India
Bhimayana: Experiences of Untouchability
By Srividya Natarajan and S. Anand, Durgabai Vyam and Subhash Vyam (Illustrators)
Bhimayana: Experiences of Untouchability. Srividya Natarajan and S. Anand. Illustrated by Durgabai Vyam and Subhash Vyam. Navayana, 2011. First published by Navayana Publishing, in India, in 2011. Also available under the title Ambedkar: incidents in the life of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar from Tate Publishing, London, in 2013. ISBN 9788189059170. 108 p. (Ages 10 and up). Graphic Novel.
An own-voices book that explores the story of one of India’s prominent revolutionaries, Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891-1956). Accompanied by groundbreaking illustrations by Pardhan-Gond artists, this is a must-read for children interested in learning more about Indian history. Would pair with March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. The illustrators are based in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh region of India. Durgabai Vyam has illustrated dozens of books and won the Bologna Ragazzi award in 2008 for The Night Life of Trees. Subhash Vyam is a sculptor turned painter. Srividya Natarajan is a Canada-based dancer and novelist. S. Anand is the publisher of Navayana. This is a short video summarizing Bhimayana. [mi]
Maithili and the Minotaur: Web of Woe
By C.G. Salamander, Rajiv Eipe (Illustrator)
Maithili and the Minotaur: Web of Woe. C. G. Salamander. Illustrated by Rajiv Eipe. Puffin Books, 2021. ISBN 9780143455189. 64 p. (Ages 10 and up). Graphic Novel.
Maithili, an outcast in the human world, befriends monsters and goes on a journey of outlandish adventures with her friends. This book is one in the Outlandish Graphic Novel Series and is perfect for readers who love stories about monsters and adventures. Would pair with Natsume’s Book of Friends by Yuki Midorikawa and the Hilda series by Luke Pearson. The author is based in Chennai, India, and is a writer and comic journalist. Salamander loves to write in horror, humor, and fantasy genres. Here is an interview with the author. [mi]
Shaheen Bagh: A Graphic Recollection
By Ita Mehrotra
Shaheen Bagh: A Graphic Recollection. Ita Mehrotra. Yoda Press, 2021. First published in India. ISBN 9789382579786. 127 p. (Ages 10 and up). Graphic Novel.
A graphic account of the political sit-in led by Muslim women that started in Delhi in December 2019 and lasted till March 2020, just before the pandemic. With powerful illustrations this book is an iconic portrayal of women’s protest against the government. Would pair with Girls Want Azadi by Kamla Bhasin. The author is a visual artist, arts researcher, and educator living in New Delhi. She is currently the head of Community Arts for Artreach India, a non profit organization that helps young people, children, and women from marginalized communities across India. Listen to the podcast interview with the author on YouTube. [mi]
China & Taiwan
China
My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder
By Nie Jun, Edward Gauvin (Translator)
My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder. Nie Jun. Translated from French and Chinese by Edward Gauvin. Graphic Universe, 2018. First published as Les contes de la ruelle in French, in 2016. ISBN 9781541526426., 128 p. (Ages 7-11). Fiction.
A delightful set of four linked stories, told as a graphic novel, of a child and her grandfather living in a Beijing hutong—a neighborhood of narrow alleys and communal dwellings. It showcases the creativity and resilience of the residents, who though they may lack space and material goods, abound in humor and imagination. A 2019 Batchelder honor book, it was translated by Edward Gauvin from the French translation while consulting the Chinese original. [dj]
The Middle East & North Africa
Israel
From Foe to Friend & Other Stories
By S.Y. Agnon, Shay Charka (Illustrator)
From Foe to Friend & Other Stories. S.Y. Agnon. A graphic novel by Shay Charka. Translated and adapted by Jeffrey Saks. The Toby Press, 2014. Originally published as Shay veAgnon: Sheloshah Sippurim in Hebrew by Schocken Publishing House Ltd., in Tel Aviv, in 2012. ISBN 9781592643950. 48 p. (Ages 12 and up). Graphic novel.
Well-known Israeli cartoonist Shay Charka has brought three of Nobel Prize winner Agnon’s stories – two of them regularly taught to Israeli children though they were also published for adults -- to a new audience. The artwork is engaging, accessible, and studded with little touches referencing Jewish history. “The Fable of the Goat” is particularly poignant. [ayg]
Latin America
Argentina
Written and Drawn by Henrietta
By Ricardo Liniers
Written and Drawn by Henrietta. Ricardo Liniers. Translated by the author. TOON Books, 2015. Also available in Spanish as Escrito y dibujado por Enriqueta. ISBN 9781935179900. 64 p. (Ages 5-7). Early chapter book.
Armed with new colored pencils and her wild imagination, Henrietta writes a book. Cartoonist Liniers is famous for his daily comic strip, Macanudo, published in the Argentine newspaper, La Nación. He is the recipient of many awards and honors, including a Batchelder Honor for Written and Drawn by Henrietta. For more of his notable books, see this list. [jm]