Graphic novels for children do not necessarily have to stick to childish topics. On the contrary, they are often an effective but gentle way to introduce young readers to difficult topics that parents and teachers might struggle to address.
War is undoubtedly one of the most upsetting subjects to talk to kids about. Unfortunately, it remains a tragic, ongoing fact of life for too many people around the world, so your children almost certainly need to know about it. If your family has been touched by war, or if your child is asking questions about wars they learned about on the news or in school, these graphic novels can help your kids better understand the causes, costs, and consequences of war.
The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis
Life under the Taliban is dangerous and restrictive, especially for girls like Parvana. After her father is arrested, the only way for the family to survive is by taking a big risk: Parvana must disguise herself as a boy and go to work, knowing that the consequences of discovery would be dire.
Be sure to check out the original novel and the animated film version of this affecting story as well!
A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return by Zeina Abirached
Slightly older children may appreciate this story about the Lebanese civil war. Abirached frankly relates the realities of living in a war zone, as well as the sense of camaraderie and community she and her brother experienced as the residents of her apartment building come together to care for the children when their parents were trapped on the other side of the city.
I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941 by Lauren Tarshis and Peter Wartman, Adapted by Georgia Ball
Adapted from the prose book of the same name, this novel follows a young boy who moved to Hawaii only recently but is already desperate to go home to New York. His escape attempt puts him in the crosshairs of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Other books in the “I Survived” series cover other aspects of World War II, and one is set during the American Revolution.
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Our Stories Carried Us Here: Voice for Refuge by Zaynab Abdi and Ashraf El-Attar
In this brief graphic memoir, Abdi tells the story of how, because of fighting in Somalia, she and her sister went to live in Yemen with their grandmother. When political unrest made Yemen unsafe too, Abdi began a long, painful journey to the United States, enduring much loss and hardship on her way to becoming an advocate for other young refugees.
This single volume features the same story in both English and Arabic.
Refugee: The Graphic Novel by Alan Gratz and Syd Fini
This adaptation of the prose novel follows three children forced to flee three very different conflicts: Josef escapes Nazi Germany, Isabel must leave Cuba during the unrest of the 1990s, and Mahmoud seeks refuge in Europe during the Syrian civil war. Though separated by time and cultures, all of them want the same thing: safety.
If you want to continue the lesson, here is a reading list of books that explore the cost of war for different ages.
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