Persepolis

   Sartrapi, M. (2004).  Persepolis.  NY: Pantheon.

Persepolis is a serious and historical graphic novel. It details the history of Iran through the eyes of a young girl named Marji.  She describes the tragic events that eventually lead to war in her country.  She is constantly surrounded by the reality of her family and friends being imprisoned, tortured, and executed for believing things that are not approved by the rulers of the country.  The story ends with Marji’s parents sending her to a school in Austria to keep her safe and allow her to get a good education.  She fears that she will never see her parents again. You must get the next book, Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return to continue following Marji's story. I am not usually a fan of graphic novels, but I truly couldn't put this one down.  I love history, and this was an interesting inside look at the history of Iran through the eyes of someone who actually grew up there. It made me want to continue with the next book and continue to do my own research to learn more from others as well. This book is an autobiographical account of Ms. Sartrapi's life growing up in Iran, which provides us an interesting reading experience.  Reading about people can open students' eyes to other cultures, races, and ethnicities.  I think this book does just that.
This book could be used with grades 8-12. It does contain some graphic language and a couple graphic images.

To download a book talk guide for this book, click HERE!