Bibliographical citation: Small, D. (2009). Stitches: A Memoir. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. 329 pages. ISBN: 9780329775926 .
Awards: Alex Award (2010), Best Fiction for Young Adults (2010).
Author's website: www.davidsmallbooks.com
Annotation: Award winning artist and illustrator David Small tells the story of his unhappy childhood in this biographical graphic novel. The bulk of the story is told through Small's drawings which convey the depths of his despair and dysfunctional family relationships.
Personal Reaction: David Small tells the story of his unhappy childhood through his pictures in this graphic novel. I don't think that his story could be as effectively told using words. His sadness, anger and distress reach out to the reader from the illustrations and have such a strong emotional impact. Words wouldn't suffice to describe his feelings of terrible sadness and loneliness, and his drawings so accurately express the dismal surroundings of his family environment, the lack of parental love and affection, and his feelings of hopelessness.
Small's artistry allows readers to see and even feel how David was emotionally abandoned and also understand that this caused him to withdraw into himself. His desire to escape his situation both mentally and physically is obvious. I don't think I have ever read a biography that was more insightful than Small's, and the way he bares his soul is both painful and heartbreaking.
Front/Back Matter: Photos of family along with brief biographies, Acknowledgements, About the Author.
*Bibliographical citation information, award information, as well as image retrieved from www.bwibooks.com (Titletales)
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