The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett-266 pages

This is the story of Mary Lennox, who as a young girl lives in India with her neglectful, selfish parents. An Ayah (Indian servant) attends to Mary's every need and Mary is kept out of sight of her parents and their friends. When tragedy strikes and her parents and Ayah all die of Cholera, Mary is sent to England to live at her reclusive uncle's (Mr. Archibald Craven) estate, Misslethwaite Manor. It is here that Mary finds a secret locked garden and slowly transforms from a bratty, selfish child to a mature young woman. She befriends Martha (her maid, sort of), Dickon, Ben Weatherstaff, a robin, and Colin Craven (her cousin). Colin also makes a miraculous change from a spoiled hypochondriac who lays in bed all day feeling sorry for himself to someone who is full of energy and runs around the secret garden. One thing in the book that I enjoyed that wasn't in any movie adaptation that I've seen is Dickon's and Martha's mom, Susan Sowerby. She plays a big role in helping Colin and Mary get well in the book and I enjoyed her character. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I have enjoyed 2 out of the 3 movie adaptations that I've seen, also.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) by Marjane Satrapi

 Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) by Marjane Satrapi-153 pages

This is the story of Marjane Satrapi and her childhood in Iran. She grew up during the Iranian Revolution (aka the Islamic Revolution) of 1978-1979. A couple of years later Iran and Iraq were at war. Atrocities abounded both during and after the Iranian Revolution. The regime installed after the revolution was an extremely repressive Islamic government. Veils now had to be worn and worn properly by women. Parties, playing cards, tapes, records, and the like were banned. Men were encouraged to grow long beards and to never wear ties. Anyone found in violation of these new rules could be arrested and executed. Both Marjane and her mother had scary run-ins with patrols on behalf of the regime. Many died both during the revolution and the subsequent war and Marjane saw some of it first-hand. Bombings were frequent during the war. When Marjane turned fourteen, her parents sent her to Vienna, Austria to attend a French school (she had attended French schools in Tehran, Iran) out of concern for her safety in Iran. I didn't know much about the Iranian Revolution or the history of Iran before reading this graphic novel, but I learned quite a bit from reading this. It's not necessarily an enjoyable read, but it is an important read. 

Yotsuba&!, v.3-5 by Kiyohiko Azuma

Yotsuba&!, v. 3 by Kiyohiko Azuma - 184 pages
Yotsuba&!, v. 4 by Kiyohiko Azuma - 192 pages
Yotsuba&!, v. 5 by Kiyohiko Azuma - 216 pages

Yotsuba passes out flowers to the neighborhood, goes fishing for the first time, learns to ride a bike, visits the beach, and more.
This is a really cute manga series appropriate for kids, teens and adults.

The Squirrel Mother, by Megan Kelso

The Squirrel Mother, by Megan Kelso, 136 pages

This was a series of short stories related in graphic form.  It was less of a cohesive story or even a selection of short stories, and more like vignettes depicting a single memory, a single emotion, or a single event.  One story was about a girl staying with her aunt, but then getting locked out as her aunt apparently had a mental break; another was about a squirrel mother who decided that she just couldn't take care of her squirrel babies anymore.  Elements remind me of the works of Lynda Barry (but just elements, because Lynda Barry is the greatest person in the entire world and no one is as good as her).  I would say this is probably more for older teens or adults.

The Zabime Sisters, by Aristophane

The Zabime Sisters, by Aristophane, 96 pages

This was a pretty simple read- the Zabime sisters are three young girls growing up in Guadaloupe, an island in the Caribbean.  They spend their summer days like many sisters- trying to stay out of the house so they don't get assigned chores, having adventures with friends that appear tame in retrospect but seemed epic at the time, and enjoying childhood.  It was sweet in its innocence, without being cheesy.

One Hundred Demons, by Lynda Barry

One Hundred Demons, by Lynda Barry, 224 pages

This is a collection of comic strips, each laid out in Barry's collage- meets watercolors- meets legal pad- style.  Each story addresses one of Barry's "demons," from getting headlice with an ex-boyfriend who reminds her of her mother, to remembering the smells of each household from childhood. Each story is incredibly relate-able, and often painfully so.  I know I remember a time when I thought I was a cool dancer, or when age was not important between friends- Barry isolates the moment when someone else changes our outlook- usually for the worse.