Scary Like an X-Ray

Stitches: a Memoir by David Small
New York : W.W. Norton, 2010, c2009.
329 p. : chiefly ill. ; 23 cm.

This autobiographical graphic novel was a finalist for the National Book Award and the critical praise it received is well-deserved.  If you are curious about the book, David Small's website for the book offers a excellent glimpse into what makes his graphic novel such a satisfying read.

Small is able to convey both the humanity of his subjects and also the really scary cruelty (and craziness) of the adults that peopled his young life.  Set in Detroit and south east Indiana in the 50s-60s, Small presents a rarely viewed glimpse into the world of the functioning/dysfunctional Midwestern middle/lower middle class family.  His book opens appropriately with a nod to the X-ray profession that his father practiced, and his book is like an X-ray of the time and place where he grew up.

For anyone looking for a subtle, yet powerful, graphic novel that is completely appropriate for classroom use, this memoir is a sure bet.