Muhammad Najem, War Reporter

YA nonfiction graphic novel 

     A lot of adults consider graphic novels to be fluff akin to the comics of my childhood days.  True, some are.  But many of today's offerings are the most badass truth tellers you can find.  Muhhamad Najem and Nora Neus' Muhammad Najeem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria is a prime example.  

     As the narrative starts in 2011 very young Muhammad is in his father's carpentry shop, a place he's always felt safe.  Then Assad's soldiers come to town.  His father must explain some very difficult truths.  As dangerous as Assad's soldiers are, the mukhabarat, the secret police, are even more so.  They could be anyone--even street peddlers.  They must never speak badly of Assad because "Even the walls are listening."

     Pretty soon Muhammad's life takes on a hellish quality.  His family home is demolished.  Death begins to rain from the skies as air strikes become common.  His beloved father is killed while praying in a mosque.  

     Muhammad's older brother, Firas, begins shooting war news footage for the outside world interviewing people whose lives are impacted.  "I want to show how the conflict impacts average people.  The powerful people are making all the decisions, but we have to live with the consequences."

     Muhammad decides to use his phone and social media to show the impact of the war on children and demand that the world listen and care.  His family stands behind him despite all the peril.  

     The decision to use the graphic novel format is genius.  Julie Robine's artwork really helps to bring the narrative to life and get readers to care.

     I'd highly recommend this powerful narrative to readers in the target demographic and way beyond.  Most adults in the United States have no clue what's going on in Syria.  We need to know.  We need to care.  We need to do something.

     Forget the snobbery which tells us that only pictureless volumes are adult books.  Printed words and pictures are processed in different parts of the brain.  So combining them gives twice as much information.

     If there is a teen in your life this would make a great last minute gift.  If you can afford to do so, your library might be in need of a copy.

Jules Hathaway 

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