The Silence of Our Friends by Mark Long and Jim Demonakos Illustrated by Nate Powell YP FIC LONG

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies...but the silence of our friends." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Mark Long was just 11 years old in 1967.  His world seemed so simple until the night his father covered a protest that led to the death of a police officer and fraudulent murder charges for five African-American students.  Now Mark’s family faces social isolation, hatred, and danger if his father tells the truth in court.  A tale of friendship, loyalty, and courage in the face of bigotry, hatred, and racism.

This is a slightly fictionalized account of real events in Mark Long’s life growing up in Houston in the 60s. The fact that the venomous hatred Mark encountered for befriending a black family that moved into his all white neighborhood and for his father defending innocent men is chilling.  It shows how far our society has come and reminds us to always look to justice and fight bigotry wherever it comes from, because it eventually affects us all. Nate Powell (Artist/author of Swallow Me Whole reviewed here) is an inspired choice to draw this tale.  He captures subtle human emotion and feeling remarkably well.  The combination of the shocking story, the relatable characters, and the excellent art make this a real contender to be a modern classic.  I’d recommend it to any fans of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (FIC LEE) and to anyone that wants a great story about a Houston not too long gone.

Check our catalog for The Silence of Our Friends here.

Zahra’s Paradise Amir illustrated by Khalil YP FIC AMIR

After the fraudulent Iranian elections of 2009 many took to the streets in protest.  Many of those were taken and never seen again.  This is Medhi’s story; the  story of his mother and brother who fought corruption, tyranny, and intimidation to find the truth about his disappearance.  A fictional tale about all too realistic subject matter.

This is a truly poignant and moving story about loss, family, and tyranny.  It puts a human face on current events and gives us a look at a society all too often shrouded in secrecy.  One of the most powerful parts of the book is an end-note that lists all the people that have died while protesting the Iranian government.  This very long list of names speaks volumes about the magnitude and seriousness of this issue.  Iran is in the news quite a bit these days with fears of nuclear armament, so this book offers a way to better understand the nature of the Iranian regime.  But more than that, Zahra’s Paradise is a way to understand tyranny all over the globe and by comparison the importance of freedom.  This is a must read to fans of serious comics or anyone that would like to know more about Iran.  I would also heavily recommend it to fans of Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (YP FIC SATRAPI or DVD PERSEPOL) a book and film about growing up around the Iranian revolution.  

Check our catalog for Zahra’s Paradise here.

Green Lantern Green Arrow Volume 2 by Dennis O’Neil Art by Neil Adams YP FIC ONEIL

In 1970 and 1971 Dennis O’Neil and Neil Adams turned traditional super hero comics on their head. They used superheroes to examine major social issues in America. They wanted comics to be ‘relevant’. So instead of just fighting super villains, Green Arrow (a guy who used a bow and arrow really well) and Green Lantern (yes, the guy from the new movie) traveled America fighting super social ills. They fight racism, drug addiction, religious intolerance, pollution, and other evils that plague modern society.

Okay, admittedly the idea of superheroes addressing complex social problems seems like it may be a bad idea. And it probably is, but it is also really super fun. While the plot is occasionally cheesy and the comics tend to simplify the problems they address it makes for very fun and out there comics. I mean, Green Arrow finds out that his former sidekick Speedy is a heroin junky! You just can’t beat comics like that. More importantly, Neal Adams is like a god of comic art and the book has excellent art throughout. If you like superheroes and want great art, out there stories, and something very different then give this one a read.

Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill YP FIC HEMPHILL

The girls of Salem are wicked indeed. But is it for the magic they practiced together in the woods or is for their virtue in court? Seven girls relate their stories in verse as to how the Salem witch hunt began and why they doomed so many of their neighbors with lies.

This is a haunting look at the power of rumor. It tells the story from the viewpoint of seven young women and girls and tries to see why someone would maliciously send so many people to death. The reasons differ but all relate to a total lack of power from the girls. In the end it is not the girls that are entirely wicked but also the society that first robbed them of any choices and then (for the first time) gave them recognition for the ‘virtue’ of damning others. This is an important message for any time, because any young peron knows the feeling of powerlessness and rumor and accusation can still be incredibly damaging today. The author excels at giving each character her own voice and pushing the tension of the events. A great read for anyone that likes novels in verse or historical fiction. Even if you haven’t read any verse novels I’d give this one a look.

Free? Stories About Human Rights by Amnesty International YP FIC FREE

Bringing together a truly impressive group of international authors, Free? asks the troubling question, “If some of us aren’t truly free, than are any of us?” Each one of the stories looks at young people struggling to assert their freedom and highlights one of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Stories come from all across the globe from all sorts of young people showing that the struggle for freedom is truly never over.

I was surprised how enjoyable this book is. Since the subject matter is so Important and Serious, I thought I might get bored or depressed, but the stories are really well written and positive. All of them look at the possibility of hope and change in even the worst situations. My absolute favorite is Rita Williams-Garcia’s verse story about Katrina After the Hurricane. It is very emotionally powerful and has stayed with me. This is a good read for fans of realistic fiction, especially if you’re interested in foreign countries.