In 2009, Tessa Brunton experienced the first symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome). She spent much of the next eight years unwell, in a medical holding pattern, housebound and often alone. In 2017, she found a strategy that helped reduce her symptoms, and soon began creating the first installments of a graphic memoir. Notes from a Sickbed collects previously released and brand-new, unseen comics that recall her experiences with honesty, a pointed wit, and a lively visual imagination. Gr 8 Up-In her graphic memoir, Brunton recounts her early experiences with myalgic encephalomyelitis, more commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome. Years before receiving an official diagnosis, Brunton spends a significant amount of time at home in extreme pain, with intense exhaustion. One of the most vexing parts of the illness, Brunton recalls, is the unpredictability; she finds it impossible to tell when symptoms will set in as well as how long it will take to recover. Some of the memories shared by Brunton focus on her day-to-day attempts to cope with and learn about her chronic illness, while other sections are lively imaginings, such as visualizing herself haunting noisy neighbors and brainstorming the best kind of mobile bed, to name a few. Brunton's tone is often humorous, with each spread filled with highly detailed black-and-white illustrations. The memoir's final spreads depict Brunton ruminating over which comic she wishes to create. VERDICT An incredibly authentic and honest look at life with a chronic illness. Recommended for purchase for all collections.-Olivia Goreckeα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. "Painfully real." –starred, Kirkus Reviews "Brunton's art is distinct and emotionally evocative . . . The memoir achieves its mission to communicate to readers the isolation of chronic illness."― Booklist "An incredibly authentic and honest look at life with a chronic illness."― School Library Journal "[A]lternates whip-smart humor with searing emotional honesty . . . a revelatory look into one person's experience managing a chronic condition."― Publishers Weekly " Notes from a Sickbed is a sympathetic, inspiring graphic memoir account of grappling with an illness."― Foreword Reviews "Being stuck at home on the couch with an endless illness should be an absolute nightmare, but somewhere between Tessa's unruly imagination and her dark sense of humor, she's created a surprisingly exciting, funny, and strangely uplifting world. A truly unique and wonderful book." ―Julia Wertz, author-artist, Tenements, Towers & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City "Tessa's intimate, surreal, and impeccably composed diary comics invite you in and wrap around you like a warm quilt. Her work is a soothing balm for the chronic frustrations of living in a human body." ―Lisa Hanawalt, creator of Tuca & Bertie "This book is a gorgeous and necessary addition to the canon of graphic medicine." ―Nicole Georges, author-artist, Calling Dr. Laura: A Graphic Memoir "Tessa Brunton generously shares with us not only her struggle of living with a chronic, little-understood disease, but also her go-to skills for coping: a sharp wit and a rich, fabulously intricate inner life. And her drawings are gorgeous!" ―Rob Kirby, author-artist, Marry Me a Little Tessa Brunton is an cartoonist and author based in Santa Cruz, California. Her first comic book Passage was nominated for two Ignatz Awards: Outstanding Comic and Promising New Talent. Her mini-comic Second Banana is a Best American Comics 2014 notable comic. Her comics have appeared in Bitch Magazine , Maisonneuve Magazine , The Comics Journal , and many anthologies.