by Judith Hayn
The Sons of Liberty
by Alexander Lagos and Joseph Lagos; Art by Steve Walker; Color by Oren Kramek
Random House, 2010, 176 pp., $12.99
Historical fiction/Graphic novel
ISBN: 978-0-375-85667-9
The Sons of Liberty: Death and Taxes
by Alexander Lagos and Joseph Lagos; Art by Steve Walker; Color by Oren Kramek
Random House, 2011, 176 pp., $12.99
Historical fiction/Graphic novel
ISBN: 978-0-375-85668-6
In book one, Graham and Brody, two young slaves, flee a bounty hunter and his brutal pack of dogs. In an experiment gone awry and conducted by Ben Franklin’s treacherous son William, they now possess electrically charged superpowers. Taken under the elder Franklin’s wing and with the protection of abolitionist Benjamin Lay, the boys gain revenge on their tormentors when they return to the plantation. By using their newly acquired powers, they avenge the cruelties done to them.
In the second book, Graham and Brody are living as free teens in Philadelphia where they work in Franklin’s print shop while he is in England trying to arrange peace. The brothers decide to use their superhuman talents in the pursuit of good, which includes supporting the Sons of Liberty and sabotaging the Tory soldiers stationed nearby.
This eventual graphic novel trilogy moves historical and fictional figures in and out of harrowing trials and complex circumstances. Snippets from primary sources flavor the dialogue and commentary. een fans of slick comic superheroes will appreciate the dazzling artwork and vibrant colors that add to a literate, although embellished, retelling of colonial American history. The texts will delight teachers seeking solutions to meet the challenges of literacy in the content areas from the Common Core State Standards.
Dr. Judith A. Hayn is an Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
This article is part of a series from the Special Interest Group Network on Adolescent Literature (SIGNAL).