Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Graphic Novels
Brown, D. (2017). Drowned city: hurricane katrina and new orleans. HMH Books for Young Readers.
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina's monstrous winds and surging water overwhelmed the protective levees around low-lying New Orleans, Louisiana. Eighty percent of the city flooded, in some places under twenty feet of water. Property damages across the Gulf Coast topped $100 billion. One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three people lost their lives. The tale of this historic storm and the drowning of an American city is one of selflessness, heroism, and courage—and also of incompetence, racism, and criminality.
Lexile Level: GN920L
LA Themes: You would be surprised of what you are capable of.
Universal Themes: Survival; Perseverance

Humphreys, J. D., Chikwanine, M., & Dav́ila, C. (2016). Child soldier: when boys and girls are used in war. London: Franklin Watts.
Michel is like many other five-year-olds: he has a loving family and spends his days going to school and playing soccer. But in 1993, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Michel and his family live, is a country in tumult. One afternoon Michel and his friends are kidnapped by rebel militants and forced to become child soldiers.
Lexile Level: N/A
LA Themes: Loss of innocence
Universal Themes: Survival; Perseverance; War; Corruption

Schwartz, S., & Watkinson, L. (2015). The other side of the Wall. Minneapolis: Graphic Universe.
Simon Schwartz was born in 1982 in East Germany, at a time when the repressive Socialist Unity Party of Germany controlled the area. Shortly before Simon's birth, his parents decided to leave their home in search of greater freedoms on the other side of the Berlin Wall. But East German authorities did not allow the Schwartzes to leave for almost three years. In the meantime, Simon's parents struggled with the costs of their decision: the loss of work, the attention of the East German secret police, and the fragmentation of their family.
Lexile Level: GN580L
LA Themes: The sacrifices we make for others
Universal Themes: Survival; Perseverance; War

Stoian, M. (2016). Take it as a compliment. London: Singing Dragon.
Bringing together the voices of males and females of all ages, the stories in this collective graphic memoir reflect real life experiences of sexual abuse, violence and harassment.

Each experience is brought to life by Maria Stoian's exceptional artwork. Her unique and varied styles powerfully reflect the tone and mood of the different stories and in just a few pages express the complex emotions felt by victims of sexual abuse.

Covering acts such as sexual violence, public sexual harassment, domestic abuse and child abuse, this is a reminder for survivors that they are not alone and a call for all of us to take action. The stories clearly show that assault of any type is not an honor bestowed on anyone. It is not a compliment.
 
Lexile Level: N/A
LA Themes: Speaking up; Loss of Innocence; Strength
Universal Themes: Survival; Perseverance

Chmakova, S. (2015). Awkward. New York: Yen Press.
Cardinal rule #1 for surviving school: Don't get noticed by the mean kids.
Cardinal rule #2 for surviving school: Seek out groups with similar interests and join them.

On her first day at her new school, Penelope--Peppi--Torres reminds herself of these basics. But when she trips into a quiet boy in the hall, Jaime Thompson, she's already broken the first rule, and the mean kids start calling her the "nerder girlfriend." How does she handle this crisis? By shoving poor Jaime and running away!

Falling back on rule two and surrounding herself with new friends in the art club, Peppi still can't help feeling ashamed about the way she treated Jaime. Things are already awkward enough between the two, but to make matters worse, he's a member of her own club's archrivals--the science club! And when the two clubs go to war, Peppi realizes that sometimes you have to break the rules to survive middle school!
Lexile Level: GN280L
LA Themes: Making the right decision, even if it’s the harder choice.

Universal Themes: Survival; Peer Pressure

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