Montreal, QC— Comics publisher Drawn & Quarterly marked Freedom to Read week by speaking out against the banning of the graphic novel Blankets by Craig Thompson from Alberta school libraries, following a provincial order to remove material that visually depicts sexual acts.
“For twenty-three years, Craig’s poignant memoir of growing up evangelical, navigating abuse, and falling in love for the first time has been a lifeline for readers of all ages,” said D&Q Publisher Peggy Burns. “There is nothing obscene about this book. Instead, it is precisely the kind of graphic novel that a teen struggling with the same issues as young Craig might benefit from. In poetic, flowing panels, Blankets focuses on the emotional toll of trauma as Craig and Raina try to make sense of their values in a deeply flawed world. We condemn the removal of this book from Alberta’s school libraries in the strongest terms, as does the Association of Canadian Publishers.”
Blankets has been translated into seventeen languages and is frequently cited as “one of the best graphic novels of all time,” including most recently by The Guardian. It won three Harvey Awards and two Eisner Awards, as well as being named a Popular Paperback for Young Adults by the Young Adult Library Services Association.
PRAISE FOR BLANKETS:
“An autobiographical tale of first love, brotherly failure, and lost faith.”—The New York Times
“A human story, told with beautiful, flowing linework… usually the first graphic novel that I’ll give to someone new.”—The Atlantic
“One of the best graphic novels of all time… a touching, passionate account of [a] childhood cloaked in snow, in which money is ever tight and Christ ever present, and school is a hostile place.”—The Guardian
“A rarity: a first-love story so well remembered and honest that it reminds you what falling in love feels like.”—Time Magazine
“Craig Thompson infused his bittersweet tale of childhood psyche bruising, junior Christian angst, and adolescent first love with a lyricism so engaging, the pages fly right by… It’s virtual poetry.”―Entertainment Weekly
“The compelling, heartbreaking story of Thompson’s childhood and first love.”―USA Today
“This is an important book—and doubly important to have in the hands of teenagers who might be going through the same types of crises it depicts.”―Salt Lake City Weekly