Awol
Awol
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Orca Books
Annotation: In this graphic novel for middle readers, everyone in eleven-year-old Leah's family is affected by her father's PTSD.
 
Reviews: 1
Catalog Number: #6752149
Format: Paperback
Special Formats: Graphic Novel Graphic Novel
Publisher: Orca Books
Copyright Date: 2022
Edition Date: 2022 Release Date: 10/18/22
Pages: 215 pages
ISBN: 1-459-82839-9
ISBN 13: 978-1-459-82839-1
Dewey: Fic
LCCN: 2021941347
Dimensions: 23 cm
Language: English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews

Moving is hard, but so is staying still while others move on.Middle schooler Leah lives in an Army neighborhood, where one of the signs of spring near the base is the appearance of for-sale signs in front of houses. Eleven-year-old Leah has already moved five times, but this year, she gets to stay put. Instead her best friend, Sam, is leaving for Edmonton, and Leah's summer and upcoming birthday look bleak. Her father has come back on leave, but the family knows to tread carefully when he's around. His moods are unpredictable: Sometimes he seems fine, sometimes he's withdrawn, and sometimes his temper is explosive. Leah is nervous since her mom and older sister will both be away-her sister working as a camp counselor and her mom in Army Reserve training. The only interesting thing to occur is a camper parked in a nearby driveway belonging to a girl named Cecilia who is housesitting with her mom. This graphic novel explores some tough realities for Army families, though many readers will be able to identify with friends' moving away. The portrayal of Leah's relationship with her father is nuanced, although the abrupt conclusion does it a disservice. His PTSD symptoms manifest as shouting and breaking objects. The inviting art is classic comic-strip style with sturdy lines and soft color washes. Leah's family is White; Sam's reads White and Black, and Cecilia and her mom are Wolastoqiyik.Thoughtful slice-of-life realness. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)

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Kirkus Reviews
Reading Level: 3.0
Interest Level: 4-7

A moving graphic novel, AWOL explores the realities of PTSD from a kid's perspective. The book includes an author's note and kid-friendly mental health resources.

As a military child, eleven-year-old Leah moves...a lot. But this summer she will be the one left behind when her best friends family is reassigned. To make matters worse, her mother will be away for training, leaving Leah at home with her father, who has just returned from deployment. When a new girl moves into her neighborhood, Leah must navigate the ups and downs of making a new friend while avoiding her fathers unpredictable mood swings.

Praise for We Wear Masks, winner of the Alice Kitts Memorial Award for Excellence in Children's Writing 2020:

A timely book. The engaging rhymes and beautiful illustrations representing diverse community members, show readers different reasons masks are worn.The Toronto Star

A book for the moment in which we find ourselves, and it offers a ready avenue for opening discussions with our children about what is occurring in the world around them. Recommended.CM: Canadian Review of Materials


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