The Flip Side by Jason Walz

Publisher’s Summary

This breathtaking, page-turning graphic novel is a supernatural survival story in which a grieving teen finds himself in a haunting alternate reality—the frightening embodiment of his depression.

Theo’s best friend has died, and he can’t pull himself out of his sadness—a sadness that those around him don’t seem to respect or even notice. And then something even more disconcerting His town literally flips upside down and everyone disappears, except for a threatening, shape-shifting monster and a snarky teenage girl who knows her way around this flipped world. Is Theo doomed to spend the rest of his life in this scary state? Tremendously unique and suspenseful, The Flip Side tackles grief and depression in a fascinating and affecting way.

Full Review

The Flip Side is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Jason Walz. The story centers around Theo, a high schooler who has just lost his best friend, Evan, to cancer. Unfortunately, the last words he said to Evan were in anger, which compounds the loss and makes Theo feel unbearably sad and shameful. Suddenly, Theo wakes up in an alternate and frightening dimension where the world is literally flipped upside down. Almost everything is wrecked, but even more alarming is that the sky is now an endless abyss. Theo cannot locate anyone he once knew, and he begins to hear a taunting voice preying on his self-doubts.

Fortunately, Theo meets Emma, a fellow traveler, just as the terrifying voice in his head takes shape as a hateful entity. Emma teaches Theo how to survive in the flipped world and avoid the entity. But the more Theo gets to know Emma, the more obvious it becomes that she has her own demons and reasons for being trapped in the Flip Side as well.

I was looking for a summer reading option with wide appeal, especially for students who enjoy comics and manga. Although this isn’t manga, the style and premise serve as a perfect bridge. It’s a very easy read—I could have finished it in two hours! While I plan to promote it as an action-driven survival story, the book meaningfully depicts the loss of a close friend and the societal misunderstanding of that loss. Influenced by the author’s own experiences, it has the capacity to teach young people about mental health and dealing with depression.

🎒 Classroom & Curricular Connections

• Art & English (Visual Literacy): Analyze how Walz uses perspective. How does the “upside-down” art style create a sense of Vertigo or unease in the reader?
• Health (Mental Health Awareness): Discuss the author’s portrayal of depression. How does the “monster” reflect the way depression speaks to an individual? This can be used to teach students how to recognize these thoughts in themselves or friends.
• ELA (Symbolism): Explore the “last words in anger” subplot. Have students discuss the theme of Guilt in Grief and how characters can find closure when a loved one is gone.
• Summer Reading Bridge: As the reviewer noted, this is a great “bridge” book for Manga fans. Create a display that pairs this title with popular “Isekai” (another world) manga to draw in reluctant readers.