LEWIS, John & Andrew Aydin. March. Bk. 1. illus. by Nate Powell. 128p. (March Series). Top Shelf. 2013. pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-60309-300-2.

Gr 8 Up–Beginning with a dream sequence that depicts the police crackdown on the 1965 Selma-Montgomery March, this memoir then cuts to Congressman John Lewis’s preparations on the day of President Obama’s inauguration. Lewis provides perspective on the occasion, explaining and describing his own religious and desegregationalist origins in Alabama, his early meeting with Dr. King, and his training as a nonviolent protester. The bulk of the narrative centers around the lunch counter sit-ins in 1959 and 1960 and ends on the hopeful note of a public statement by Nashville Mayor West. The narration feels very much like a fascinating firsthand anecdote and, despite a plethora of personal details and unfamiliar names, it never drags. Even with the contemporary perspective, the events never feel like a foregone conclusion, making the stakes significant and the work important. The narration particularly emphasizes the nonviolent aspect of the movement and the labor involved in maintaining that ideal. The artwork is full of lush blacks and liquid brushstrokes and features both small period details and vast, sweeping vistas that evoke both the reality of the setting and the importance of the events. This is superb visual storytelling that establishes a convincing, definitive record of a key eyewitness to significant social change, and that leaves readers demanding the second volume.–Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

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The following titles are reviewed in the September 2013 print issue. Visit Book Verdict for the full reviews.

Elementary and Middle School

ALLISON, John. The Case of the Team Spirit. vol. 1. illus. by author. 136p. (Bad Machinery Series). glossary. Oni Press. 2013. pap. $19.99. ISBN 978-1-62010-084-4. LC 2012953355.

BARKS, Carl. Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: The Old Castle’s Secret. illus. by author. 232p. Fantagraphics. 2013. Tr $28.99. ISBN 978-1-60699-653-9.

BOLTON, Chris A. SMASH: Trial by Fire. Bk. 1. illus. by Kyle Bolton. 160p. Candlewick. Sept. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5596-9. LC 2012947720.

BROWN, Don. The Great American Dust Bowl. illus. by author. 80p. bibliog. notes. photos. Houghton Harcourt. Oct. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-547-81550-3.

DUFFY, Chris, ed. Fairy Tale Comics. illus. by Bobby London, Emily Carroll, Gilbert Hernandez, et al. 128p. First Second. Sept. 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-823-1.

GIARRUSSO, Chris. Coming Home. Vol. 3. illus. by author. 128p. (G-Man Series). Image. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-60706-571-5.

GOULD, Jane. Henry Hudson. ISBN 978-1-4777-0071-6; ISBN 978-1-4777-0127-0. LC 2012018693.

PELLESCHI, Andrea. Juan Ponce de Léon. ISBN 978-1-4777-0073-0; ISBN 978-1-4777-0131-7. LC 2012019804.

ROBERTS, Steven. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado. ISBN 978-1-4777-0070-9; ISBN 978-1-4777-0125-6. LC 2012018692.

ea vol: 24p. (Jr. Graphic Famous Explorers Series). chron. glossary. illus. index. map. websites. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2013. lib. ed. $25.25; pap. $10.60.

HARPER, Charise Mericle. The Cookie. illus. by author. 48p. (Bean Dog and Nugget Series). Knopf. 2013. lib. ed. $12.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97711-3; pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97710-6; ebook $4.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97712-0. LC 2012029374.

HAYES, Geoffrey. Patrick Eats His Peas and Other Stories. 00-2013. ISBN 978-1-9351-7934-4. LC 2013931436.

LINIERS, Ricardo. The Big Wet Balloon. Sept. 2013. ISBN 978-1-9351-7932-0. LC 2012047662.

ea vol: illus by author. 32p. Toon Bks. RTE $12.95.

JOFFO, Joseph. A Bag of Marbles: The Graphic Novel. tr. from French by Edward Gauvin. illus. by Vincent Bailly. 128p. Lerner/Graphic Universe. Oct. 2013. lib. ed. $29.27. ISBN 978-1-4677-0700-8; pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1516-4; ebook $21.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-1651-2. LC 2013002284.

JOHNSON, Crockett. Barnaby. Vol. 1. illus. by author. 320p. notes. Fantagraphics. 2013. Tr $35. ISBN 978-1-60699-522-8.

LIEBERMAN, AJ. The Silver Six. illus. by Darren Rawlings. 192p. Scholastic/Graphix. 2013. Tr $22.99. ISBN 978-0-545-37097-4; pap. $10.99. ISBN 978-0-545-37098-1. LC 2012945144.

MERCADO, Yehudi. Pantalones, TX: Don’t Chicken Out. illus. by author. 120p. Archaia. 2013. Tr $19.95. ISBN 978-1-936393-90-9.

NORDLING, Lee. The Bramble. illus. by Bruce Zick. 32p. Carolrhoda. Sept. 2013. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-5856-5; ebook $12.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0952-1.

PASTIS, Stephan T. Beginning Pearls. illus. by author. 224p. (Amp! Comics for Kids). Andrews McMeel. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4494-2303-2. LC 2012954161.

THOMPSON, Richard. Mighty Alice Goes Round and Round: A Cul de Sac Book. illus. by author. 224p. (Amp! Comics for Kids). Andrews McMeel. 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4494-3721-3. LC 2012954162.

High School

FINK, Jess. We Can Fix It!: A Time Travel Memoir. illus. by author. 112p. Top Shelf. 2013. pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-60309-065-0.

POPE, Paul. Battling Boy. illus. by author. 208p. First Second. Oct. 2013. Tr $24.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-805-7; pap. $15.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-145-4.

PYLE, Kevin C. with Scott Cuningham. Bad for You. illus. by author. 164p. chart. chron. further reading. glossary. notes. websites. Holt. Oct. 2013. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9289-9.

TAKAKO, Shimura. Wandering Son. Vol. 4. tr. from Japanese by Matt Thorn. illus. by author. 224p. Fantagraphics. 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-60699-605-8.