Throughout Drama, romance is a major plot point, as Callie navigates her attraction to Greg and Jesse, endures hostility from Matt (who feels romantically spurned), and her peers navigate their crushes and attractions. When the graphic novel begins, Callie obsesses over Greg to the point of distraction. She focuses so much on Greg that she never even realizes Matt likes her—which says a lot about her preoccupation in that she and Matt are close friends and she doesn’t even notice his affection for her. Callie believes that if Greg returns her love then life will be perfect, going so far as to kiss him outright and even stalk him several times to see what he’s doing.

Although these tensions provide a lot of impetus for the forward motion of the plot, Telgemeier ultimately expresses that tween girls should find fulfillment pursuing and developing their own passions and friendships, rather than focusing solely on romance. Telgemeier underscores this theme through her choices in the narrative’s key plot points. It is Callie’s dedication to her passion for the theater that ultimately provides her with purpose and fulfilment—both overshadow any of her romantic interests or problems expressed earlier in the

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