Picket Line
Picket Line
by: Breena Wiederhoeft
Ages: 12 & up
2011
I mentioned this book over here a while back, hence the homemade picture.
The summary: Beatrice just moved to California from the mid-west, and she is lonely and directionless, that is until she meets Rex, a mild-mannered, guy with short little arms. Rex gives Beatrice a job at his landscaping company and makes her feel like one of the family. Soon, she makes friends and settles into a comfortable routine; however, all of this changes when Beatrice and the rest of Rex’s crew find themselves caught between corporate progress and environmental ideals. Everyone must choose a side, but which one is right?
The good: Picket Line is a graphic novel about protesting. You might not believe it, but this was published before the occupy movement caught on. Graphic novels are an interesting specimen because the story is told using both picture and text. In order for this to work successfully there has to be the right amount of text, and the pictures have to, in a sense, stand on their own. Breena accomplishes this beautifully. Her style is both simple and detailed; all of the people are simply drawn, but the landscape is breathtakingly detailed. This balance actually makes the story easier (and more delightful) to read. The simplicity helps to keep the pace of the story moving, while the more intricate pictures make you pause and think. Brilliant.
While this book was not initially meant for a younger crowd, I think it is a terrific first graphic novel. Particularly if you want to talk to your kids about protesting. This is a story that both you and your teenager could enjoy and then talk about afterward.
Rating: 7 (Couldn’t put it down)
Filed under: Graphic Novel
