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Americus
Neal Barton just wants to read in peace. Unluckily for him, some local Christian activists are trying to get his favorite fantasy series banned from the Americus public library on grounds of immoral content and heresy. Something has to be done, and it looks like quiet, shy Neal is going to have to do it. With youth services librarian Charlotte Murphy at his back, Neal finds himself leading the charge to defend the mega-bestselling fantasy series that makes his life worth living.
This funny, gripping, and relatable tale of life and local politics in middle America is currently being serialized online.
This funny, gripping, and relatable tale of life and local politics in middle America is currently being serialized online.
216 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2011
23 people are currently reading
2798 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Reed
42 books27 followersMK Reed is the writer of Americus, The Cute Girl Network, Palefire, and Science Comics: Dinosaurs. She draws a web-comic adaptation of Irish mythology, About a Bull. MK lives with her very tall husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 381 reviews
July 25, 2018
I thought this book was good. It was also heavy handed on the issue of censorship. Instead of taking an issue and letting the reader decide what they think by showing all sides, the perspective is from that of the author and the author gives us what to think.
I am against censorship and I am for free speech. There was no nuance about this issue. I know there are people out there like this, but only showing them in their small minded selves doesn't really help. I like that the book is a fantasy Harry Potter like book. A mother goes crazy over the book as her son is a teenager and no longer listening to her.
The library leads a charge to keep the book from being banned. This kind of stuff drives me crazy. When a group of people think they know what is best for everyone and they try and control ideas. It really pushes my buttons.
I think it was a good story and I think it could have more nuance and perspective. Still, I'm glad that Freedom prevailed in this story. A needed break from all the chaos in the world.
I am against censorship and I am for free speech. There was no nuance about this issue. I know there are people out there like this, but only showing them in their small minded selves doesn't really help. I like that the book is a fantasy Harry Potter like book. A mother goes crazy over the book as her son is a teenager and no longer listening to her.
The library leads a charge to keep the book from being banned. This kind of stuff drives me crazy. When a group of people think they know what is best for everyone and they try and control ideas. It really pushes my buttons.
I think it was a good story and I think it could have more nuance and perspective. Still, I'm glad that Freedom prevailed in this story. A needed break from all the chaos in the world.
April 4, 2022
Look out! The Keep Faith in Christ Literary Awareness and Library Advocacy Group is coming to remove your favorite book series from the shelves of your local library.
This book quite accurately depicts right-wing nutjobs in their attempts to force you AND YOUR children to knuckle under to THEIR BELIEFS. Some readers think that the characters in this tale are too extreme, but trust me - I have seen these people in action, and they will stop at NOTHING to ban books that they disagree with, including attempted fining or imprisoning of librarians for offering "pornographic materials" (meaning any book that contains gay characters).
https://iowastartingline.com/2022/02/...
I work at a library, and we have had a mother who insisted on first reading every book her son checked out, just in case there was "objectionable" material, a mom who wouldn't let her young son read a book about a dragon because Satan often poses as a serpent, and no less than three mothers complain about any book that features same-sex parents. (Lest you think it's only female progenitors who ride the crazy train, we had a concerned father flip out when he heard one of the librarians say "Namaste" and assumed she was trying to indoctrinate his boys into another religion.)
Headed for the bonfire in Reed's graphic novel is an imaginary series featuring a "witch" with a talking wolf for a companion. While the kids realize that that witches aren't real, the so-called grown-ups believe in invisible forces that exist solely to tempt their children away from the straight and narrow. (How odd that they have such little belief in their faith that they think their children could be so easily corrupted . . .)
Quite honestly, I'm having trouble judging this book on its own merits as the topic of censorship gets my blood so a-boilin'. This is an ongoing battle with a group that WILL NOT take "If you don't like these books, DON'T READ 'EM" for an answer. Believe me - they don't want ANYBODY to read 'em. I wish I could say that the story is too heavy handed, and that the characters are too unbelievable . . . but, sorry - this one seems like it could be ripped from today's headlines.
This book quite accurately depicts right-wing nutjobs in their attempts to force you AND YOUR children to knuckle under to THEIR BELIEFS. Some readers think that the characters in this tale are too extreme, but trust me - I have seen these people in action, and they will stop at NOTHING to ban books that they disagree with, including attempted fining or imprisoning of librarians for offering "pornographic materials" (meaning any book that contains gay characters).
https://iowastartingline.com/2022/02/...
I work at a library, and we have had a mother who insisted on first reading every book her son checked out, just in case there was "objectionable" material, a mom who wouldn't let her young son read a book about a dragon because Satan often poses as a serpent, and no less than three mothers complain about any book that features same-sex parents. (Lest you think it's only female progenitors who ride the crazy train, we had a concerned father flip out when he heard one of the librarians say "Namaste" and assumed she was trying to indoctrinate his boys into another religion.)
Headed for the bonfire in Reed's graphic novel is an imaginary series featuring a "witch" with a talking wolf for a companion. While the kids realize that that witches aren't real, the so-called grown-ups believe in invisible forces that exist solely to tempt their children away from the straight and narrow. (How odd that they have such little belief in their faith that they think their children could be so easily corrupted . . .)
Quite honestly, I'm having trouble judging this book on its own merits as the topic of censorship gets my blood so a-boilin'. This is an ongoing battle with a group that WILL NOT take "If you don't like these books, DON'T READ 'EM" for an answer. Believe me - they don't want ANYBODY to read 'em. I wish I could say that the story is too heavy handed, and that the characters are too unbelievable . . . but, sorry - this one seems like it could be ripped from today's headlines.
May 21, 2013
Neil Barton hates his small town, Americus. He uses his love of books as a shield to keep the rest of the world at bay. And then his best friend's mother starts a campaign to get the Apathea Ravenchilde books, Neil's favorite series, pulled from the local library.
I'm of two minds about this book. On one hand, Reed went for the most over-the-top possible book banning scenario. And yet, that doesn't make it any less realistic of a scenario. Sure, most censorship attempts are far calmer, but if you don't think that there are people who could work themselves into an identical frenzy in real life over a middle grade fantasy series, you haven't paid attention to the extremes of the debate over Harry Potter. The censorship side of the debate in Americus could be made up entirely of direct quotes from people opposed to Harry Potter in real life. So yes, it is a realistic look at an extreme attempt at book banning that could really happen (and has happened!) in modern America. But that is really at the far, extreme edges of the issues surrounding censorship, and it lets the author present the issue as good vs. evil, when it's seldom that simple.
I was also disconcerted with how Neil's friend, Danny, was handled. Early in the book, he comes out to his parents, and is immediately shipped off. That wasn't what worried me. It's a valid plot development, if handled well. The problem is that Danny is just bundled off and largely forgotten about. When he does come up in conversation, it's usually handled fairly well. The scenes with his younger sister trying to deal with his absence are heartbreaking, and the family not dealing with the issue is probably realistic. I just wish that Danny had been given more time. As it is, he's just a pointless subplot, and I think he, and the issue, deserve more than that.
So yes, mixed feelings. I admire what the author was trying to do, but a less extreme banning attempt would have been more realistic, and let the book become more than just a lecture. I also felt like Danny's subplot wasn't given the space it deserved, which is a shame. I think Reed could have done a great job with it, if she'd actually given his story more attention. On the other hand, Apathea Ravenchilde is a great name for an epic fantasy heroine.
I'm of two minds about this book. On one hand, Reed went for the most over-the-top possible book banning scenario. And yet, that doesn't make it any less realistic of a scenario. Sure, most censorship attempts are far calmer, but if you don't think that there are people who could work themselves into an identical frenzy in real life over a middle grade fantasy series, you haven't paid attention to the extremes of the debate over Harry Potter. The censorship side of the debate in Americus could be made up entirely of direct quotes from people opposed to Harry Potter in real life. So yes, it is a realistic look at an extreme attempt at book banning that could really happen (and has happened!) in modern America. But that is really at the far, extreme edges of the issues surrounding censorship, and it lets the author present the issue as good vs. evil, when it's seldom that simple.
I was also disconcerted with how Neil's friend, Danny, was handled. Early in the book, he comes out to his parents, and is immediately shipped off. That wasn't what worried me. It's a valid plot development, if handled well. The problem is that Danny is just bundled off and largely forgotten about. When he does come up in conversation, it's usually handled fairly well. The scenes with his younger sister trying to deal with his absence are heartbreaking, and the family not dealing with the issue is probably realistic. I just wish that Danny had been given more time. As it is, he's just a pointless subplot, and I think he, and the issue, deserve more than that.
So yes, mixed feelings. I admire what the author was trying to do, but a less extreme banning attempt would have been more realistic, and let the book become more than just a lecture. I also felt like Danny's subplot wasn't given the space it deserved, which is a shame. I think Reed could have done a great job with it, if she'd actually given his story more attention. On the other hand, Apathea Ravenchilde is a great name for an epic fantasy heroine.
December 9, 2012
Trust me, just skip it. You know how you occassionally take a chance on a book that has a bouncy description in your monthly Previews comic book shop order without any knowledge of the artist or the writer? Well, I took a chance on this one and I regret it.
Artwise, everything is serviceable. Storywise, this thing blows.
The protagonist has nothing to do in his small town except read a female-centric fantasy series. I look at this character and wonder if it is the town that is boring and lifeless or if the character lacks the imagination to enjoy himself anywhere. The protagonist's best friend announces he is gay and his conservative family promptly ships him off to military school...and he hates it. Really? Cuz military school is one of the few places where they let tweens blow shit up, which should be sorta cool for a character coming from a boring small town. Plus, he's surrounded 24/7 by males who are fit and ripped -- sounds like gayboy Shangri-la to me.
The main conflict comes from the conservative parent who seeks to get the aforementioned fantasy series banned from the local library. The parent is physically shown to be a fat slob who is practically foaming at the mouth as she proclaims to be personally speaking for God at a public meeting.
M.K. Reed must have been raised on Harry Potter because the author never learned that you don't have to demonize your antagonist in every concievable way. Make them real, give them legitimate concerns and believable motivations, and your story will be much improved. There are legitimate concerns regarding the influences that children are exposed to. As a parent, I want to have a great deal of insight into what my child is reading and watching, because there are people out there who will peddle everything from smut to carcinogens to my kid without a moment's hesitation.
Annnnnnd that was about it for the book.
No interesting characters, predictable/simplistic story that never pursued the premise beyond the starting gate, and the art was nothing to write home about. Just skip it.
Artwise, everything is serviceable. Storywise, this thing blows.
The protagonist has nothing to do in his small town except read a female-centric fantasy series. I look at this character and wonder if it is the town that is boring and lifeless or if the character lacks the imagination to enjoy himself anywhere. The protagonist's best friend announces he is gay and his conservative family promptly ships him off to military school...and he hates it. Really? Cuz military school is one of the few places where they let tweens blow shit up, which should be sorta cool for a character coming from a boring small town. Plus, he's surrounded 24/7 by males who are fit and ripped -- sounds like gayboy Shangri-la to me.
The main conflict comes from the conservative parent who seeks to get the aforementioned fantasy series banned from the local library. The parent is physically shown to be a fat slob who is practically foaming at the mouth as she proclaims to be personally speaking for God at a public meeting.
M.K. Reed must have been raised on Harry Potter because the author never learned that you don't have to demonize your antagonist in every concievable way. Make them real, give them legitimate concerns and believable motivations, and your story will be much improved. There are legitimate concerns regarding the influences that children are exposed to. As a parent, I want to have a great deal of insight into what my child is reading and watching, because there are people out there who will peddle everything from smut to carcinogens to my kid without a moment's hesitation.
Annnnnnd that was about it for the book.
No interesting characters, predictable/simplistic story that never pursued the premise beyond the starting gate, and the art was nothing to write home about. Just skip it.
October 27, 2011
This one's a tough one to review. While I loved the victorious tale of a fight against book-banning, I almost felt offended at times at some of the jokes made at Christians' expense that really did nothing to further the story but rather just made all Christians look like angry raving lunatics with no regard for literature at all. I love the main character, and I love the librarian, but all the Christians in this book are horrible people, and that's not realistic at all. There are many Christians, who like me (a librarian as well), are appalled by the idea of book-banning. Overall, I love the message of this book, but I just feel like it took a few too many unnecessary jabs at Christians and lumped all Christians into the same ultra-conservative, intolerant mold.
February 27, 2022
This is perhaps a bit light, but it's intelligently written, and it deals with censorship, which is a topic I'm often interested in reading about. This is one of those coming of age stories. Neil Barton is graduating from middle school in a small Oklahoma town. He and his best friend are the class nerds, reading the latest fantasy novels and generally getting picked on. And then his friend gets sent away for the summer and then off to military school after being caught reading the latest Apathea Ravenchilde novel by his mother. She begins a campaign to have the entire series banned from the local library. As Neil begins high school, his best friend is gone, and his favorite books at the library are under attack. I don't think it's revealing too much to say that everything ends well. Neil starts to come out of his shell and make new friends and generally grow up. The Apathea books are obviously intended to recall Harry Potter. The book in general flows very well. The artwork is good, but not spectacularly so. My local library filed this as a YA title, which seems about right. Things are resolved a bit more easily than they might have been in reality, but in general I found this to be an excellent book, one that has a message, but doesn't beat you over the head with it.
July 28, 2011
We're so excited to be publishing this book for banned book day. It's got small towns and censorship and kids working in the library and helping their community! Oh, and girls in shop class.
What more could you ask for?
What more could you ask for?
February 28, 2012
Not that I'm biased or anything, but books with cool librarians who try to fend off overly-religious book challenges have a special place in my affections. The bible-thumper half of town gets up in arms about a fantasy book series, and their book-banning is the frame for a young man's journey through freshman year. Homophobia, rural drug use and single mom anxiety all make an appearance. Keep your eye on secondary characters; they seem to pop back up later.
The characters here are mostly one dimensional. A little balance would have pushed this one higher. An enjoyable, though not perfect, read.
The characters here are mostly one dimensional. A little balance would have pushed this one higher. An enjoyable, though not perfect, read.
August 1, 2011
"It breaks my heart that this is happening in another town. The Ravenchilde books are the best thing to happen to literacy practically since the alphabet was invented. I've seen kids completely transformed once they start reading Apathea. Overnight, they're avid readers. They dramatically improve in school, and become more intellectually curious. These books keep their imaginations alive. That's priceless."
Neil Barton feels like an outcast in his small town of Americus, Oklahoma. His best friend has just been sent off to military school by his ultra-religious mother, and he's faced with starting his freshman year on his own. To make matters worse, his favorite book series is being challenged by that same mother, leading to a bitter fight over intellectual freedom, and the place of books and imagination in children's lives.
I really wanted to like this book more than I did, but it just didn't work for me. Censorship is a valuable topic for YA and GNs, and this book will be released to coincide with Banned Book Week in September. But the treatment of the censorship case just seemed too heavy-handed to me; the mother who brings the challenge to the book series (which seems loosely based on the Harry Potter series) is painted as a grotesque monster, with no redeeming qualities. While there are strident voices in favor of banning/removing books, the situations are often more complex than what is presented here. I understand that the point of the book is to bring the debate over censorship to a younger reading audience, many of whom are affected by these types of debates, but it just seemed to simplistic to me. I also was offended, as a former resident of the state, by the depiction of Oklahoma as nothing more than a bunch of small-town, small-minded conservative zealots (except for Neil, his mother, and the local librarians). People like that exist everywhere. Censorship can touch any community, anywhere - the Bible Belt may be an easy target, but again, the picture of censorship is much more complicated than that. I do appreciate the fine artwork in this book, but if I'm going to try to introduce a student to censorship, I'll probably hand her Crutcher's The Sledding Hill before this one.
Neil Barton feels like an outcast in his small town of Americus, Oklahoma. His best friend has just been sent off to military school by his ultra-religious mother, and he's faced with starting his freshman year on his own. To make matters worse, his favorite book series is being challenged by that same mother, leading to a bitter fight over intellectual freedom, and the place of books and imagination in children's lives.
I really wanted to like this book more than I did, but it just didn't work for me. Censorship is a valuable topic for YA and GNs, and this book will be released to coincide with Banned Book Week in September. But the treatment of the censorship case just seemed too heavy-handed to me; the mother who brings the challenge to the book series (which seems loosely based on the Harry Potter series) is painted as a grotesque monster, with no redeeming qualities. While there are strident voices in favor of banning/removing books, the situations are often more complex than what is presented here. I understand that the point of the book is to bring the debate over censorship to a younger reading audience, many of whom are affected by these types of debates, but it just seemed to simplistic to me. I also was offended, as a former resident of the state, by the depiction of Oklahoma as nothing more than a bunch of small-town, small-minded conservative zealots (except for Neil, his mother, and the local librarians). People like that exist everywhere. Censorship can touch any community, anywhere - the Bible Belt may be an easy target, but again, the picture of censorship is much more complicated than that. I do appreciate the fine artwork in this book, but if I'm going to try to introduce a student to censorship, I'll probably hand her Crutcher's The Sledding Hill before this one.
September 27, 2013
While primarily about censorship, this graphic novel touches on other important issues, too - like what many LGBT young people face with their families. It was an interesting story, and I really enjoyed the fantasy novel interspersed with the other narrative.
I think the primary villain was a bit one-dimensional, though. I realize this is a comic book, but it seems like even in the confines of a graphic novel, we can make the villain more complex. True, these types of people do tend to be shallow, and single-minded. I've seen some of these people firsthand, and while they don't represent all Christians, they represent a lot of them. And they are the most vocal.
When we make the people we hate into caricatures, we make them less like real people, and then they are easier to hate. I'm not sure what made me start thinking of this - since fundamentalist zealots are the top of my list of people to despise, too. They are ugly, hateful, and mean. But just as they might want to paint readers of fantasy as immoral, pagan, Satan worshipers, it's not accurate to pretend they're not real people - which is what they do.
But I digress. I think the graphic novel was definitely worth reading, especially tackling some important issues. Recommended.
I think the primary villain was a bit one-dimensional, though. I realize this is a comic book, but it seems like even in the confines of a graphic novel, we can make the villain more complex. True, these types of people do tend to be shallow, and single-minded. I've seen some of these people firsthand, and while they don't represent all Christians, they represent a lot of them. And they are the most vocal.
When we make the people we hate into caricatures, we make them less like real people, and then they are easier to hate. I'm not sure what made me start thinking of this - since fundamentalist zealots are the top of my list of people to despise, too. They are ugly, hateful, and mean. But just as they might want to paint readers of fantasy as immoral, pagan, Satan worshipers, it's not accurate to pretend they're not real people - which is what they do.
But I digress. I think the graphic novel was definitely worth reading, especially tackling some important issues. Recommended.
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October 15, 2024I really enjoyed this. Yes, it's a drastically oversimplified version of the library reconsideration of materials process, and yes, the angry religious parents trying to ban a fantasy series from the town library are entirely one-dimensional. I also take issue with the librarian who claims to have personally read every book in her library (I am a librarian, and I doubt I'm in a double-digits percent on that one). However, I do not take issue with how awesome the librarian character is, or the geeky-sweet mentor-ish relationship she has with the main character - a smart, awkward, book-loving 14 year-old named Neil. I'm not sure how this book would go over with an actual teenager, but for me it was total comics comfort food, especially the scenes where the cool older kid introduces Neil to punk music for the first time and the montage of teachers' first day speeches to new high school students. It's not particularly challenging or complex, but it is really sweet and full of extremely likable people. Very gentle values-reaffirmation reading.
March 9, 2016
Excellent story, which just takes a hold of you and will not let go until the very last page. The life of a fourteen year old isn't an easy thing, especially when you need to stand up and support the thing you like most, in this case a book series, reading and libraries. Maybe the religious people were a bit overly lunaticly portrayed, but still the situation they caused rang very true (unfortunately), though those kinds of things don't happen in here at that level, fortunately. Anyway, one of the best graphic novels I've read for a while and finally I had the chance (interlibrary loans, I love you) and time to read this one, even if it was recommended to me a long ago. Worth 5 stars and multiple re-reads (read it twice already before writing this).
May 26, 2017
Wow! This graphic novel managed to be anxiety, anger and hope inducing, sad and cozy all in the same book. The sadest thing is that I can't quite shelve this here as 'dystopia'. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves reading in general..and especially if you love reading about reading and books! :)
April 30, 2017
This has to be one of the best graphic novels I've read yet. The story is told from the point of view of Neil, a teen who's on the verge of entering high school, who is shorter than most of the boys his age, and the frequent victim of bullies. The two things that save him are his friend Danny and books, especially a series of fantasy novels about a character named Apathea Ravenchilde. Unfortunately, Danny's mother discovers him reading the book and launches an intense and fanatical Christian campaign to ban the books from the library, and sends Danny away to camp and then military school to "save" him. Neil is left friendless to fight against this censorship attempt with the help of the local librarians. Reed does a good job of presenting both sides of the censorship argument, but the Christian censors definitely come out looking worse. Danny's family is depicted as unbalanced in that his mother dominates, his father seems hen-pecked, and his brother and sister are unhappy. I noticed that Danny's mother is never depicted smiling--always angry about something. I'm sure all Christians or censors are not like that. The librarians are depicted as more reasonable and calmer (generally), and I'm sure not all librarians are like that as well. I liked how Neil and other townspeople speak up for and against the books at the public meeting. One of the board members even becomes a fan of them! I had to laugh at how the board voted in the end, with some for, some against, and one who didn't seem to really care. I think that's quite realistic!
There's a lot going on here in this book. The issues of bullying and making assumptions about people without getting to know them first are also dealt with. The fact that the town is called Americus indicates that it's meant to be a microcosm of the U.S. as a whole. By the end of the book Neil has grown as a person, grown in confidence, and gained some new friends. This is a coming of age story as well as a lesson in how censorship works. I didn't expect to like this book, but was more than pleasantly surprised. I highly recommend this one, which will undoubtedly generate interesting discussion if used in a classroom or book discussion setting.
There's a lot going on here in this book. The issues of bullying and making assumptions about people without getting to know them first are also dealt with. The fact that the town is called Americus indicates that it's meant to be a microcosm of the U.S. as a whole. By the end of the book Neil has grown as a person, grown in confidence, and gained some new friends. This is a coming of age story as well as a lesson in how censorship works. I didn't expect to like this book, but was more than pleasantly surprised. I highly recommend this one, which will undoubtedly generate interesting discussion if used in a classroom or book discussion setting.
September 20, 2018
Neal Barton has two problems. One, he's a fantasy-loving smart liberal kid trapped in a scary little Christian conservative town. Two, he he has a super-negative attitude towards life. The attitude may well be an effect of the town, but as various people around him gently point out, it's keeping him from enjoying the good things there are in his life.
In fairly quick succession, three things happen to change Neal's life. His gay best friend is sent to military school by his conservative parents. (Actually a relief for the friend, honestly, given the level of conflict at home.) He starts high school, which means meeting a bunch of kids who were in other middle schools. And town politics erupt over an attack on his favorite series, The Adventures of Apathea Ravenchilde, by conservative town citizens trying to save children from the evils of witchcraft by having it removed from the library. Neal has to find the strength to do two things simultaneously: make new friends, and stand up against censorship.
I love so many of the characters here, especially Neal's mom and the town's youth librarian who is SUCH a fangirl it's not even funny. In this book, young people aren't viewed as second class citizens by the good adults, and that's refreshing. The small town politics and conservative outrage are pitch perfect, especially in the City Council meetings, which echo a lot of the arguments I remember from my time growing up in the conservative Christian suburbs of Houston, Texas.
Bonus: a gay teen character who may not have the parents he’d choose, but who does not become tragic.
In fairly quick succession, three things happen to change Neal's life. His gay best friend is sent to military school by his conservative parents. (Actually a relief for the friend, honestly, given the level of conflict at home.) He starts high school, which means meeting a bunch of kids who were in other middle schools. And town politics erupt over an attack on his favorite series, The Adventures of Apathea Ravenchilde, by conservative town citizens trying to save children from the evils of witchcraft by having it removed from the library. Neal has to find the strength to do two things simultaneously: make new friends, and stand up against censorship.
I love so many of the characters here, especially Neal's mom and the town's youth librarian who is SUCH a fangirl it's not even funny. In this book, young people aren't viewed as second class citizens by the good adults, and that's refreshing. The small town politics and conservative outrage are pitch perfect, especially in the City Council meetings, which echo a lot of the arguments I remember from my time growing up in the conservative Christian suburbs of Houston, Texas.
Bonus: a gay teen character who may not have the parents he’d choose, but who does not become tragic.
April 10, 2012
This book, clearly, had a checklist of things going for it. It was about libraries! It was about teens! It was decently drawn! (Ok just decently. I thought it was pretty derivative of Scott Pilgrim-type but slightly less manga-infused stuff. Kinda sharp and pointy but repetitive/not-challenging).
BUT GOOD LORD. When the closest thing you do to character development is make all the blonde fat people bad (and also Christian *boo hiss* .. and oh wait also homophobic!) and all the skinny black haired people great( Especially the awesome divorced mom and the brilliant and intelligent and precocious librarian!). I mean yes, they do seem like decent people, and awesome in their way, but also, they are just as one-dimensional as the bad guys.
So the premise is that there's a book about a witch-dragon-fantasy lady that all the kids are crazy about (a stand-in for Harry Potter) and that some of the ladies in this sad little Oklahoma town decide to protest it with all of their religious vitriol--as a reviewer the comic is some librarian's idea of an after-school special about banned books. Ill-considered and a lousy, absolutely un-nuanced argument against censorship. A convincing argument against censorship is that everyone should be allowed to say and read and think what they want, not that people who think some things are obscene or offensive are stupid idiots. Even if they are -- it's not really the lesson to teach the kids.
Ah well. Not surprised. I'd love to see a good story for kids about censorship sometime.
BUT GOOD LORD. When the closest thing you do to character development is make all the blonde fat people bad (and also Christian *boo hiss* .. and oh wait also homophobic!) and all the skinny black haired people great( Especially the awesome divorced mom and the brilliant and intelligent and precocious librarian!). I mean yes, they do seem like decent people, and awesome in their way, but also, they are just as one-dimensional as the bad guys.
So the premise is that there's a book about a witch-dragon-fantasy lady that all the kids are crazy about (a stand-in for Harry Potter) and that some of the ladies in this sad little Oklahoma town decide to protest it with all of their religious vitriol--as a reviewer the comic is some librarian's idea of an after-school special about banned books. Ill-considered and a lousy, absolutely un-nuanced argument against censorship. A convincing argument against censorship is that everyone should be allowed to say and read and think what they want, not that people who think some things are obscene or offensive are stupid idiots. Even if they are -- it's not really the lesson to teach the kids.
Ah well. Not surprised. I'd love to see a good story for kids about censorship sometime.
February 5, 2016
M.K. Reedin ja Jonathan Hillin "Americus" (First Second, 2011) on sarjakuva Americuksen oikkukaupungista, joka sijaitsee jossakin Yhdysvaltain sydänmailla. Neil Barton -niminen nuorukainen on yläastetta lopetteleva kirjatoukka, joka ystävänsä kanssa pakenee ahdistavaa arkea kirjastoon.
Erityisen suosittu on Apathea Ravenchilde -velhosta kertova fantasiakirjasarja (jossa muuten loitsut ovat suomenkielisiä), mutta valitettavasti uskonnolliset fundamentalistit tahtoisivat kieltää sen saatananpalvontana ja nuoria mieliä turmelevana saastana. Niinpä Neil joutuukin paikallisen kirjastonhoitajan käymään taisteluun sensuuria vastaan.
Sarjakuvassa kuvataan mukavasti neljätoistavuotiaan elämää, koulunkäyntiä ja ihmissuhteita pikkukaupungissa, josta on päästävä pois ennen kuin on liian myöhäistä, vähän samaan tapaan kuin Bruce Springsteenin lauluissa.
Fantasiakirjojen kieltämistä vastustavat fundamentalistit kuvataan ehkä vähän yksiulotteisina hahmona, mutta joka tapauksessa pidin kokonaisuudesta hyvinkin paljon, ehkä osin myös tuon kirjastoulottuvuuden ja sensuurinvastaisuuden vuoksi. Suomalaisesta kirjastonäkökulmasta tämänkaltainen tapahtumaketju voi toki tuntua hieman äärimmäiseltä, mutta koskettaa moinen myös meidän kotimaista ammattikuntaamme, vaikka yleisemmällä tasolla.
Kahden lukukerran jälkeen täytyy sanoa, että "Americuksesta" on tullut yksi suosikkisarjakuvistani. Lisäksi voisi todeta, että sano First Second kun haluat hyvää. Kyseinen kustantamo tekee selvästi jotakin oikein kun sen kupeista kumpuaa jatkuvalla syötöllä näin mainioita julkaisuja.
Erityisen suosittu on Apathea Ravenchilde -velhosta kertova fantasiakirjasarja (jossa muuten loitsut ovat suomenkielisiä), mutta valitettavasti uskonnolliset fundamentalistit tahtoisivat kieltää sen saatananpalvontana ja nuoria mieliä turmelevana saastana. Niinpä Neil joutuukin paikallisen kirjastonhoitajan käymään taisteluun sensuuria vastaan.
Sarjakuvassa kuvataan mukavasti neljätoistavuotiaan elämää, koulunkäyntiä ja ihmissuhteita pikkukaupungissa, josta on päästävä pois ennen kuin on liian myöhäistä, vähän samaan tapaan kuin Bruce Springsteenin lauluissa.
Fantasiakirjojen kieltämistä vastustavat fundamentalistit kuvataan ehkä vähän yksiulotteisina hahmona, mutta joka tapauksessa pidin kokonaisuudesta hyvinkin paljon, ehkä osin myös tuon kirjastoulottuvuuden ja sensuurinvastaisuuden vuoksi. Suomalaisesta kirjastonäkökulmasta tämänkaltainen tapahtumaketju voi toki tuntua hieman äärimmäiseltä, mutta koskettaa moinen myös meidän kotimaista ammattikuntaamme, vaikka yleisemmällä tasolla.
Kahden lukukerran jälkeen täytyy sanoa, että "Americuksesta" on tullut yksi suosikkisarjakuvistani. Lisäksi voisi todeta, että sano First Second kun haluat hyvää. Kyseinen kustantamo tekee selvästi jotakin oikein kun sen kupeista kumpuaa jatkuvalla syötöllä näin mainioita julkaisuja.
January 27, 2015
I liked this. It was cute, and really funny at times. I thought it was endearing seeing our main character grow up, and defend his beloved book. I also thought his friendship with the librarian was really cute, also with his mom. I feel like this graphic novel just was really heart-warming for me, especially at the end when everyone was talking about why books are important to them. Before the end I probably would have given it a 2, because I wasn't necessarily interested during the whole thing, and I feel like some of the topics could have been expanded on a lot more, but I think by the end it had a nice message about literature so I did like that about it.
Recommend?- Hmm, I'm not sure. I don't think I would go out of my way to recommend this to people, but if they are a book lover like myself, I probably would.
Recommend?- Hmm, I'm not sure. I don't think I would go out of my way to recommend this to people, but if they are a book lover like myself, I probably would.
February 5, 2016
Admittedly, I read this a while ago. I don't even recall when, but I saw this getting poor reviews, and I just wanted to say that when I read this book, I loved it. It was first available online, but I ended up buying the print edition, because I enjoyed it so much. Unfortunately, so did my daughter, who took it off to college with her.
The story is of a boy who is reading a novel (as sort of series like Harry Potter, but with women who are powerful) that the local town parents think is too dangerous for the children to read.
So the boy has to join up with the library and fight the censorship.
I thought it was quite well done. At the time, unlike what some of the reviewers are saying, that the "bad-guys" are too black and white, I actually found I had some sympathy for the parents. They were reading into the story what they felt was bad for children.
The story is of a boy who is reading a novel (as sort of series like Harry Potter, but with women who are powerful) that the local town parents think is too dangerous for the children to read.
So the boy has to join up with the library and fight the censorship.
I thought it was quite well done. At the time, unlike what some of the reviewers are saying, that the "bad-guys" are too black and white, I actually found I had some sympathy for the parents. They were reading into the story what they felt was bad for children.
December 7, 2013
I think that this book portrayed a modernized view of what has been happening since the start of time. People have been trying to convert people to their religion. I sometimes ponder whether radical Christians really follow the bible themselves. They go through lengthy protests of shouting and bickering, but do they really ultimately follow Jesus themselves? I think that we, humans, are always unknowingly trying to cling to something like Jesus to feel that we are not going to wither away, not going to end up in a fairy-tale dream land because of our good deeds. We all want to be rewarded. Read this book.
July 4, 2011
A mostly unsuccessful attempt to poke fun at book banning. Too heavy-handed to be effective.
July 1, 2015
4.5/5 Stars
I happened to read this book during Banned Books Week. Coincidence? Maybe. Effective? Definitely.
This is a fantastic story of a young boy, Neil, who has to stand up for the only thing he's ever believed in: books. Not only do we get to see the arguments of Christian extremists as they try to ban an epic saga of YA fantasy novels, but we get to see how one story has the power to connect people of all ages for a wide variety of reasons. Interspersed between all of this, Neil is struggling through losing his best friend to military school, braving his freshman year in a school full of people he doesn't know, and witnessing firsthand the apathy prevalent in the education system. As if all of that weren't enough, this graphic novel also includes excerpts from the series that the conservative parents are so determined to ban.
There were so many facets of this story, and they were all done well. There's passion, pain, and honesty within the panels of this graphic novel--and it all shines through. Neil's coming-of-age story--the story of a young misfit who finds salvation from ignorance and hardship within the written word--is real and relatable. The audience really gets a good feel for the mentality of his small town and how suffocating it can be. At the same time, readers get to watch as he gradually comes into his own, branches out, and becomes the hero of his own story.
Additionally, the artwork in Americus was bold and wonderfully detailed. There were great transitions between Neil's story and the excerpts from the [doubly] fictional Adventures of Apathea Ravenchilde series. There was great distinction between the two contrasting artworks, and as a result they flowed from one to the next seamlessly.
All in all, this book takes a lot of complex ideas and combines them all harmoniously in a way that will resonate with amy avid reader. Not only does it show a young protagonist battling against adversity and against those more powerful and influential than him, but it shows how deeply books can affect the lives of their readers. I enjoyed it immensely, and I look forward to reading it again in the future.
I happened to read this book during Banned Books Week. Coincidence? Maybe. Effective? Definitely.
This is a fantastic story of a young boy, Neil, who has to stand up for the only thing he's ever believed in: books. Not only do we get to see the arguments of Christian extremists as they try to ban an epic saga of YA fantasy novels, but we get to see how one story has the power to connect people of all ages for a wide variety of reasons. Interspersed between all of this, Neil is struggling through losing his best friend to military school, braving his freshman year in a school full of people he doesn't know, and witnessing firsthand the apathy prevalent in the education system. As if all of that weren't enough, this graphic novel also includes excerpts from the series that the conservative parents are so determined to ban.
There were so many facets of this story, and they were all done well. There's passion, pain, and honesty within the panels of this graphic novel--and it all shines through. Neil's coming-of-age story--the story of a young misfit who finds salvation from ignorance and hardship within the written word--is real and relatable. The audience really gets a good feel for the mentality of his small town and how suffocating it can be. At the same time, readers get to watch as he gradually comes into his own, branches out, and becomes the hero of his own story.
Additionally, the artwork in Americus was bold and wonderfully detailed. There were great transitions between Neil's story and the excerpts from the [doubly] fictional Adventures of Apathea Ravenchilde series. There was great distinction between the two contrasting artworks, and as a result they flowed from one to the next seamlessly.
All in all, this book takes a lot of complex ideas and combines them all harmoniously in a way that will resonate with amy avid reader. Not only does it show a young protagonist battling against adversity and against those more powerful and influential than him, but it shows how deeply books can affect the lives of their readers. I enjoyed it immensely, and I look forward to reading it again in the future.
January 6, 2013
This is, without exaggeration, high among the best graphic novels I’ve ever read, and I’ve been reading them for decades.
For starters, Hill’s art is remarkably expressive and evocative, with loads of telling detail packed into each panel. He uses a crisp, clear style that keeps our eyes on the page and ensures that the story moves at an appropriately swift clip.
And what a brilliant, openhearted, beautiful story Reed tells us. It ostensibly details the battle that ensues in a small, largely conservative Oklahoma town over whether or not the hugely popular, Harry Potter-ish Apathea Ravenchilde books should be removed from the library on the grounds of obscenity. Our 14-year-old hero, Neil Barton, is fighting to save Apathea, while his best friend’s mom stubbornly spearheads the opposition.
Mainly, though, the book’s about Neil’s coming of age—a coming of age that’s both wholly unique to him and, I suspect, intimately familiar to legions of readers his age (and older) who will recognize his point of view and his place in life.
Reed skillfully intercuts Neil’s struggles with censorship, small-minded people, and the terrors of freshman year in high school with scenes from the stories of Apathea, herself, and it’s not difficult to view Apathea’s tenuously formed bonds with friends and family, and her battles with armies of ignorant dragons, as symbolic of what Neil’s experiencing in the real world, and what he’s striving to escape by submerging himself into the Ravenchilde series.
Reed’s tale is hilarious, gripping, affecting, and ultimately upbeat. It made me want to order up a crate full of these books and pass them out to everybody I know—all my students, all my friends, and (especially) all those people who tend to view graphic novels as inferior works of literature.
I’d gladly put “Americus” up against any young adult novel written in the past three years. It rules.
For starters, Hill’s art is remarkably expressive and evocative, with loads of telling detail packed into each panel. He uses a crisp, clear style that keeps our eyes on the page and ensures that the story moves at an appropriately swift clip.
And what a brilliant, openhearted, beautiful story Reed tells us. It ostensibly details the battle that ensues in a small, largely conservative Oklahoma town over whether or not the hugely popular, Harry Potter-ish Apathea Ravenchilde books should be removed from the library on the grounds of obscenity. Our 14-year-old hero, Neil Barton, is fighting to save Apathea, while his best friend’s mom stubbornly spearheads the opposition.
Mainly, though, the book’s about Neil’s coming of age—a coming of age that’s both wholly unique to him and, I suspect, intimately familiar to legions of readers his age (and older) who will recognize his point of view and his place in life.
Reed skillfully intercuts Neil’s struggles with censorship, small-minded people, and the terrors of freshman year in high school with scenes from the stories of Apathea, herself, and it’s not difficult to view Apathea’s tenuously formed bonds with friends and family, and her battles with armies of ignorant dragons, as symbolic of what Neil’s experiencing in the real world, and what he’s striving to escape by submerging himself into the Ravenchilde series.
Reed’s tale is hilarious, gripping, affecting, and ultimately upbeat. It made me want to order up a crate full of these books and pass them out to everybody I know—all my students, all my friends, and (especially) all those people who tend to view graphic novels as inferior works of literature.
I’d gladly put “Americus” up against any young adult novel written in the past three years. It rules.
November 8, 2011
When Neal’s best friend, Danny, is caught reading the latest release in The Adventures of Apathea Ravenchilde series he is sent to military school (the announcement at dinner that he is gay probably adds to that decision, too). His mother doesn’t think that is enough though and decides to try and save all the people in Americus, Oklahoma from the “smut” being housed in the public library.
Neal gets a good look at both sides of the censorship issue when he becomes a page at the local library. There is gets to spend time doing what he loves – talking about books. Normally a very quiet guy, Neal is forced to take a stand in order to save the town from the overexcited censors.
I really wanted to like this book. Censorship is very close to my heart seeing as I lived through a similar experience in 2009 with Ellen Hopkins. I don’t like how the graphic novel portrayed Oklahomans being as I am one myself. The mother leading the challenge and a lot of her underlings were totally over the top. I’m sure the author did that to get the point across, but it just seemed too much. Also, in a heated debate over the book at the very beginning of the story, Danny admits to his mother he is gay. This turns out to be a unnecessary plot element because we never hear of it again. In fact, in the way the argument was written he could have just said that to get his mother even more riled up. Who knows.
This is a simplistic view of a book challenge, but might shed some light on the process for people who don’t know what goes on when someone disagrees with materials in a library collection. I, personally, would have liked to see the challenge set in a school library instead of the public sector.
Neal gets a good look at both sides of the censorship issue when he becomes a page at the local library. There is gets to spend time doing what he loves – talking about books. Normally a very quiet guy, Neal is forced to take a stand in order to save the town from the overexcited censors.
I really wanted to like this book. Censorship is very close to my heart seeing as I lived through a similar experience in 2009 with Ellen Hopkins. I don’t like how the graphic novel portrayed Oklahomans being as I am one myself. The mother leading the challenge and a lot of her underlings were totally over the top. I’m sure the author did that to get the point across, but it just seemed too much. Also, in a heated debate over the book at the very beginning of the story, Danny admits to his mother he is gay. This turns out to be a unnecessary plot element because we never hear of it again. In fact, in the way the argument was written he could have just said that to get his mother even more riled up. Who knows.
This is a simplistic view of a book challenge, but might shed some light on the process for people who don’t know what goes on when someone disagrees with materials in a library collection. I, personally, would have liked to see the challenge set in a school library instead of the public sector.
June 13, 2018
Americus is one of the best graphic novels I have read in recent years. I have been meaning to read it for nearly five years, so I am glad I finally managed to catch up with it today. Set in the ficticious town of Americus, the plot centres around a young guy, Neil, who has just started high school in the US (Year 9) and his life. Neil and his best friend, Danny, are ardent fans of a book series called The Adventures of Apathea Ravenchilde (a thinly veiled Harry Potter lookalike). Danny's mum is, in the Australian vernacular, a God botherer. She takes it upon herself to "save" Danny from the satanic evils of witchcraft by tearing up the latest installment in the series in front of the local public librarian and then sends Danny to military school so he won't risk being exposed to the wickedness Americus' public library. Parents, town officials, school management and the kids square off against one another in various combinations as the fight for the right to read starts a battle for the ages. Neil is a perfectly pitched character - embarrassed by his own mum's fussing, but grateful for her support when he needs it most; awkward around most people, but starting to find his tribe by the close of proceedings. I loved every page of this fantastic book. There is plenty to say here, and clearly the writer is firmly on the side of reading freedom, but there is room for discussion with young people around the issues this raises. Karma is handed out to all - and the ultimate irony of Danny's banishment by his mother when he writes to Neil about what he is reading is sweet perfection.
An instant classic and suitable for ages 12 and up.
An instant classic and suitable for ages 12 and up.
October 6, 2011
Neil and Danny are growing up in a small American town. Their favorite books are a fantasy series called The Adventures of Apathea Ravenchilde. Unfortunately, Danny's mother hates the series, and forbids Danny to read it, saying that reading about witches is blasphemous. When he's caught reading the newest book, Danny gets set off to military school, and now Danny's mother is trying to get the town library to ban the whole series.
When I first heard about this book, I was intrigued but cautious. I wanted to know how it was going to be handled. Was it all just going to be a gigantic stereotype with crazy religious fanatics trying to ban fantasy books because they might lead the children astray? And yeah, it pretty much was. But as I read it, I was thinking, "Well, it's certainly the extreme, but that doesn't make it untrue." Because sadly, in some places, this totally happens to the kind of extremes portrayed in the book. Harry Potter, anyone (which I assume is what Apathea Ravenchilde is suppose to parallel)? There were absolutely groups that tried to get Harry Potter banned because learning about witchcraft was satanic and it was going to turn the children into worshipers of Satan. It's sad and unfortunate, but it's true. So yes, an extreme picture of someone who is religious and intolerant of other people is shown, but I don't think it was an untrue point to make.
When I first heard about this book, I was intrigued but cautious. I wanted to know how it was going to be handled. Was it all just going to be a gigantic stereotype with crazy religious fanatics trying to ban fantasy books because they might lead the children astray? And yeah, it pretty much was. But as I read it, I was thinking, "Well, it's certainly the extreme, but that doesn't make it untrue." Because sadly, in some places, this totally happens to the kind of extremes portrayed in the book. Harry Potter, anyone (which I assume is what Apathea Ravenchilde is suppose to parallel)? There were absolutely groups that tried to get Harry Potter banned because learning about witchcraft was satanic and it was going to turn the children into worshipers of Satan. It's sad and unfortunate, but it's true. So yes, an extreme picture of someone who is religious and intolerant of other people is shown, but I don't think it was an untrue point to make.
September 6, 2011
Neal is your typical fourteen-year-old fantasy-reader in rural Oklahoma--quiet, self-effaced, nose always in a book. He reads fantasy because it allows him to experience justice in ways real life doesn't, especially as his best friend Danny is being shipped off to military school just before the start of ninth grade.
Danny's extremely vocal and conservative mother leads a contingent to ban the most popular fantasy series at the library on the grounds that it has corrupted her son. Pertinent to current issues, especially since coverage of the Republic, MO banning of Slaughterhouse Five and Twenty Boy Summer is still alive and kicking in the news (sadly, with more book ban battles to come this fall), Americus is a good introduction to some of these issues to the kids being affected by them.
The problem is that, while it's well-drawn and executed, it's a tad too preachy and literal. It feels like it was written just for fantasy readers like Neal and youth services librarians like Charlotte. They never feel like characters in their own right, merely mouthpieces for the views supported by the authors (and anyone else who encourages the reading of this graphic novel). It's a good thing I agree with their viewpoint.
Danny's extremely vocal and conservative mother leads a contingent to ban the most popular fantasy series at the library on the grounds that it has corrupted her son. Pertinent to current issues, especially since coverage of the Republic, MO banning of Slaughterhouse Five and Twenty Boy Summer is still alive and kicking in the news (sadly, with more book ban battles to come this fall), Americus is a good introduction to some of these issues to the kids being affected by them.
The problem is that, while it's well-drawn and executed, it's a tad too preachy and literal. It feels like it was written just for fantasy readers like Neal and youth services librarians like Charlotte. They never feel like characters in their own right, merely mouthpieces for the views supported by the authors (and anyone else who encourages the reading of this graphic novel). It's a good thing I agree with their viewpoint.
May 7, 2012
First a qualifier - I think graphic novels are just not my genre. I try reading them because my kids love them so much, but I think I still don't "get" them. The only ones I have really liked are the historical ones, like Maus and Persepolis.
This book was about a couple of teen boys and their love of a fantasy book series. This series ends up causing a lot of controversy in his small Oklahoma town of Americus. One boy gets sent away to boarding school to get him away from "corrupting influences." The other boy is left behind when the book is challenged by the people in the community who want it to be removed from the library.
As I librarian, I know this scenario happens all too often. However, I think this novel creates extreme caricatures of the people who want to remove the book. People have very complex and nuanced reasons for wanting books removed, and I felt like this book belittled those feelings. I also felt that the book took cheap shots at conservative Christians and people living in "flyover country."
The two main characters were outcasts in their town, and I would have liked some of the side plots developed more. Even the supportive relationship between the boy Neil and the librarian could have been given more depth.
This book was about a couple of teen boys and their love of a fantasy book series. This series ends up causing a lot of controversy in his small Oklahoma town of Americus. One boy gets sent away to boarding school to get him away from "corrupting influences." The other boy is left behind when the book is challenged by the people in the community who want it to be removed from the library.
As I librarian, I know this scenario happens all too often. However, I think this novel creates extreme caricatures of the people who want to remove the book. People have very complex and nuanced reasons for wanting books removed, and I felt like this book belittled those feelings. I also felt that the book took cheap shots at conservative Christians and people living in "flyover country."
The two main characters were outcasts in their town, and I would have liked some of the side plots developed more. Even the supportive relationship between the boy Neil and the librarian could have been given more depth.
August 4, 2015
With a complimentary cover, Americus is a town in middle America that is dealing with a book challenge. Christian families are up-in-arms about a young adult book series with un-Christian themes and they want it banned. But a public library, their librarian, and a boy are willing to stand up for their fREADom to read.
I enjoyed the political sides of the struggle, the conundrum of a Board in making a decision while hearing both sides, and all those willing to stand up for their beliefs (on both sides, actually). With a slice of Americana, the book does well to simply highlight a tragedy of rights if a minority tries to disallow something that others should have access to.
Well-rounded and thoughtful, the fantastical elements of pieces of the fictional story inside the story make it creative and the segments about bullying and school (middle school 'graduation' to the transition to high school) demonstrates a firm hold on what goes on that paints a great picture, literally and figuratively.
I enjoyed the political sides of the struggle, the conundrum of a Board in making a decision while hearing both sides, and all those willing to stand up for their beliefs (on both sides, actually). With a slice of Americana, the book does well to simply highlight a tragedy of rights if a minority tries to disallow something that others should have access to.
Well-rounded and thoughtful, the fantastical elements of pieces of the fictional story inside the story make it creative and the segments about bullying and school (middle school 'graduation' to the transition to high school) demonstrates a firm hold on what goes on that paints a great picture, literally and figuratively.
May 12, 2012
Americus is graphic novel about a teenager making his way through a world of competing moralities, but without much ambiguity about which side might be right. The way the characters are drawn tells half the story and either (1) reveals the authors/artists' own prejudices or (2) tells you how our hero is experiencing them. I prefer to think of it as the latter, because the former just makes me feel too manipulated, like the pro-Christian comics I used to read as a kid, except with an opposite bias. It reminded me of the anti-Darwin comic I had as a kid, in which the science teacher was clearly a smarmy character with a comb-over, who you wouldn't want to meet alone in the lab. Americus features, as its villain, an overweight, over-loud Christian mother-from-hell who denies her son's homosexuality and thinks she is protecting her children by campaigning to ban the latest fantasy series at the local library. But, of course, subtlety may not be the strong point of graphic novels.
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