Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography by Chester Brown

Brown, C. (2003). Louis Riel: a comic-strip biography. Montreal, Quebec: Drawn & Quarterly.

Summary:

Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography looks at Canadian history through the live of Louis Riel. The book begins in March of 1869 where the Prime Minister and the Hudson Bay Trading Company are trying to figure out what to do about the Red River Settlement. The Red River Settlement is a group of land settled by the French and Metis (those of French and Indigenous People ancestry), but also has the British slowly infiltrating their land. From there, the reader meets Louis Riel, a Metis, who must fight the politicians, Mounties, extremists, and his own understanding of God, to help the land and the people he loves.

Advisory Information:

Themes:

a.Discrimination: Discrimination is a critical part of this story especially in regards to the French, English and the Metis.

b.Violence: There are numerous examples of Fighting, Vigilantism and Rebellion in the story. While some of the violence is justified, others are not. With most rebellions, justifying violence often comes at a price.

c.Civil Rights: The political and social rights of the Metis is important in the history of Louis Riel.

d.Religion: Religion becomes a focal point in Louis Riel’s life.

Age Recommendation:

I think for readers to understand the political and social nuances of this graphic novel, the reader should be at least 12 years old.

Other Information:

The illustrations were also completed by Chester Brown. He also includes a notes section, bibliography and index.

Reaction:

I think that above all it is the format of this novel that really succeeds. By putting Louis Riel’s biography in a comic form, readers can easily see how events in Canadian history affect Louis Riel’s life and vice versa. The author’s ability to write an intelligent and scholarly text is easy to understand along with the illustrations. Some readers might be overwhelmed with the complexity of the story including its characters and historical events, however most reader should be able to understand the overall significance of the story.

Essex County by Jeff Lemire

Lemire, J. (2009). Essex county. Marietta, Georga, USA: Top Shelf Productions.

Summary

Essex County uses interconnects the lives of the LeBeuf family and Anne Byrne. Told in splices, the reader is able to make assumptions about the family through second great-grandson, Lester Papineau’s story, sons Lou and Vince LeBeuf stories, and finally through Anne Byrne’s eyes who is a nurse. Told in graphic novel format, Essex County allows the reader to see how human behavior can affect generations.

Advisory Information

-Themes

a.Family Relationships: Essex County focuses on the relationships between family members and family generations. This is especially evident between Lester and his Uncle Ken, Lester and his father, Jimmy, brothers Lou and Vince LeBeuf, and even Anne Byrne and her son Jason.

b.Loneliness: Loneliness is an important part of Lou LeBeuf’s story. He is unsure about his place in the world especially after Vince marries Beth.

c.Hockey: Hockey seems to be the redeeming activity between all generations. Lou and Vince play, Jimmy plays, and occasionally Lester plays. It is not only considered a Canadian pastime, but it also serves as a way for the generations to connect.

d.Aging: Growing old becomes a focal point for all characters. Since the book chronicles the lives of many of the characters, aging is a key part of the story. For characters like Anne and Lou, aging equates to death. For Lester, aging is about his role in the world.

e.Love: Interestingly, it is the absence of love that dominates these stories. While Vince and Beth do get married, and while Jimmy and Clare do have a kid, there are little instances of love in the story.

-Age Recommendation

While this graphic novel reads like a genealogy, the language of this book is more suitable for readers who are at least in 8th grade or 14 years old.

-Other Information

Essex County is an award-winning graphic novel, being recognized as the best in Canadian cartooning in 2008.

Reaction

I thought that this graphic novel did an excellent job weaving the ordinary stories of a family history. I do not feel that this book is essentially a “feel good” novel; however, its characterization becomes crucial in understanding how these insignificant lives have affected future generations. Through these character studies, the reader is able to understand the different layers of humanity.

Skim by Mariko Tamaki

Tamaki, M. (2008). Skim. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwood Books.

Summary:

Kimberly “Skim” Keiko Cameron is a 10th grader at a private high school who does not quite fit in. She broke her arm tripping over her Wiccan altar. This graphic novel, loosely written in a journal format chronicles Skim’s life at high school. Skim has to deal with the death of a classmate’s ex-boyfriend, her feelings for her English teacher, and her sometimes tenuous relationship with her best friend Lisa.

Advisory Information:

Themes:

a. Identity: Kimberly is questioning who she is, who she wants to hang out with, and who she likes. She worries about her future.

b. Suicide: John Reddear, classmate Katie Matthew’s ex-boyfriend, ends up committing suicide. The rumor is that he did it because he was gay, but there is nothing to confirm it. The school starts a “Girls Celebrate Life!” League to help cope with his death.

c. Sexual Orientation: Kimberly has a crush on her English teacher, but she does not quite know what to make of it.

d. Friendships: Kim learns about the value of friendship in many ways. She learns that sometimes friends were never your friends, like that of Julie Peters, that some friends start to grow apart, like her and Lisa, and finally that sometimes you find friends like with Katie Matthews.

Age Recommendation:

This novel has mature language, themes, and shows minors smoking. It also talks about the religion Wicca, and shows an example of a coven meeting. I would recommend this graphic novel for older teens aged 15 – 18.

Other Information:

The graphic novel takes place in 1993.

The illustrations were drawn by Jillian Tamaki.

Reaction:

I thought that this was an accurate portrayal of high school life for the ordinary girl. The journal format allows the reader to see how Kim questions her world: her identity, friends, authority, and society. Her responses are honest and easy to relate to. While this graphic novel takes place in 1993, much of the interactions of teenagers seem authentic.