Teaser: A graphic novel about how author Art Spiegelman's parents survived the Holocaust.
Plot Summary: The Complete Maus brings both Maus and Maus II together in one complete novel. It is the story of how Art Spiegelman's parents survived the Holocaust. Spiegelman portrayed Jews as mice and Nazis as cats. The graphic novel shows how Spiegelman would go to his aging father and record his talks about his experience in WWII to be made into a graphic novel. While interviewing his father the reader is taken back to Poland as the author depicts his father's answers.
Critical Evaluation: This is a graphic novel that brought comic books into the realm of literature. Instead of a lengthy worded novel Spiegelman brings life into the characters with his unique drawings. By making this story into a graphic novel, the reader is engaged in a new way that only pictures can do. Spiegelman used his own family history to right this emotional graphic novel. The graphic novel also shows the intense father and son relationship. Art did not always understand why his father acted so stubborn, but after learning what his father went through in the Holocaust, Art has a new appreciation for his father. This is a graphic novel that is for mature teenagers. The material is very emotional and intense and is not for everyone.
Author Information: Art Spiegelman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning Artist/Illustrator, and the author of Maus. His parents wanted him to become a dentist but he did not want to, so he began drawing professionally at the age of 16. He studied art and philosophy at Harpur College before becoming part of the underground comix subculture of the 60s and 70s. In 1992, he won the Pulitzer Prize for his masterful Holocaust narrative Maus, which portrayed Jews as mice and Nazis as cats.
Booktalking Ideas: Talk about how Art Spiegelman used animals (in particular, mice) in his drawings instead of people.
Curriculum Ties: WWII and the Holocaust, Art/Drawing
Genre: Graphic Novel/Adult Crossover/Historical Fiction
Challenge Issues: This graphic novel might be challenged because of it being about the Holocaust. If this graphic novel was challenged I would go to, ALA's Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials.
Why Included? Many teenagers like graphic novels and this one is one that big time graphic novel/comic book fans will want to read. It is for very mature older young adults.
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