A graphic novel about the Holocaust? I immediately think about the fabulous Maus books, but this one looks to be for a little younger audience. A Family Secret starts off with Jeroen searching his grandmother's attic for items for a yard sale. While there, he discovers her scrapbook and other mementos from World War II. When he questions his grandmother about it, she tells him about her long-lost best friend, a Jewish girl named Esther, and what happened to her family during and after the war.
I got caught up in this story and read it in one sitting. The story engages the reader and I think even those without prior knowledge of the Holocaust or World War II will find it engrossing. The illustrations are done in an open, friendly way, but don't seem too campy for the serious content. Any darker, edgier illustration might put off the reader, rather than bring him in. A Family Secret is going to have many people clamoring to read and re-read it.
My rating: B, Recommended.
No comments:
Post a Comment