Graphic Novel

   

Small, David. Stitches, A Memoir. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2009

National Book Award Finalist, 329 pages, Interest Level: 9^th grade +,

Reading Level: 3.2    ISBN: 978-0-393-06857-3

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Napoleon Bonaparte

            In his graphic novel (memoir), David Smalls details the abuse which he experienced in his life from the age of six to the age of sixteen. Told through a series of often dark, gray-tone pen and ink drawings with some dialogue, Mr. Smalls’ recounting starts with the dysfunctional nature of his family and moves on through actual episodes where verbal and/or physical abuse occurred. The story speaks for itself as it moves forward in pictures, allowing the reader no chance to visually detach from what is happening. The graphic nature of the story allows no doubt in the reader’s mind and eye as to what is transpiring. The story is all the more sorrowful for its graphics.

            Within the story, David Small uses to great success, in several instances, the story of Alice in Wonderland and the white rabbit.  Both become a metaphor for what is happening in his life at the time of their mention or appearance.  It is quite effective especially when the white rabbit appears as a psychiatrist.

            Throughout the telling, one is struck by how alive the story becomes with the addition of the graphic format. One can read a memoir and understand what the author is trying to relate by their words but there is still a certain distance allowed. With the graphic format, you are pushed into the telling and it is very effective. It becomes hard to forget because you do not have to imagine it, you are being provided with graphic images by the author.  While the story is not pleasant, the graphic format allows the reader to appreciate the message the author is trying to deliver in a more tangible way.

            While I cannot say that I enjoyed the book, I can say that I found the graphic format to be an excellent means to relay the story to the reader. The fact that the author was both the writer and illustrator made all the difference to this particular book.  There would have been a totally different feeling had different people participated in the telling. After all, it was the author’s own personal story to tell and share.



Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm  by Ronald Wimberly 



            In the reading of this book, I could readily link it to numerous memoirs written about the horrors of child abuse, i.e.: A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer, but the books are different when a graphic presentation is used.  The following non-fiction books relate personal stories done in the graphic format.  Each in its own way is a compelling look at other people’s lives.



Maus by Art Spiegelman



Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by  Marjane Satrapi        

 




Pitch Black  by Youme Landowne  

           



Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic  by Alison Bechidel      

          





 

An Evening with Walter Dean Myers

“Scribble, Scribble, Scribble. A Life in Books”

                                                 Thursday, March 24, 2011   7:30PM

                                      Hyman Forum, the Athenaeum at Goucher College

            What a wonderful evening!  Walter Dean Myers was an engaging, often humorous speaker who led the audience through his journey from smart kid with a serious speech problem and life in a dysfunctional family to his present life as an award winning author. He gave a compelling look at his early life and the impact it had on his choice to become a writer.  

            Although born in West Virginia in 1937, he was sent to live in Harlem with adoptive foster parents at the age of three.  Although Harlem was a wonderful place to grow-up in at the time – Mr. Myers expressed how vibrant Harlem was during that time period – it was discouraging for the young Myers to find reading materials that he could identify with as an African American individual. School was difficult for him because of his serious speech problem and although he was a smart student, there were issues. He recounted fondly his fifth grade teacher – Mrs. Conway – making a huge impact on him by introducing him to a collection of books. He expressed that it was in finding and reading a short story by James Baldwin that he found that for which he had been searching.

            Having dropped out of high school, than serving in the army, Mr. Myers found his post-army work life consisting of a variety of low paying jobs.  He decided to pursue writing as a career.  Although selling his writing here and there – he acknowledged writing for the Enquirer - his first of many novels was published in 1975.  

            Mr. Myers graciously answered many questions from the audience and shared that he was a “fabulous pre-writer”.  He showed the audience a notebook in which he was outlining, developing characters, setting and timeline for a new book.  It was an interesting look at how he develops an idea into a book.  When asked if he was ever worried about writer’s block – he expressed that writer’s block was “an indulgence he could not afford”. I thought it was interesting that after the characters of a book are developed, he has them painted and cut out to hang on the wall of his office while he writes. Mr. Myers spoke about visiting jails and detention centers throughout the United States. One of the statistics that Mr. Myers brought up several times toward the end of his talk was – “there are 90,000 children in jails in the United States” – a statistic not only horrendous but troubling on many levels.  

            Overall, I found his “talk” to be truly informative and interesting.  It was wonderful to see all the young people in the audience. I would say that the majority of questions for Mr. Myers came from the younger set. 

            I am very glad that I went to hear Mr. Myers.  It was entertaining and a terrific glimpse into his writing process and what drives him to write.  Although I decided not to have books signed by Mr. Myers – I did purchase the book Kick which he co-wrote with a young man (now 17 years old) named Ross Workman. 

           

                                                                                   Beverly R. Hall

               Non-Western Book Review

   







Abdel-Fattah, Randa. Does My Head Look Big in This? New York: Scholastic Inc, 2008.

 360 pages, ISBN: 978-0-439-92233-3.  Also available in paperback 
Grades 7-12  
Reading Level 4.9 Lexile: 850L

           

To wear or not to wear, that is the question! (to paraphrase a famous author)

For 16 year old Amal, an Australian/Palestinian/Muslim teenager living in Australia, the decision to wear the hijab fulltime is an angst producing choice for which she knows there will be all kinds of repercussions.  Early on in the book, this is quite evident when she discusses the matter with her close friend Yasmeen.  Yasmeen’s response is as follows:

“ Well, duh! What are you trying to do to yourself? Isn’t it hard enough

with a last name the length of the alphabet? Now you want people to wonder

if you’re batting for Osama’s team? Stick with anonymity, girl!”

This is not enough to discourage Amal from deciding that she wishes to wear the Muslim head scarf as a “full-timer”.  Beginning with the return from winter vacation, Amal covers her head with the hijab and proceeds to dress with only her hands and face showing. 

            Even though Amal is the main character in the book and the book revolves at numerous times around her decision, it is also the story of teenagers and their interactions with each other, their families, and other adults.  It is a witty, sometimes humorous, sometimes sad look at their lives.  It is a particularly poignant glimpse of a girl who is very much like teens that we know or with whom we have come into contact. The book is an easy, entertaining read that paints a vivid picture of the scenes and dialogues between the characters. We can easily imagine Amal’s look of exasperation when the school president approaches her about giving a speech at the next forum meeting about “the topic of Islam and terrorism” (this is in response to the terrorist attacks in Bali).  As the conversation goes on, it becomes quite apparent that Amal has been asked to speak simply because she is Muslim. At one point, she says to Lara, the school president:

            “You’re Christian, right? (Amal)

…Yeah… what’s that got to do with anything? (Lara)

OK, well I’ll give the speech if you give a speech about the Ku Klux Klan. (Amal)

Huh? (Lara)

Yeah, why not? They’re really religious, so obviously what they did was textbook Christianity, right?” (Amal)  (pages 255-56)

            In looking at other young adult books, I am reminded of Sharon M. Draper’s November Blues, Melba Patillo Beals’ memoir Warriors Don’t Cry, and We Beat the Streets by Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt (with Sharon Draper).  In November Blues, we meet the character of November who must deal with the life changing event of a teenage pregnancy while remaining in school.  In Warriors Don’t Cry, we read the true life story of Melba Pattillo Beals and the integration of Little Rock’s Central High. In We Beat the Streets, we have the true story of three young men growing up under rough circumstances who make a pact with each other to provide support to one another and follow their dreams.  These three books – one novel and two non-fictions –also remind us of the trials and tribulations of teen decision making, being caught up in history, or surviving despite the odds. 

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins                                                     Beverly R. Hall

"We control life, Winston, at all its levels. You are imagining that there is something called human nature which will be outraged by what we do and will turn against us. But we create human nature." – O'Brien, Inner Party member

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games.  New York: Scholastic Press, 2008.                         

374 pages, ISBN: 978-0-439-02348-1. Also: available in paperback and e-book format.    Recommended grade levels: 7-12

Survival is a form of resistance. - Mendel Le Sueur

In a distant future, here on earth, a reaping will be held yearly - 24 young people will be selected and the games will begin – only 1 will survive.

Over time, North America has been ravaged by both natural and man-made disasters and war. What was once the United States is now the nation of Panem.  Panem consists of 12 districts, under the rule of a central government -The Capital.  A thirteenth district existed but was destroyed when the people attempted an uprising.  Every year, The Capital sponsors The Hunger Games – a brutal, televised game that pits twenty-four young people between the ages of 12 to 18 years – one boy and one girl from each district – to fight to the death -last person standing. 

This riveting story revolves primarily around the twelfth district and a sixteen year old girl named Katniss Evergreen. In a district where the primary occupation is coal mining and starvation is not an unusual occurrence, Katniss is the head of her family.  With a mother who seems removed from reality and a 12 year old sister, Prim - Katniss has assumed the role of provider since her father’s death.  Luckily her father and a young man named Gail have taught her skills that enable her to survive the extremely harsh conditions of existence in the twelfth district. When Prim’s name is drawn as the girl participant for District 12 in the annual Hunger Games, Katness, who regards herself to be more like Prim’s mother, volunteers to take her sister’s place. Will the skills she possesses enable her to survive the brutality of the games, take the lives of others when necessary, and bring prosperity to her family or will she perish?

The Hunger Games is a fast paced, science fiction story of a “fascist” government where there is a vast difference among the living conditions of its people depending on where they fit in society. Each district is isolated from the others with visitations strictly controlled by government and no one goes to The Capital city without an invitation.  The government strictly controls what is televised. 

Despite the brutal concept of this book, it is a story that keeps you reading – it is a  “I cannot put this book down” story. Luckily, I had in my possession both sequels to the story – Catching Fire and Mockingjay –                 and just went on reading.  In reading this story, I could not help but think of factual human history which has demonstrated man’s inhumanity to man – the gladiators of ancient times who were cheered on as they slaughtered each other, the Christians and the lions, slavery, the Holocaust,  Rawanda,  and Darfur, to name just a few. So, is it so farfetched that the future will hold some form of brutality against certain segments of the earth’s population?

  I also found myself making connections between other books, where future life is pleasant for some, but distinctly unpleasant or downright cruel to others. 

The Giver by Lois Lowry - Is utopia all it appears to be?     

           The Handmaiden’s Tale by Margaret Atwood  

 The Maze Runner by James Dashner