Devastating and necessary; demands recognition for one of history’s most persistently denied genocides.
First-generation Armenian American Takvorian debuts with a searing graphic memoir that refuses to let genocide fade into silence.
As a high schooler, Nadine’s quest to understand her family’s heritage was initially fragmented, her parents’ reticence covering wounds still too raw to expose. Set in 2001, the narrative weaves contemporary American events (including the 9/11 attacks) with haunting flashbacks to the Armenian genocide, creating a palimpsest of trauma that spans generations. What starts as hazy family mythology crystallizes into horrific clarity as Nadine’s journey of discovery progresses, each revelation more devastating than the last. The faded monochromatic illustrations employ masterful visual storytelling: Delicate linework gives way to viscerally affecting panels as historical horrors emerge, full-page splashes convey the overwhelming weight of inherited memory, and varied panel layouts mirror Nadine’s psychological progression from confusion to understanding. Takvorian doesn’t sugarcoat the abhorrent atrocities. She also frankly depicts the suffocating intergenerational silence and the intracommunity conflicts that surface, revealing the complex tensions within Armenian identity itself. This unflinching honesty extends to contemporary contexts, making clear that anti-Armenian violence remains relevant today. The art brilliantly captures emotions through expressive body language, strategic use of negative space, and page turns that will leave readers breathless. Takvorian transforms personal family history into urgent testimony, proving graphic narrative’s unique power to bear witness to atrocity.
Devastating and necessary; demands recognition for one of history’s most persistently denied genocides. (author’s note with photos, glossary, sources) (Graphic memoir. 12-18)Pub Date: March 10, 2026
ISBN: 9781646146369
Page Count: 344
Publisher: Levine Querido
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change.
Testa’s connection to and respect for nature compelled her to begin championing animal causes at the age of 10, and this desire to have an impact later propelled her to dedicate her life to fighting plastic pollution. Starting with the history of plastic and how it’s produced, Testa acknowledges the benefits of plastics for humanity but also the many ways it harms our planet. Instead of relying on recycling—which is both insufficient and ineffective—she urges readers to follow two additional R’s: “refuse” and “raise awareness.” Readers are encouraged to do their part, starting with small things like refusing to use plastic straws and water bottles and eventually working up to using their voices to influence business and policy change. In the process, she highlights other youth advocates working toward the same cause. Short chapters include personal examples, such as observations of plastic pollution in Mauritius, her maternal grandparents’ birthplace. Testa makes her case not only against plastic pollution, but also for the work she’s done, resulting in something of a college-admissions–essay tone. Nevertheless, the first-person accounts paired with science will have an impact on readers. Unfortunately, no sources are cited and the lack of backmatter is a missed opportunity.
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change. (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22333-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
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