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The Zabime Sisters
By: Aristophane
Translated By: Matt Madden
Publisher: First Second
Copyright: 2010
Genre: Graphic Novel
Aristophane- He dazzled the French independent comics scene of the 1990s with a series of intense, singular, and highly confident books and short stories. He was born in the francophone Carribean archipelago of Guadeloupe and moved to France first to study art in Paris and later to study comics in Angoulême. He only has a small collection of novels, but his work is praised all over the world. He died in 2004 at the age of 37. Tragically, Les Soeurs Zabîme, published in 1996, was to be Aristophane’s last published work.
Matt Madden- Teacher and creator of comics. He teaches at New York's school of Visual Arts. He is one of the most important experimentalists in comics. He has also written occasional criticism for the Comics Journal and other publications. His first book, 'Black Candy', was published in 1998 by Black Eye Books. His second book, 'Odds Off', was published by Highwater Books in late 2000. Since 2000 Matt lives with his artist wife Jessica Abel in Brooklyn, New York City. He translated this story from French to English.
Grade Level: 5th or 6th grade
Brief Synopsis: This graphic novel follows three sisters, Celia, M'rose, and Ella as they experience a day of their summer vacation. They live in the lush, mountainous jungles of Guadeloupe. The girls try to find something fun to do to occupy their hot summer day. They run into boys that were arguing over a broken pipe while the girls are picking mangoes from another person's trees. They find out that one of the boys is going to be in a fight with a tough boy from school. M'rose decides to go to see the fight while the other sisters go for a picnic at a cabin. These three girls are confronted with several situations that allow them to grow up. This story offers a portrait of youth and exploration.
About the Author:
Aristophane- He dazzled the French independent comics scene of the 1990s with a series of intense, singular, and highly confident books and short stories. He was born in the francophone Carribean archipelago of Guadeloupe and moved to France first to study art in Paris and later to study comics in Angoulême. He only has a small collection of novels, but his work is praised all over the world. He died in 2004 at the age of 37. Tragically, Les Soeurs Zabîme, published in 1996, was to be Aristophane’s last published work. Matt Madden- Teacher and creator of comics. He teaches at New York's school of Visual Arts. He is one of the most important experimentalists in comics. He has also written occasional criticism for the Comics Journal and other publications. His first book, 'Black Candy', was published in 1998 by Black Eye Books. His second book, 'Odds Off', was published by Highwater Books in late 2000. Since 2000 Matt lives with his artist wife Jessica Abel in Brooklyn, New York City. He translated this story from French to English.Themes: Growing into adulthood
Standing up to bullies
Making Mistakes and Learning from Them
What does Sisterhood consist of?
Standing up to bullies
Making Mistakes and Learning from Them
What does Sisterhood consist of?
Pre-Reading Activities:
- Becoming more familiar with the setting: The story takes place in Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean. Have students each look up a different aspect of this location in pairs. Then they will quickly present the information to the class. (They can look up things like statistics, language, culture, politics, economy, etc.)
- This book takes place in summertime so the students can draw or write what they usually do in the summer or their most memorable summer memory. Then while they are reading they can note the similarities and differences between themselves and the characters in the story while reading.
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- Becoming more familiar with the setting: The story takes place in Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean. Have students each look up a different aspect of this location in pairs. Then they will quickly present the information to the class. (They can look up things like statistics, language, culture, politics, economy, etc.)
- This book takes place in summertime so the students can draw or write what they usually do in the summer or their most memorable summer memory. Then while they are reading they can note the similarities and differences between themselves and the characters in the story while reading.
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Post-Reading Activities:
- After reading have students predict what will happen to the Zabime sisters after the end of the story. They leave off in quite some trouble, so what wll happen to them next?
- Have students critique the graphic drawings in their journals. Why did the author use only black and white? What do you think the author used to draw the pictures? How do the comics (pictures) help to tell the story? What do the pictures add to the story?
- After reading have students predict what will happen to the Zabime sisters after the end of the story. They leave off in quite some trouble, so what wll happen to them next?
- Have students critique the graphic drawings in their journals. Why did the author use only black and white? What do you think the author used to draw the pictures? How do the comics (pictures) help to tell the story? What do the pictures add to the story?
Reflection: This story may be more difficult to present to younger grade levels. It addresses more mature themes of alcohol, fights, and boys. If I were to use this graphic novel with 5th or 6th graders I would definitely have to prepare them for these themes. I like this story in that it tells of three sisters in a different place, but having some of the same experiences we might have in an American summer. It allows children to view the conflicts that come with growing up and making decisions. The illustrations really have to be studied because they are not always clear cut. The drawings being black and white may play a role in the story maybe because the decisions being made in it are not always black and white. They give the story a sort of rustic, foreign feel.
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