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meredithmc's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a fan of First Second's Maker Comics and Science Comics so I was excited when I heard they'd be starting a new series of History Comics. This is a nice start to it. There's a lot presented here and sometimes I wasn't quite sure of the intended age range (middle grade? YA? in between?) but overall, it's a great way to get more history into kids' hands and a really useful resource. I can see these being used for many a research project!
libraryrobin's review
4.0
Excellent historic graphic novel for middle/high schoolers. Engaging, entertaining, and accurate. Definitely looking forward to more from this author!
bonnysweetrobin's review
4.0
It was a bit dense, but it shared a LOT of the information necessary to understanding all of the politics (both English and Native) around the story, and didn’t speculate beyond known facts (except for clearly labeled “theories”). Kids with a mind for names and titles will probably find this an easier read than I did, but I felt like it did a really good job of laying out the background and facts. I’ve grown up hearing this story and reading about it and I even spent a summer on Roanoke Island doing The Lost Colony (not known for its accuracy of course), and I learned new stuff from this book.
books_n_pickles's review against another edition
3.0
Man, I wish these History Comics and Science Comics had been around when I was a kid. I would have devoured them all!
Like the Science Comics I've read, History Comics: The Roanoke Colony goes both deep and broad, and two readings would probably be necessary to untangle the European politics and people. Of course, there's a lot more of that in the historical record because if the lack of written Native American languages and the colonial lack of concern for local customs and cultures, but author/artist Schweizer goes into quite a bit of detail by using an unconventional set of voices to tell this story.
At any other point in the past, we'd have heard about Roanoke from a colonist's point of view--maybe, in the recent past, our narrator would have been Virginia Dare to be just a little progressive. It probably seems like an obvious choice since almost all of our evidence about this time period comes from the colonists.
But our narrators are Manteo and Wanchese--respectively, from the Croatan and Roanoke tribes, subsets of the Secotan tribe, which was one of three key players in the region. As they point out, the land in the (future) Carolinas wasn't empty and waiting for settlement: one of our two narrators lived right on the island! Having locals start our tour by showing us the settled order of things as they were does a much better job of showing just how dysfunctional things got after the strangers arrived, and helps us appreciate just how much the colonists lost when they made enemies--decisively--of people who could have helped them.
Manteo and Wanchese are especially excellent narrators because they show us two ways that locals might have reacted to the colonists: both are curious, but Manteo comes to love and adopt English culture, while Wanchese is suspicious, practical, and retaliatory. They also introduce us to sachems who took the middle ground, starting with friendliness and support, giving the colonists time to come to their senses, and only sought retaliation after great provocation.
Showing us the history from Manteo and Wanchese's perspectives also gives Schweizer a chance to show us some of the English absurdities that are usually glossed over, like how filthy the English are, and Queen Elizabeth's ridiculous makeup and clothes, which look so unnatural and odd compared to the understated tattoos and functional clothing worn by our narrators. Their "DARING EXPEDITION INTO THE HEART OF EXOTIC ENGLAND" is also a fantastic way to show that what's new, exciting, and exotic is all a matter of perspective.
This isn't to say that the script is entirely flipped and the Native Americans are made out to be perfect while the English are villains. Manteo and Wanchese point out the good, the bad, and the naive on both sides...but even the colonist-skewed historical record can't hide that the majority of the the middle category came from the English.
While the portrayal of Native Americans is probably more thoughtful than any book I've ever read and approaching from their perspective instead of the colonists' might just be unique (maybe aside from a picture book or two), the book still might not get a pass from American Indians in Children's Literature. Perhaps out of necessity and simplicity for what is, after all, an introduction for kids, Manteo and Wanchese call their homeland America and the people oppressed by colonists in both continents in the hemisphere as Americans or Native Americans. The very name is, of course, European. At other points, they refer to the New World and the Carolinas, both also European inventions.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was torn between giving it four and five starts...which means it's time for me to introduce this review's big BUT.
All the Science Comics I've read (Cats, Dogs, Crows) have space in the back for a glossary, notes, and sources. The Olympians series, while a separate series entirely, is still published by First Second for a similar audience, and they have detailed notes with definitions, an author's historical note that includes disclaimers about artistic license and interpretation, and both a formal bibliography and a list of suggested sources for readers of the intended audience's age. History Comics: The Roanoke Colony has only an author's note, and it doesn't talk much about sources. This seems like a glaring omission, especially because the difference between evidence and theory is so important to this particular book: there are well-founded theories, and there are some that are totally bonkers. It seems like it would be important to point out the differences even in primary sources: Governor White and John Smith, for example, might both be primary sources in some cases, but Smith's notes about the Roanoke Colony are just reporting what others said--he didn't witness anything himself, unlike White, who can report his own observations as well as rumors. Oh, and where did those bonkers theories about UFOs and other dimensions come from? I would have thought they were Schweizer's own inventions or ripoffs of Neil Gaiman's Marvel 1602* if he hadn't included a 16th century woodcut of a UFO battle over Germany, and even then the connection between Germany, Roanoke, and Korea (!!!) isn't clear. Too bad Schweizer doesn't tell us where those crazy ideas come from so we can learn more!
(*Where the heck does Gaiman find this stuff?)
So yeah, an excellent book and a fun introduction to a piece of history, but one with major flaws preventing it from being a representative, responsible work of nonfiction. It looks like the publishing lineup for future History Comics is pretty US-centric so far, but I hope it can branch out to other countries in the future...and, you know, actually demonstrate what a proper history book should look like, with sources, notes, and acknowledgements of where the evidence is thin. Discussion questions might not go amiss, either.
Disclaimer: I work for the parent company of the imprint that published this book but this review reflects my interests, thoughts, and opinions, which are entirely my own and do not reflect those of the company or imprint.
Like the Science Comics I've read, History Comics: The Roanoke Colony goes both deep and broad, and two readings would probably be necessary to untangle the European politics and people. Of course, there's a lot more of that in the historical record because if the lack of written Native American languages and the colonial lack of concern for local customs and cultures, but author/artist Schweizer goes into quite a bit of detail by using an unconventional set of voices to tell this story.
At any other point in the past, we'd have heard about Roanoke from a colonist's point of view--maybe, in the recent past, our narrator would have been Virginia Dare to be just a little progressive. It probably seems like an obvious choice since almost all of our evidence about this time period comes from the colonists.
But our narrators are Manteo and Wanchese--respectively, from the Croatan and Roanoke tribes, subsets of the Secotan tribe, which was one of three key players in the region. As they point out, the land in the (future) Carolinas wasn't empty and waiting for settlement: one of our two narrators lived right on the island! Having locals start our tour by showing us the settled order of things as they were does a much better job of showing just how dysfunctional things got after the strangers arrived, and helps us appreciate just how much the colonists lost when they made enemies--decisively--of people who could have helped them.
Manteo and Wanchese are especially excellent narrators because they show us two ways that locals might have reacted to the colonists: both are curious, but Manteo comes to love and adopt English culture, while Wanchese is suspicious, practical, and retaliatory. They also introduce us to sachems who took the middle ground, starting with friendliness and support, giving the colonists time to come to their senses, and only sought retaliation after great provocation.
Showing us the history from Manteo and Wanchese's perspectives also gives Schweizer a chance to show us some of the English absurdities that are usually glossed over, like how filthy the English are, and Queen Elizabeth's ridiculous makeup and clothes, which look so unnatural and odd compared to the understated tattoos and functional clothing worn by our narrators. Their "DARING EXPEDITION INTO THE HEART OF EXOTIC ENGLAND" is also a fantastic way to show that what's new, exciting, and exotic is all a matter of perspective.
This isn't to say that the script is entirely flipped and the Native Americans are made out to be perfect while the English are villains. Manteo and Wanchese point out the good, the bad, and the naive on both sides...but even the colonist-skewed historical record can't hide that the majority of the the middle category came from the English.
While the portrayal of Native Americans is probably more thoughtful than any book I've ever read and approaching from their perspective instead of the colonists' might just be unique (maybe aside from a picture book or two), the book still might not get a pass from American Indians in Children's Literature. Perhaps out of necessity and simplicity for what is, after all, an introduction for kids, Manteo and Wanchese call their homeland America and the people oppressed by colonists in both continents in the hemisphere as Americans or Native Americans. The very name is, of course, European. At other points, they refer to the New World and the Carolinas, both also European inventions.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was torn between giving it four and five starts...which means it's time for me to introduce this review's big BUT.
All the Science Comics I've read (Cats, Dogs, Crows) have space in the back for a glossary, notes, and sources. The Olympians series, while a separate series entirely, is still published by First Second for a similar audience, and they have detailed notes with definitions, an author's historical note that includes disclaimers about artistic license and interpretation, and both a formal bibliography and a list of suggested sources for readers of the intended audience's age. History Comics: The Roanoke Colony has only an author's note, and it doesn't talk much about sources. This seems like a glaring omission, especially because the difference between evidence and theory is so important to this particular book: there are well-founded theories, and there are some that are totally bonkers. It seems like it would be important to point out the differences even in primary sources: Governor White and John Smith, for example, might both be primary sources in some cases, but Smith's notes about the Roanoke Colony are just reporting what others said--he didn't witness anything himself, unlike White, who can report his own observations as well as rumors. Oh, and where did those bonkers theories about UFOs and other dimensions come from? I would have thought they were Schweizer's own inventions or ripoffs of Neil Gaiman's Marvel 1602* if he hadn't included a 16th century woodcut of a UFO battle over Germany, and even then the connection between Germany, Roanoke, and Korea (!!!) isn't clear. Too bad Schweizer doesn't tell us where those crazy ideas come from so we can learn more!
(*Where the heck does Gaiman find this stuff?)
So yeah, an excellent book and a fun introduction to a piece of history, but one with major flaws preventing it from being a representative, responsible work of nonfiction. It looks like the publishing lineup for future History Comics is pretty US-centric so far, but I hope it can branch out to other countries in the future...and, you know, actually demonstrate what a proper history book should look like, with sources, notes, and acknowledgements of where the evidence is thin. Discussion questions might not go amiss, either.
Disclaimer: I work for the parent company of the imprint that published this book but this review reflects my interests, thoughts, and opinions, which are entirely my own and do not reflect those of the company or imprint.
tswanson103's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very comprehensive and fairly easy to follow graphic novel telling the history of the Roanoke Colony. I found this to be a very compelling way to share significant moments in history and especially enjoyed the humor that was added into the text. I am thinking about using this graphic novel series as part of a historical research report unit with students and am slightly concerned that this will be a bit too much for my sixth graders, as it is a lot to follow - not because of any choice the author made but because history does not follow linear timelines no matter how much we would like it too. This graphic novel would be best used independently by older students. However, from a pure enjoyment standpoint, I really liked this approach and learned a lot about Roanoke that I had not known before.
jennmarshall27's review against another edition
5.0
I have been a big fan of the Science Comics series by First Second Press. So when I heard they were doing History comics also I was super excited! Just like with Science Comics, the History Comics series has a forward written by the author explaining their qualifications to write the comic.
This is all about the mystery surrounding Roanoke. I loved reading the story and even learned a lot. It would be a lot of fun to bring this comic into the classroom. It is still a fun story with silly jokes and great art. My students will love it.
I think my favorite part of the book is the ending. Without spoilers, it is hard to explain exactly why I loved this part so much. But it included some of the many theories as to what happened at Roanoke.
Creative Team:
Chris Schweizer
Colors by Liz Schweizer
This is all about the mystery surrounding Roanoke. I loved reading the story and even learned a lot. It would be a lot of fun to bring this comic into the classroom. It is still a fun story with silly jokes and great art. My students will love it.
I think my favorite part of the book is the ending. Without spoilers, it is hard to explain exactly why I loved this part so much. But it included some of the many theories as to what happened at Roanoke.
Creative Team:
Chris Schweizer
Colors by Liz Schweizer
kateteaching7and8's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to #NetGalley and First Second Books for allowing me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of History Comics: The Roanoke Colony by Chris Schweizer. This graphic novel will be released June 30, 2020. All opinions are my own.
This graphic novel focuses on the question what happened to the Roanoke colonists. To answer this question, the novel investigates how the settlers ended up in Roanoke and what the people already living in Roanoke felt about the newcomers. It is full of history, queens, battles, sea voyages, disputes, violence, and pirates. Schweizer uses information from primary and secondary sources, archaeological findings, and a little bit of speculation to present the story of the missing colonists and theorize about what may have happened to them.
I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The lost colony of Roanoke is a topic I use in my classroom to teach evidence based writing and my students love learning about the colony and all the theories of what may have occurred. One of my favorite things about this novel is that it doesn't start with the colonists disappearing or even landing in Roanoke. Rather, it goes back even further to provide a historical and political understanding of what led the settlers to Roanoke in the first place and why it was so difficult for White to get back to the colonists after he left for fresh supplies. There is so much information in this graphic novel that at times it is almost overwhelming, but I think it would be an excellent tool to use in the classroom to discuss the topic and develop a deeper understanding of it (I even pre-ordered a copy for my classroom library). I honestly can't wait to share this book with my students to see their reactions and to build it into my current writing unit.
This graphic novel focuses on the question what happened to the Roanoke colonists. To answer this question, the novel investigates how the settlers ended up in Roanoke and what the people already living in Roanoke felt about the newcomers. It is full of history, queens, battles, sea voyages, disputes, violence, and pirates. Schweizer uses information from primary and secondary sources, archaeological findings, and a little bit of speculation to present the story of the missing colonists and theorize about what may have happened to them.
I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The lost colony of Roanoke is a topic I use in my classroom to teach evidence based writing and my students love learning about the colony and all the theories of what may have occurred. One of my favorite things about this novel is that it doesn't start with the colonists disappearing or even landing in Roanoke. Rather, it goes back even further to provide a historical and political understanding of what led the settlers to Roanoke in the first place and why it was so difficult for White to get back to the colonists after he left for fresh supplies. There is so much information in this graphic novel that at times it is almost overwhelming, but I think it would be an excellent tool to use in the classroom to discuss the topic and develop a deeper understanding of it (I even pre-ordered a copy for my classroom library). I honestly can't wait to share this book with my students to see their reactions and to build it into my current writing unit.
sevenacrebooks's review against another edition
4.0
Another great installment in the History Comics series! The illustrations are fantastic and the story telling is full of historical facts so kids can learn while also enjoying a great story. My son really enjoyed this comic and I look forward to adding it to the Library's shelves.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.