Spinning by Tillie Walden

Spinning is a graphic memoir that is the coming of age and coming out story of author and illustrator Tillie Walden. For twelve years Tillie would wake up before dawn to get to the ice rink, first on the Jersey shore, and then in Texas.  After her figure skating lessons, Tillie would go to school and then to synchronized skating practice. In Walden’s visual narrative we see the effort, struggle and stress that accompany her athletic and social experiences.

Spinning is one of those books you may devour in one sitting if given the time (it is, after all, close to 400 pages long). While ostensibly about one girl’s experiences as a young competitive figure and synchronized skater, the story covers a much larger terrain, and will therefore appeal to many readers of both graphic novels (such as Mariko Tamaki’s ThisOne Summer), and traditional realistic fiction (works by Laurie HalseAnderson). The work also very much captures the zeitgeist of this period of stressed out teens and of increased awareness of sexual assault and harassment. Recommended. 2017.

Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller, by Joseph Lambert

Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller

This is an engaging and moving graphic novel about Annie Sullivan, describing, in flashbacks, her tragical childhood of loss and deprivation, her own partial blindness, and then her acclaimed work as Helen Keller's teacher.

Joseph Lambert created a special cartoon style--wordless, in mostly gray and black, and using simple human forms without visual details--for the period during which Helen, up to about age 8, had no language whatsoever, due to her blindness and deafness. These pages are interwoven with detailed, colorful pages showing what else is happening at the same time (such as conversations between Helen's parents and Annie), that Helen is not aware of.

Those of us familiar with some of the conventional biographies of Helen Keller will recognize these scenes, such as Helen running around her family's breakfast table, helping herself to everyone's plate, grabbing and eating their eggs. A strong pair of arms, which we know must be Annie's arms, are shown restraining Helen, repeatedly, making her sit in a chair, and hold a spoon, which Helen endlessly resists.

There is the well-known scene at a water pump, in which Helen finally understands what Annie has so long been trying to teach her--that the word for "water" represents water. And so Helen acquires language, which transforms her life. After this, their relationship deepens, and becomes a flourishing and life-long friendship and collaboration.

This beautiful book is very highly recommended.   2012.

K. Muhm