Written by Angela Erickson

From Skeptic to Enthusiast (Again!)

When I wrote recently about my evolving relationship with graphic novels, I focused on the nonfiction science titles in translation that had caught me by surprise. I wrote about those first because they were what I have been reading most recently, but it was not graphic novels about science that cracked open my assumptions about the form. 

The first two graphic novels that completely shifted my thinking were Smash the Patriarchy and The Bodyguard Unit. Both of these nonfiction books were selections on the 2024 GLLI Translated YA Book Prize shortlist, and if I am being honest, neither were titles I would have gravitated toward on my own.

However, I am here to say that these books are not just “good for a graphic novel.” They are excellent by any measure: informative, beautifully designed, and emotionally resonant. They reminded me that feminist history does not always have to be heavy-handed or filled with martyrs. It can be action-packed. It can be inspiring. It can even be funny.

These books were vibrant and, to my delight, at times both deeply moving and hopeful. In moments when I hear students say, “We do not need International Women’s Day anymore,” my mind turns to these graphic novels. They do not just inform, they affirm and energize.

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Smash the Patriarchy (2021) by Marta Breen and Jenny Jordhal. 

Smash the Patriarchy: A Graphic Novel by Marta Breen and Jenny Jordahl, translated from Norwegian by Siȃn Mackie, is a whirlwind tour of the global feminist movement. The text is sharp and witty, and the art is equally bold and dynamic.

What still impresses me most about this book is its balance. It not only covers major historical milestones such as suffrage, workplace rights, and reproductive freedom, but also celebrates lesser-known figures and grassroots movements. It makes feminism feel global, diverse, and ongoing.

Reading this book gave me an overview of a tradition of people around the world working for equal rights within their own spheres. I came away with a renewed sense of gratitude for the women who fought before me and a deeper contextual understanding of the battles still being waged today.

Even though there is some mature content that those of us working in school libraries serving both tweens and teens need to be mindful of, this is exactly the kind of book that builds empathy and broadens perspective. It belongs in our collections.

Note: Smash the Patriarchy has been recommended several times on the GLLI blog — evidence of how many people like it! See the recent May 9th blog post by Susan Grigsby (“Read Brave: Feminist Literature for Global Teens”) as well as a review by Nanette McGuiness on July 17, 2024, as part of World Kid Lit Wednesday. And it won the the 2024 GLLI Translated YA Book Prize in April 2024.

You can buy a copy of Smash the Patriarchy here or find it in a library here. (Book purchases made via our affiliate link may earn GLLI a small commission.)

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Women in Battle (2018) by Marta Breen and Jenny Jordhal. 

Recently, a friend passed me a copy of  Women in Battle: 150 years of fighting for freedom, equality and sisterhood, a book by the same team of writers, Breen and Jordhal, and again translated from Norwegian by Siȃn Mackie. I enjoyed it as well and think it is worth mentioning here. 

If Smash the Patriarchy is a rally cry rooted in movements and collective struggle, Women in Battle reads more like an illustrated historical reference, spotlighting individual changemakers. It is a series of biographical narratives that honor women’s achievements over the past 150 years. Person-based, with short vignettes highlighting individual women and their contributions, Breen and Jordhal use plenty of situational irony that kept me turning the pages.

You can find a copy of Women in Battle in a library here.

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The Bodyguard Unit (2023) – by Clément Xavier, Lisa Lugrin, & Albertine Ralenti

The Bodyguard Unit: Edith Garrud, Women’s Suffrage, and Jujitsu (by Clément Xavier (text), Lisa Lugrin (art), and Albertine Ralenti (coloring), translated from French by Edward Gauvin) was another revelation.

It tells the true story of Edith and William Garrud, British jujitsu experts who trained women in turn-of-the-century London to physically defend suffragists against violent opponents. Yes, actual bodyguards for the feminist movement.

What I love about this book is that it offers a nuanced portrayal of courage: everyday courage, the kind that shows up both in alleyways and at rallies.

The story is ideal for the graphic novel format. The art is dynamic and fluid, giving real weight to the physical grit and urgency of the women’s training and street fights.

Reading it, I found myself thinking about all the ways that bravery shapes social change. I also thought about how rarely important stories like Garrud’s are told and how much it matters that they are.

This book also has had previous love on this blog. Nanette McGuinness reviewed it last June on World Kid Lit Wednesday — and it was one of two honor books last year for the GLLI Translated YA Book Prize.

You can buy a copy of The Bodyguard Unit here or find it in a library here. (Book purchases made via our affiliate link may earn GLLI a small commission.)

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Bonus Gems

As I was browsing our collection for this blog post, I found Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World (2018), written and illustrated by Pénélope Bagieu and translated from French by Montana Kane. It is wildly fun.

Each short chapter introduces a different woman from history, some famous and many less so, and tells her story with sassy humor and charm. It feels like having a friend whisper juicy secrets about your heroes, which somehow makes them all the more admirable.

Since we added Brazen to our library, it has been checked out more than 20 times! An absolute hit, and I am not surprised. It is a gossipy romp that builds a lot of empathy for feminist pioneers. Sometimes, changing the world starts with telling better stories. Brazen does exactly that.

Note: Nanette McGuinness included Brazen in her round-up for “Fighting the Good Fight: Social Justice in Children’s (Translated) Books and Graphic Novels“ on World Kid Lit Wednesday in December 2021.

You can buy a copy of Brazen here or find it in a library here. (Book purchases made via our affiliate link may earn GLLI a small commission.)

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I also ran into a copy of Movements and Moments (2022), published by Drawn & Quarterly. It is an anthology of eight graphic narratives of Indigenous and feminist resistance from the Global South. Edited by Sonja Eismann, Ingo Schöningh, and Maya, the collection originated from an open call by the Goethe-Institut Indonesien in Jakarta, aiming to share underrepresented voices in feminist discourse. 

Each story in the anthology is a collaboration between illustrators and community members, ensuring authenticity and depth. The narratives span diverse regions, including the Philippines, Ecuador, Nepal, Vietnam, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, and India, each highlighting unique struggles and acts of resistance. In particular, I enjoyed the focus on activism and changemaking in these stories:

• “Let the River Flow Free”: Depicts the 2020 efforts of villagers in the Philippines to protect their sacred river from dam construction, showcasing environmental activism rooted in Indigenous knowledge.
• “Mama Dulu”: Chronicles the life of Kichwa leader Dolores Cacuango in Ecuador, who fought against indentured servitude and for Indigenous land rights in the early 20th century.
• “Shanti: Beyond the Veil”: Follows a Nepalese woman’s journey to self-empowerment and her efforts to uplift other women in her community 
• “The Anarchist Cholas”: Highlights the formation of a Bolivian women’s trade union in the 1930s, emphasizing labor rights and feminist solidarity.

The anthology is notable for its diverse artistic styles, with each story employing distinct visual narratives that reflect the cultural contexts of the subjects. This variety enhances the reader’s engagement and underscores the global representation of voices in this collection. 

This book has also been reviewed here on GLLI before as part of World Kid Lit Wednesday. See this April 17, 2024, post by Klem-Mari Cajigas. And it was on the 2023 shortlist for the GLLI Translated YA Book Prize.

You can buy a copy of Movements and Moments here or find it in a library here. (Book purchases made via our affiliate link may earn GLLI a small commission.)

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The Power of Graphic Novels

As I wrap up this post, I would go as far as to say that, in a small way, reading these feminist graphic novels changed the way I think about the form.

They reminded me that feminism is not just an ongoing study of suffering. It is alive. It is global. It is human. Graphic novels, with their ability to blend image and text, emotion and information, are uniquely powerful tools for telling those stories because the women on the pages feel real.

I am not blind to the growing body of research indicating a shift from text-based to more visually oriented reading habits. And while the English teacher in me is still reluctant to give up the traditional feminist nonfiction that inspired me as a teen, such as Out of Africa, West with the Night, and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, I recognize the importance of passing on these stories. If graphic novels are filling that need so elegantly, then so be it.

If you are looking to add more feminist voices and more global perspectives to your own reading life or library collection, these graphic novels are a joyful and meaningful place to start

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Angela Erickson is a former head of Middle School English who currently works as the Head of Libraries at United World College (Dover campus) in Singapore. She is interested in how educational leadership, curriculum design and workshop pedagogy can be integrated to create a school culture of reading, thinking and writing. For the past few years, she has been working to create systems to articulate classroom and departmental libraries with the central school libraries to support the needs of all readers. She currently teaches one section of “The Imperfect Art of Living” for the Innovation Academy Online. When she is not reading, Angie enjoys mountaineering and playing the cello badly (to the consternation of her next-door neighbors).

Katie Day is an international school teacher-librarian in Singapore and has been an American expatriate for almost 40 years (most of those in Asia). She is currently the chair of the 2025 GLLI Translated YA Book Prize and co-chair of the Neev Book Award in India, as well as heavily involved with the Singapore Red Dot Book Awards. Katie was the guest curator on the GLLI blog for the UN #SDGLitMonth in March 2021 and guest co-curator for #IndiaKidLitMonth in September 2022.