To Kill a Mockingbird (Graphic Novel) Adapted by Fred Fordham

In 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird was published under the pen name, Harper Lee. This would go on to be her legacy, having published one novel, until the first draft of the well-known work would later be printed in 2016 and titled Go Set a Watchman. This took place while Lee was in a nursing home unable to consent to this publication, which many people think is a sequel to her famous novel, leading to outrage and disappointment.

To be clear, To Kill a Mockingbird was my favorite book I read for school and was a big stepping stone in cultivating my passion to write. Women wrote back then? Who knew? I can write, too! Harper Lee’s death stands to be the only “celebrity death” I have cried about and written about. Thus, I come to this graphic novel both loving the medium and the original text and the mindset of, “Please don’t make me hate this.”

I didn’t. Hate it, that is. The illustrations and color are beautiful, and the pages are thick and crisp. It doesn’t get much better than that, right book lovers? However, I love the novel as a novel and expected the graphic rendition to be written more to the style of a graphic novel: intricate artwork that stands in place of longer text, sequential images without interruption, and a variety of paneling choices.

While the book has these moments, they are far and few between. There is a lot of text that can be a turn-off to younger readers promised a comic-book-like experience. I understand the desire to put the entire novel into his new rendition and to stay true to Lee’s text—believe me, I know—however, this book seeks to do so by putting in too much dialogue to the point of a few monologues. The speech can be cut down and replaced with images that show expression or the dynamic between Scout, Dill, and Jem.

Also, I love graphic novels for how the illustrator uses paneling and white space across the spread. For most of the book, Fordham does not use these methods to his advantage. Rather, there is a consistent 7-9 panel page for most of the book. I love when images jump out at me, and there were some, but I also love when they jump out of their panels and seemingly come to life, which is only done one or two times. It is a technique that shouldn’t be used all the time but could’ve been done to make some dramatic scenes really pop.

Yes, I do love this rendition of To Kill a Mockingbird. Does it have to do with my previous love for the original novel? Oh, most definitely. Though, I love the medium and I think Fordham did the text justice (get it, because Atticus is a lawyer!). I also believe this is a great way for students to get into this 60-year-old text. My middle schoolers love graphic novels and comics! This is a lovely chance to meet halfway and say, “Let’s talk about it.” From race to our criminal justice system to gender norms, this book has it all and depicts it visually so all students can access the story.

Please do be aware of the author’s note in the back that discusses the way the characters speak and the use of n—. 

Find To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee here!
Find To Kill a Mockingbird Adapted by Fred Fordham here!

Speak: the graphic novel by Laurie Halse Anderson and Emily Carroll

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a personal inspiration of mine, let alone a widely acknowledged canonical novel of modern times. And now, with the artistry of Emily Carroll, it has become a graphic novel. Carroll’s black-and-white drawings bring a rough and edgy atmosphere to the text, emphasizing the interiority during the scenes in which Melinda vividly recalls what happened to her the night of party. Carroll takes these moments and gracefully yet devastatingly depicts the horror in a way that is frightening but may not be as triggering for some readers as they would think, though anxiety still rattles the bones.

As a whole, Speak: the graphic novel reads much like how a movie adaption would be seen. The main character is much more melodramatic, but somehow we still lose much of Melinda’s interiority about the incident that shakes her to her core. The graphic novel seems to revolve so much around other subplots and Melinda’s external relationships that the main plot of the assault is buried. If I hadn’t read the original Speak, I may have forgotten the main point of the novel. First, there’s the new girl Heather, losing Melinda’s old friends, art class and drawing trees, Melinda’s poor grades, family dysfunction, in-school suspension, rules of the school and bullying, etc. There’s so much that distracts the reader from Melinda and her journey of recovery that is more focused in the original novel that is missed in the graphic novel.

My guess, as a reader and a part of the industry, is that the goal of Speak: the graphic novel is to grasp onto the gaining popularity of graphic novels at the current moment, capture the new generation of readers, and gear them toward reading the original Speak. I’m not against this method. I think this is a great way of repackaging a modern classic, but lovers of the original novel shouldn’t expect grand changes but enjoy the wonderful artwork by Emily Carroll.

This novel is still relevant today. Teachings of consent is still needed today. If you haven’t already gotten your hands on one of them, I highly recommend one or both of these books.

Find Speak: the graphic novel here.

Lumberjanes: To The Max Edition Volume 1

With Maarta Laiho’s bold palette of colors, Lumberjanes is a punchy, quirky, and punny comic book series that focuses on five Lumberjanes (basically, the Girl Scouts but with Boy Scout woodland activities), who can’t seem to ever follow camp rules. There is always something more interesting to pursue than staying in the Roanoke cabin, like fighting holy kittens, were-bears, and a river monster.

Using the qualities that make up a true Lumberjane, as stated in the pedantic field manual, Jo, April, Molly, Mal, and Ripley try to beat the mysterious creatures before their cabin leader, Jen, can find out they’re gone. This is a true case of drama finding them. Pretty soon, even Jen is roped into the mayhem when one of the Lumberjanes turns out to be a mythological character bent on beating her brother to obtain ultimate power over the world. Now the girls of the Roanoke cabin have to save all of humanity from a couple of greedy gods.

In the first volume of The Max Edition, young and older readers will laugh out loud at the characters’ antics and will flip through the pages to find out what havoc is on the next spread. With a twist on gender stereotypes and a subtle romance, Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Brooke Allen’s Lumberjanes is all about “Friendship to the max.” And, of course, earning those cool camp badges. Lovers of Noelle Stevenson’s Nimona (HarperCollins) will also enjoy this feminist, kick-butt series.

Find Lumberjanes To The Max Volume 1 here.