Batchelder Book - "A Game for Swallows" by Zeina Abirached

Part One

Book Information: Abrirached, Z. (2012). A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return. New York: Graphic Universe

Genre: Graphic Novel, Autobiographical

Grade Level: I would recommend this book for 6-8 grades because of the discussion of violence (bombings, snipers, kidnappings)

Part Two

Response to Book: My predications and thoughts about the book’s issues/themes!

This was my first graphic novel I have ever read and definitely wont be my last. It was different to read because my eyes were jumping all over the page looking at all the amazing illustrations and I had to get used to the rhythm of reading text while looking at the images. It might be unusual at first, but I think the author’s purpose is more powerful through this medium as opposed to normal text. For me, it was more emotional to learn about her story, and facts about the civil war in general, through the comics/graphics. It was also easier to relate to because the medium helped you visualize the way of life for the citizens in this country during this time. I especially liked the maps, showing the divide of the city and the illustrations of the paths people had to take to avoid the snipers. These were powerful to the story’s purpose to educate the audience about the conditions of the Lebanese civil war. Before reading I had no idea what to expect from this book. I never learned about the Lebanese civil war, ever. So not only was the genre new to me, but the topic was also. For a reader who was new to this subject I especially liked the snippets of information throughout the book where the author would pause from her story to talk about the way the lives of all the people in Beirut were changed. This way the audience understood the conditions of life and also learned more about the war itself.

I thought the theme of war would be difficult for a younger audience to understand or relate to. I think an older, middle school aged, audience would appreciate and comprehend the book more. The story is presented in a rich and powerful format that can be used by teachers to discuss many language arts and social studies concepts as well as introducing students to the genre/medium of graphic novels.

Part Three

Critique

Overall, I thought this book was an amazing way to present the civil war in Lebanon. There wasn’t much plot development to follow, but you become to care for all the characters. As a reader, you want to know if all the characters survive in the end because there is a great deal of uncertainty. At any moment, any of the character can become a casualty In the war. The author describes her own experiences as a child living in her apartment building in the middle of the civil war in Beirut, Lebanon 1984. I think it was powerful to hear the story from the perspective of the child because the children in the story don’t really know another way of life. I liked the fact that the readers get to hear the stories of all the neighbors in the building one-by-one as they take shelter in the foyer of the building together. Unlike the children in the story, the adult characters all remember how Beirut used to be and share memories of their lives before the war. It’s interesting to see how each person deals with the day-to-day aspects of living in a war zone, and how they come to deal this reality. Some feel like fleeing and others do not want to abandon their home. Most of the characters feel hopeful, so readers can’t help but to feel some sort of hope too. Choosing to do a graphic novel to tell this story was a great choice. I think the illustrations and graphics were essential to Abrirached’s story. They allowed the reader to connect emotionally to the book. For example, seeing the dialogue between the people who got stopped at the demarcation line, which was a normal occurrence then, was a significant part for me. When the person, who had no essential authority, asked the man driving to step out of the car, my heart sank. These moments in the story would be difficult for a young audience to understand, but would be easier for a middle school aged audience. I think the book was intentionally done in black and white because it was also a sad time. Although, I think the cartoon-like illustrations helped bring lightness to the story. I think the book would be vastly different if the characters and backgrounds looked realistic. It would almost be too severe for an audience, especially a young audience. However, I think the real pictures incorporated at the end were powerful send-off.

Part Four

Lesson Sketch

Grade: 6^th

Lesson Objectives:

Students will:

• Develop critical reading and thinking skills through engagement with the graphic novel in a multilateralism instructional framework
• Develop and utilize visual literacy skills to aid and support reading comprehension and deepen understanding
• Present personal interpretations and understanding in oral and written forms
• Draw on personal experiences and literacy practices

Discussion Questions:

• What was the purpose of “A Game for Swallows”? What message was the author trying to get across?
• Why do you think the author wanted to share her story?
• Why did she share her story through this medium?
• What are the characteristics of graphic novels? Use examples from the story and others.

Lesson Outline:

1. After reading “A Game for Swallows” with class and discussing the elements of graphic novels, student will be instructed to make their own autobiographically graphic.
2. Students will begin a brainstorming process where they will think of the story they want to tell. They will then complete a pre-writing process that will be checked by the teacher.
3. Students will then begin work on their graphics, on a blank sheet of paper (size depending on teacher preference). The students must incorporate the elements of a graphic novel into their story, such as text placement, dialogue, number of panels, illustration technique, color, etc.
4. Their individual projects will be shared with the class.

Links to Outside Sources:

Using Comics and Graphic Novels in the Classroom. Understand how using comics and graphic novels can help teach complex reading skills, punctuation, outlining, paragraphing, and literary terms.

Bitstrip. Students can browse through other people’s comics and create their own at this site.