A fictionalized graphic telling of Prince Siddhartha. This fictionalized graphic novel retells the story of Prince Siddhartha, the boy who came to be known as Gautama Buddha. The story shares the stages of his life, his path to enlightenment and how he became The Enlightened One. From the moment the young boy won a marble game and lost his sword to use in practice, to the moment of enlightenment and the diffusion of his teachings, this story is a great foundation text for understanding the life of Buddha. (Grades 6-9)
Older Readers
Unknown Heroes Of India’s Freedom Struggle
This non-fiction graphic novel comprises 16 distinctive narratives that provide the histories of India’s hard-fought independence. The author notes that in a few years’ time, “there will not be a single person alive who fought for [India’s] freedom”. These (his)stories are available for adolescent and young adult learners to gain a deeper, and more humane, understanding of India’s history. Classrooms can easily use this book as a supplement to research projects, or as a classroom text that delves deeper into India’s past. (Grades 8-12)
I Kick and I Fly
Embark on the brave journey of Heera, a teenager who lives in India. Using her inner strength and resilience, Heera is forced into the world of poverty, sex trafficking, and societal norms to expose the harsh realities of life. (Grades 7-9)
All My Rage
The story chronicles the lives of Noor and Salahudin, close high school friends who share their Pakistani-American heritage. Their familial challenges unfold as Noor confronts an antagonistic uncle while Salahudin navigates his mother’s illness and father’s alcohol dependency. The novel thoughtfully delves into themes of family ties, trauma, grief, abuse, alcoholism, racism, kindness, forgiveness, and hope. (Grades 9-12)
Meet Me in Mumbai
A story about love and family that spans two generations – a connection that brings Ayesha as a visiting graduate student to the US, and Mira, adopted and raised by her moms in the US, to face each other. The narratives reveal how complexities in South Asian cultures about teen relationships, out-of-wedlock pregnancies become more fraught across differences in social class. (Grades 9-12)
The People of the Indus and the Birth of Civilization in South Asia
The People of the Indus is a unique, well-researched approach to the history of a region. The authors transform a historical period into an engaging graphic novel. The reader will willingly visualize their way through this history. (Grades 7-9)
American Fever
On her first journey away from home, sixteen-year-old Hira experiences many unfamiliar situations, including the threat of tuberculosis. Through it all, Hira faces her own misconceptions about America while dealing with Islamophobia from her new friends and host family in Oregon. (Grades 10-12)
Torn
The story follows Ellie, a 19-year-old British medic, during her tour of duty in Afghanistan. Her squad is attached to a small troop of American SEALs who must find a hidden cache of arms and learn about a children’s army that is fighting both the Western Coalition and the Taliban. (Grades 8 and up)
Tina’s Mouth: an Existential Comic Diary
Tina Malhotra, a sophomore at the Yarborough Academy in Southern California, creates an existential diary for an assignment in which she tries to determine who she is and where she fits in. (Grades 9-12)
The Secret Sky
This classic tale of taboo love illuminates the cultural and political complexities of present-day Afghanistan. Wrought with tension and dreams of a brighter tomorrow, The Secret Sky humanizes a land often only ever heard about in news sound bites. (Grades 8 and up)