The Breadwinner Graphic Novel (The Breadwinner Collection)

Well illustrated and moving storyline. Never get bored reading it over and over again. Shows we are privileged to live a life without hardship

Having come at this graphic novel with fresh eyes, not having read either the original novel or seen the movie adaptation, I can truly say, due to the context this is not a tale you can easily enjoy but one that will deeply move and inspire you, through it’s evident emphasis on the insightful differences of another culture and the consequences of an oppressive rule upon its people, especially when viewed with regard to women’s rights and in this case the harrowing lack of them. A potent tale about a time, in the not so distant past, that allows a realistic glimpse into Afghanistan, its struggles - derived from a history shrouded in unrest, oppression and hardships - and ultimately how one little girl shrives to overcome her country’s severe restrictions - through sheer willpower, resilience and defiant determination.A moving and eye-opening tale where the small acts of kindness and moments of fleeting happiness are all the more potent as it ultimately emphasises a profound and stark contrast to the everyday life and struggles of women in Afghanistan, through the consequence of being perceived merely as property by men, in blatant comparison to the advancements in women’s rights in the western world.Beautifully drawn illustrations that cleverly use colour to highlight mood, which is all the more evidently reflected in the vibrancy of the colours used to depict the brief moments of hope and the freedom Parvana feels in the guise of a boy, in comparison to the dull mudded tones used to portray her everyday life.Recommended for junior school children aged 8+ years due to the easy to read and follow content which reflects a powerful message that will wholeheartedly inspire and undoubtedly educate all by providing a small window into the customs and culture of a country that has seen such destruction and torment.A courageous story that will stay with you long after the last page is turned!!

Based on the movie more than the original novel, this graphic novel lifts its graphics from the movie, and adds dialogue. The result is a beautiful-looking piece of work, keyed in a dusty brown colour palette redolent of the region in in which the story is set. Graphically I found the style a little out of balance, with the characters being very simply drawn, and the backgrounds more detailed, when I would have preferred the emphasis the other way around. Even so, it is still a lovely-looking book, and the graphics covey much emotion and drama.It is readable in less than an hour, mainly because there is very little text. The plot is straight-forward, with few real surprises. As it’s cut-down from the movie, there are some details here and there that are absent. This might explain why the ending is a bit abrupt and not altogether tidy or conclusive.As an artist myself, and with an illustrator in the family, I know well how difficult it is to create a graphic novel that ticks all the boxes. This one is a little short of brilliance, but it does shine. It is accessible, with no blood and guts, no terrorist nasties, and no foul language. As such, it would be fine for a child who is are aware of life and death peril in a story. At £8.99 (April 2018) the price is at the top end for a book of this size, but the story is unusual, and it is a beautiful piece of work.

I think it somewhat patronizing when Westerners put words into the mouths of persons from other cultures, even when they're fictional; it's also somewhat savvy. Certainly writing a story about a refugee or set in an war torn land such as Afghanistan is half the battle won when attempting to get short listed for a prize. That said, there's no doubt that this is a compelling story and vividly conveys a world apart from ours, bordered by some other unpleasant places whose people are its greatest strength. The problem, so far as there is one, is much the same as one might have when reading The Watchtower Magazine, you're lured in by pictures and emotive sentences but being preached to at the same time. But in this case I doubt that it matters. I'm not sure it's a good idea teaching children that there are simple solutions to complex problems and I fear this book might encourage that but I also think it doesn't hurt to know that the world has some knotty problems and Afghanistan is certainly one of them.

The Breadwinner is an amazing story, but the graphic novel adaptation of the movie is not a great graphic novel.Most younger readers will get a lot out of reading this, particularly children that don't have wide exposure at home in the UK to narratives about other cultures or countries. My 8-year-old daughter loves the film and loved the book, as an accessible and easy way better understand what children in another environment live through.This suffers from being a graphic novelisation of an animated film that already adapts a novel. If the animation already simplifies a book, then this graphic novel takes stills from the film and superimposes some really bad lettering on the images to tell a story. I don't think children or parents will be particularly critical of the lettering, but why they couldn't have hired a professional letterer (or a better letterer) for a book that they were going to publish professionally, I'm not sure.