Graphic Mundi, the graphic novel imprint of Penn State University Press, has announced new titles coming our way in the Spring/Summer of 2022.
Hakim’s Odyssey, Book 2: From Turkey to Greece by Fabien Toulmé and translated by Hannah Chute is the second volume in a trilogy chronicling the journey of Hakim, a real-life Syrian refugee. In a starred review, Booklist called Book 1: From Syria to Turkey a “stupendous testimony of survival,” and Foreword Reviews called it “thrilling, contemplative, tragic, and inspirational.” Book 2 will release in March.
6,000 Miles to Freedom: Two Boys and Their Flight from the Taliban is a graphic novel by award-winning filmmaker Stéphane Marchetti and illustrator Cyrille Pomès, also translated by Hannah Chute. It tells the story, inspired by true refugee testimonies, of a pair of teenagers who undergo a harrowing trek from Afghanistan to Europe in an attempt to escape forced jihadism at home. It will release in April.
Joshua Kemble’s fictional graphic novel Jacob’s Apartment, a coming-of-age tale that explores grief, loss of faith, heartbreak, and ambition, will release in May. Kemble is a cohost of podcasts The Artcasters and Indie Review Show and the creator of the 2020 graphic novel Two Stories: Book One.
The Pass, a companion to Espé’s critically acclaimed The Parakeet, continues protagonist Bastien’s story as he faces the threat of losing his son Louis to a rare heart condition, even while grief touches his family in other ways. The Parakeet was called “spectacular” by Booklist and received multiple starred reviews. The Pass, translated by J. T. Mahany, releases in June.
