but she discovers that her aunt and her grandmother were sent to concentration camps. She also learns more about her Italian father, who lives in Geneva. Russo uses a similar style as in her 2011 picture book I Will Come Back for You; readers unfamiliar with her style may consider the illustrations flat compared to other young adult graphic memoirs. Themes range from the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder to the yearning for parental acceptance; many readers will find the book relatable. Depictions of neglect, mental illness, and financial burden create a heavy tone, but Cookie’s innocent and quirky nature provides some comic relief.