msjamgochian'sinfinitebooklist

A compelling, crafty, and often times funny look at Seattle comic artist Ellen Forney's battle with bipolar disorder, from diagnosis to finally finding the correct medication cocktail. Forney doesn't allow personal vanity to get in the way of this raw depiction of mental illness, and her beautiful artwork stands on its own. She deftly confronts the questions that many artists face when weighing 'fixing themselves:' Will it destroy my art? Will I be less creative? Not to be missed for Forney fans, Seattleites, or readers who enjoy Alison Bechdel's work. Grade 11+

"The war tried to kill us in the spring." So begins this unforgettable, unflinching, uncompromising look at the Iraq war and its impact on the life of a soldier from debut novelist, national book award finalist, and former soldier Kevin Powers. 21 year-old Private John Bartle unravels his story in poetic prose that shifts between his preservice days in 2003, his time as a private in Al Tafar in 2004, and his personal aftermath in 2009. The perfect addition to a study of war and not to be missed. Click here for a full review. Grade 10+