Best for: Anyone who doesn’t know about John Lewis. Also, anyone who does. Also, the PEOTUS, because damn. In a nutshell: This is the first of three graphic novels about the life of John Lewis. It covers his childhood through early college, including his participation in lunch counter sit-ins. Line that sticks with me: “The police, conspicuously absent while we were beaten, arrived quickly after the mob wore themselves out.” Why I chose it: My husband purchased the three books last year and just finished […]
A National Book Award for such times as these.
I read this well over a month ago, but considering the present circumstances in which I am finally writing this review, I feel this third of the March trilogy has the most emotional impact. I won’t recap the first two books in the trilogy here, but you can read my other reviews of Books One and Two. You definitely want to read those volumes first. John Lewis sets a lot of context for this third and most explosive act in the saga. Full review here.
John Lewis is a hero, Part II.
Because March is a three-part series, it’s hard to talk about each book individually, because each develops the larger story arc. Nevertheless, I’ll do my best. As with the last book, Lewis, Aydin, and Powell develop a captivating narrative which delves into Lewis’s life and history as an activist and warrior for equality in the United States. Read my non-spoilery review here.
We need diverse books. John Lewis is a hero.
One of my favorite mentors from my MA program has done a lot of research on graphic novels and comics. I always appreciate her recommendations for new things to read, especially if I can then pass on the books to my students. When she began posting stuff about Nate Powell and his work on the March trilogy, I was intrigued. I had definitely heard of John Lewis, and he’s come back into prominent public attention with the House Democrats’ sit-in this last summer (#nobillnobreak). But […]
March (Book 1): An Origin Story
What’s hard for kids to recognize – hell, what’s hard for people to recognize – is that we’re living through history right this minute. That, someday, there’s going to be a kid, bored of his mind, doodling in the margins of his brain tablet (or whatever space technology kids are learning on in the future), barely listening to his teacher drone on and on about ‘the geopolitical ramifications of US drone strikes in 2014’ or – in deference to today’s book – ‘Let’s compare and […]