Americus, MK Reed and Jonathan Hill
On the surface, a book challenge in a small town, but underneath is all of the difficulties in living in a town that demands conformity in belief and appearance. Lots of heart and great characters. I liked it a lot.

Government Issue: Comics for the People, 1940s-2000s, Richard Graham
An astounding array of comics (many with the full contents, some with only covers or excerpts) published by Federal or local government agencies to convey important information. Lots of cool weird stuff and a surprising variety of artistic styles from artists both famous and anonymous. A fascinating collection.

Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917, Walker
Well told and unsettling. How the explosion came to happen, the astounding power of it (the biggest until Hiroshima), and the people who were killed and injured. Most telling is that none of the adults would ever speak about it again– all of the stories are from the children and the primary sources and artifacts from the time. The grief is almost palpable.

Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller, Lambert
Not only a well-told biography (better even because it is limited to a shorter span of time than Sullivan’s whole life) but the visual aspect conveys the significance of Keller’s eduction in allowing her access to the world beyond her own skin. The trials part is an accusation of plagiarism and possibly fraud in a story that Keller wrote, an issue left unsolved in the story but that allows the complications of relationships to show. I liked that Sullivan’s and Keller’s handwriting styles were used for their own voices. Big thumbs up on this one.