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Wake Now in the Fire: A Graphic Novel
In this empowering graphic novel based on a true story, a group of high schoolers in Chicago work to overturn the system-wide ban of Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis.
It starts as an update at one Chicago high copies of a certain book are no longer allowed in the classrooms or the library. But it’s not just one high school—it’s all Chicago public schools. Not even the principals know why this is happening; they just know they must comply with the order. One thing is The book, which tells a story of oppression, survival, and resistance against authoritarian power, is seen as a threat, dangerous enough to ban.
One other thing is Some of the students aren’t going to let this go without resistance of their own.
As the extent of the ban becomes known, the students rise up. They organize a school-wide walkout and library sit-in. They publicize the banning in every forum they social media, the press, classes, clubs, the school paper. And most of all, they get everyone they know to read the Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi.
Told from multiple perspectives, based on extensive interviews with the real-life students and teachers who were affected, and written by the librarian who exposed key information about the Chicago Public Schools censorship decision, Wake Now in the Fire is a fictionalized account of a true event that galvanized a community. With illustrations by Alex Award-winner AJ Dungo that perfectly capture the everyday joys, heartbreak, and stresses of high school, this graphic novel is an inspiring portrayal of student activism taking on one of most urgent issues of our time, and a passionate reminder of why protecting the books we love matters.
It starts as an update at one Chicago high copies of a certain book are no longer allowed in the classrooms or the library. But it’s not just one high school—it’s all Chicago public schools. Not even the principals know why this is happening; they just know they must comply with the order. One thing is The book, which tells a story of oppression, survival, and resistance against authoritarian power, is seen as a threat, dangerous enough to ban.
One other thing is Some of the students aren’t going to let this go without resistance of their own.
As the extent of the ban becomes known, the students rise up. They organize a school-wide walkout and library sit-in. They publicize the banning in every forum they social media, the press, classes, clubs, the school paper. And most of all, they get everyone they know to read the Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi.
Told from multiple perspectives, based on extensive interviews with the real-life students and teachers who were affected, and written by the librarian who exposed key information about the Chicago Public Schools censorship decision, Wake Now in the Fire is a fictionalized account of a true event that galvanized a community. With illustrations by Alex Award-winner AJ Dungo that perfectly capture the everyday joys, heartbreak, and stresses of high school, this graphic novel is an inspiring portrayal of student activism taking on one of most urgent issues of our time, and a passionate reminder of why protecting the books we love matters.
464 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2026
About the author
Jarrett Dapier
9 books45 followersJarrett Dapier is a writer, librarian, and drummer who has loved listening to jazz all his life. He lives in Evanston, Illinois, with his family and their many pets. His favorite treat is an Art Blakey Flakey. Jazz For Lunch! is his picture book debut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
April 4, 2026
With a mix of fact and fiction WAKE NOW IN THE FIRE tells a deeply true and urgent story of student activism in the face of institutional censorship and cowardice. I was swept along with these smart, passionate teens and recognized my own fight in their story. Dapier and Dungo have put together a prescient narrative face to this book ban moment. Book banners are almost always small groups of narrow-minded, bigoted adults; book defenders are scrappy coalitions of students, librarians, journalists, and teachers. Read this for a playbook on how to defend books, education, and free speech.
October 13, 2025
I devoured Wake Now in the Fire in one Sunday afternoon and evening. This graphic novel is based on the true story of the 2013 banning of Persepolis in Chicago Public Schools.
The thick, layered narrative follows more than a dozen characters at a high school—teachers, librarians, administrators, student journalists, club members, and, most importantly, the kids themselves. When their books disappeared from the library shelves, those students didn’t stay quiet. They organized sit-ins, protests, and pushback against a reluctant principal, creating a powerful blueprint for how young people can fight censorship today.
One of the most striking facts the book highlights: just eleven people were responsible for 60% of book challenges across 37 states between 2021 and 2023. As Marjane Satrapi said, “They are not so many. We are more.” These Chicago students proved it.
In a wonderfully meta way, this story defends free speech and the power of graphic novels—mediums that are accessible, engaging, and, yes, meaningful. The art here is good; the storytelling is even better. It’s monochromatic (maybe just in the ARC), and while some characters initially looked a bit similar, I quickly adjusted.
Bottom line: this one’s a winner—an inspiring, smart, and timely defense of the right to read.
The thick, layered narrative follows more than a dozen characters at a high school—teachers, librarians, administrators, student journalists, club members, and, most importantly, the kids themselves. When their books disappeared from the library shelves, those students didn’t stay quiet. They organized sit-ins, protests, and pushback against a reluctant principal, creating a powerful blueprint for how young people can fight censorship today.
One of the most striking facts the book highlights: just eleven people were responsible for 60% of book challenges across 37 states between 2021 and 2023. As Marjane Satrapi said, “They are not so many. We are more.” These Chicago students proved it.
In a wonderfully meta way, this story defends free speech and the power of graphic novels—mediums that are accessible, engaging, and, yes, meaningful. The art here is good; the storytelling is even better. It’s monochromatic (maybe just in the ARC), and while some characters initially looked a bit similar, I quickly adjusted.
Bottom line: this one’s a winner—an inspiring, smart, and timely defense of the right to read.
March 8, 2026
A fictionalized account of a very real event. In 2013, Chicago's public school system suddenly decided to ban Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis out of nowhere. But thankfully, students couldn't stand for that, and organized a protest. CPS backpedaled and called it miscommunication. Until Jarrett Dapier decided to dig in a little more a year later, and exposed the people behind the ban.
What's interesting to me here, is that instead of telling the story straight how it happened, he kind of took the ban and protest as a basis to tell a wider story that really puts the keys to the fight in the kids' hand. He develops his characters a ton, giving them interesting backstories (maybe a little too much, to be fair, some of them are very relevant to the message, while other felt more lite tear-jerkers and kind of distract us from the main point).
Sadly though, AJ Dungo's art (aka the main reason I read this) has much less room to breathe than in his solo work, and felt much more like commission work. It's still solid, but there's a lot less that wowed me here.
All in all, I don't think it's a masterclass of a graphic novel, or ever of graphic reporting. But it's an important story with an important message that's still very, if not more, relevant today.
Not to mention, I booked Persepolis at my library about half way through the book, after pushing back on reading it for ages, so it's definitely done some thing right.
What's interesting to me here, is that instead of telling the story straight how it happened, he kind of took the ban and protest as a basis to tell a wider story that really puts the keys to the fight in the kids' hand. He develops his characters a ton, giving them interesting backstories (maybe a little too much, to be fair, some of them are very relevant to the message, while other felt more lite tear-jerkers and kind of distract us from the main point).
Sadly though, AJ Dungo's art (aka the main reason I read this) has much less room to breathe than in his solo work, and felt much more like commission work. It's still solid, but there's a lot less that wowed me here.
All in all, I don't think it's a masterclass of a graphic novel, or ever of graphic reporting. But it's an important story with an important message that's still very, if not more, relevant today.
Not to mention, I booked Persepolis at my library about half way through the book, after pushing back on reading it for ages, so it's definitely done some thing right.
March 5, 2026
5 stars for banned and challenged books!
Thank you to Netgalley and Ten Speed Graphic for this e-ARC, and I apologise for the late review.
This was an absolutely brilliant graphic novel about the dangers of censorship and oppression, the power of speaking out, never giving up and teenagers fighting the corrupt system. Based on a true story!
The art and story itself were somehow both incredibly simplistic yet undeniably complex. Not only did this less-than-500-page graphic novel tell the story of a book banning being abolished by a group of high schoolers, but it also chronicled their experiences of school pressure, friendships, identity, finding their place in the world, family, mental health, first love and political instability, without over complicating things or taking away from the central plot. Certainly a book for our time.
I would strongly recommend reading Persepolis prior, which is itself an incredible and important book.
This was a very inspiring read, it makes you angry that we live in a world where events such as this are unfortunately a daily occurrence, yet hope as there are people who are willing to fight these injustices, and an overwhelming desire to be one of those people who battles against these many issues and dangers of our time.
At its core, this is a call to action, and I hope it reaches the right people and this action happens.
Thank you to Jarrett Dapier and A.J Dungo for this brilliant book, I say this a lot, but the world really does need stories like this at the moment.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ten Speed Graphic for this e-ARC, and I apologise for the late review.
This was an absolutely brilliant graphic novel about the dangers of censorship and oppression, the power of speaking out, never giving up and teenagers fighting the corrupt system. Based on a true story!
The art and story itself were somehow both incredibly simplistic yet undeniably complex. Not only did this less-than-500-page graphic novel tell the story of a book banning being abolished by a group of high schoolers, but it also chronicled their experiences of school pressure, friendships, identity, finding their place in the world, family, mental health, first love and political instability, without over complicating things or taking away from the central plot. Certainly a book for our time.
I would strongly recommend reading Persepolis prior, which is itself an incredible and important book.
This was a very inspiring read, it makes you angry that we live in a world where events such as this are unfortunately a daily occurrence, yet hope as there are people who are willing to fight these injustices, and an overwhelming desire to be one of those people who battles against these many issues and dangers of our time.
At its core, this is a call to action, and I hope it reaches the right people and this action happens.
Thank you to Jarrett Dapier and A.J Dungo for this brilliant book, I say this a lot, but the world really does need stories like this at the moment.
April 26, 2026
I'm a sucker for any story about a scrappy resistance force of students, librarians, and teachers fighting against censorship!
It was a fairly compelling narrative and the characters had interesting arcs, but I think what I admire most about the book is its instructional value. This is a great playbook for activists everywhere, and a wonderful real life example of how community organization and protest DOES work. Also there is a lot of great stuff in here to use for a journalism unit in high school.
On the downside, my shame about never finishing Persepolis has only deepened. I'll have to give it another go ASAP!
It was a fairly compelling narrative and the characters had interesting arcs, but I think what I admire most about the book is its instructional value. This is a great playbook for activists everywhere, and a wonderful real life example of how community organization and protest DOES work. Also there is a lot of great stuff in here to use for a journalism unit in high school.
On the downside, my shame about never finishing Persepolis has only deepened. I'll have to give it another go ASAP!
April 7, 2026
How had I not heard about the banning of Persepolis in Chicago in 2013? I love that this was a graphic novel about a graphic novel. VERY good though some of the invented teen speak by the adult author seemed a little inauthentic
April 28, 2026
this book couldn’t have found its way to me at a better time. absolutely stellar
March 21, 2026
Based on a true story and written as a graphic novel. I picked up this book partly due to having a friend who teaches English at Lane. I loved how the book combined the story of the book ban with high schoolers and their challenges and triumphs. The pressure to get into an elite college. It also illustrates that we are often ruled by the vocal minority. As the author of Persepolis stated “They are not so many. We are more.” Good reminder these days.
March 12, 2026
Once I started this, I couldn't stop! I was completely sucked in - even though I actually knew exactly what was going to happen, I still *needed to know* in the moment.
This graphic novel is so incredibly important and is so insanely relevant, it's almost meta to read a book that is about things that happened not that long ago and yet is also actively happening now.
In Chicago, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood really was banned in a school district, just like we see here. Like Jarrett's authors note states, the events in this book really happened, even if the names/identities of the people/characters have been changed. Reading this was so inspiring, and definitely felt like it lit a fire inside.
If anyone hasn't read this yet, you definitely need to add it to your TBR - bonus points for buying a copy or checking it out from your local library!!
This graphic novel is so incredibly important and is so insanely relevant, it's almost meta to read a book that is about things that happened not that long ago and yet is also actively happening now.
In Chicago, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood really was banned in a school district, just like we see here. Like Jarrett's authors note states, the events in this book really happened, even if the names/identities of the people/characters have been changed. Reading this was so inspiring, and definitely felt like it lit a fire inside.
If anyone hasn't read this yet, you definitely need to add it to your TBR - bonus points for buying a copy or checking it out from your local library!!
March 1, 2026
✨ Review ✨ Wake Now in the Fire by Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by AJ Dungo
Thanks to Ten Speed Graphic and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!
Book banning is an issue that should matter to us all! This graphic novel shares a fictionalized account of a true story in the Chicago Public Schools about a decade ago, when the book Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi was banned in the schools. The author shares multiple perspectives here, based on interviews with students and teachers who were involved. It feels like you're being dropped int he middle of the school.
The book shows the complex layers in these book banning cases, where news trickles in, often without clear reasons or rationales. Moving from classrooms to library, the ban shifts and grows and recedes across the book. Students organize to fight back with a walkout and a library sit-in. They share their story on social media, in the school newspaper, with journalists, and beyond.
This book is very impactful in reminding us of the power we have when we band together to fight change. I loved how it gave us glimpses into students' lives and showed how they balanced this fight with the things happening in their everyday lives -- family drama, pressures to be ready for college, first loves, and more.
Books like these are must reads in times of authoritarianism, book bans, and censorship.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
Genre: fictionalized account of real events, graphic novel
Setting: Chicago Public Schools
Pub Date: Februrary 2026
Read this if you like:
⭕️ brave students
⭕️ resistance and activism
⭕️ fighting book bans
⭕️ coming-of-age, multi POV
Thanks to Ten Speed Graphic and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!
Book banning is an issue that should matter to us all! This graphic novel shares a fictionalized account of a true story in the Chicago Public Schools about a decade ago, when the book Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi was banned in the schools. The author shares multiple perspectives here, based on interviews with students and teachers who were involved. It feels like you're being dropped int he middle of the school.
The book shows the complex layers in these book banning cases, where news trickles in, often without clear reasons or rationales. Moving from classrooms to library, the ban shifts and grows and recedes across the book. Students organize to fight back with a walkout and a library sit-in. They share their story on social media, in the school newspaper, with journalists, and beyond.
This book is very impactful in reminding us of the power we have when we band together to fight change. I loved how it gave us glimpses into students' lives and showed how they balanced this fight with the things happening in their everyday lives -- family drama, pressures to be ready for college, first loves, and more.
Books like these are must reads in times of authoritarianism, book bans, and censorship.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
Genre: fictionalized account of real events, graphic novel
Setting: Chicago Public Schools
Pub Date: Februrary 2026
Read this if you like:
⭕️ brave students
⭕️ resistance and activism
⭕️ fighting book bans
⭕️ coming-of-age, multi POV
February 23, 2026
This fantastic graphic novel tells the story of the 2013 attempt to ban Persepolis in the Chicago Public Schools, and the work local teens put in to overturning the ban. Using a combination of facts and fiction, we get a deeply personal look at the battle for the book as well as glimpses into the lives of the teens involve. All of the teens have more going on in their lives than just a decision that their school made, but they show up in different ways throughout the battle. With a limited color palette and thick line work, the focus is really drawn to the characters. It would work as an excellent companion piece to read with Persepolis as well as standing on its own as a timely read about book banning. One of the things I appreciate most about the book was both the way it showed that people can fight for the same cause in a myriad of different ways as and how institutional censorship by organizations works. It’s a fantastic read that I highly recommend. Five out of five stars.
February 26, 2026
I loooooved this. Not just the central story about the protests, but the side plots about the characters' private struggles. Dapier did a beautiful job of capturing the spirit of a large Chicago high school, and of teenagers themselves--the hopefulness, the vulnerability, the rashness, the innate sense of justice which hasn't been tainted with bitterness.
October 19, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC!!!
This was a fantastic & emotional read. As a librarian I had the experience of this kind of fanatic behavior toward banning books especially when it came to marginalized voices like the ones in the book. I had no experience with this event even though I was about the same age as the seniors in this (18) so that was another insight.
Overall this book is definitely something I think everyone should read & familiarize themselves with.
This book took me by surprise in the best possible way. I had not really heard much about this particular story ahead of reading this despite being around the same age as the kids in the book when this was happening (though I had graduated a year before.) But as a kid from the south, I know the particulars that can come along with dissent in literature choices. This was a great story to read, I did so mostly in one sitting as I just got truly absorbed. I also loved the art style that the book has, it's simple enough that you don't need anything else to understand what's going on.
As far as getting this book on the rounds, as soon as it's possible I will definitely be fitting this into a recommendation for a YA crowd, honestly any crowd. I also did check out Persepolis, which I had not read before this & was glad that I did so. Overall, a fantastic insightful & well written read with the research to back it up. I'll be interested to see how this author continues their journey.
This was a fantastic & emotional read. As a librarian I had the experience of this kind of fanatic behavior toward banning books especially when it came to marginalized voices like the ones in the book. I had no experience with this event even though I was about the same age as the seniors in this (18) so that was another insight.
Overall this book is definitely something I think everyone should read & familiarize themselves with.
This book took me by surprise in the best possible way. I had not really heard much about this particular story ahead of reading this despite being around the same age as the kids in the book when this was happening (though I had graduated a year before.) But as a kid from the south, I know the particulars that can come along with dissent in literature choices. This was a great story to read, I did so mostly in one sitting as I just got truly absorbed. I also loved the art style that the book has, it's simple enough that you don't need anything else to understand what's going on.
As far as getting this book on the rounds, as soon as it's possible I will definitely be fitting this into a recommendation for a YA crowd, honestly any crowd. I also did check out Persepolis, which I had not read before this & was glad that I did so. Overall, a fantastic insightful & well written read with the research to back it up. I'll be interested to see how this author continues their journey.
April 24, 2026
Amazing read on how censorship affects youth, and how book banning takes away intellectual freedom rights from all of us. Books are being challenged and banned more than ever, and the titles being banned demonstrate a clear agenda from the ones banning them. It’s scary. It’s serious. Protect your right to read and to speak, because once they have that, they can, and will, take more.
February 16, 2026
Very timely book about censorship. This particular book is about the banning of the book Persepolis from Chicago Public Schools in 2013 and how students protested. I love books that show kids as activists.
April 1, 2026
An incredible graphic novel on book banning & the fight against it.
April 27, 2026
It was a lovely graphic novel about the effects of book banning and how the youth aren't as dumb as people make them out to be.
April 13, 2026
Loved this book, hate how relevant it is to the state of politics in Alberta. Gender Queer is the new Persepolis in today's book-banning world.
The author did such a good job of interweaving the actual historical event of the CPS book ban with real, heartfelt, human moments and struggles in the youth represented in this graphic novel. I especially loved the acknowledgement of why so many graphic novels are targeted by uninformed, non-reader adults.
Great book, will definitely re-read.
The author did such a good job of interweaving the actual historical event of the CPS book ban with real, heartfelt, human moments and struggles in the youth represented in this graphic novel. I especially loved the acknowledgement of why so many graphic novels are targeted by uninformed, non-reader adults.
Great book, will definitely re-read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"Wake Now in the Fire" is based on the true events of a 2013 book challenge, where the Chicago Public Schools district pulled the graphic novel memoir, Persepolis, and the students fought to keep the books on the shelves. Picking a similar format to the banned book offers a lot of parallels to Satrapi's own work, and the multiple stories of the students woven throughout the protest all contribute to the overarching themes of censorship, self-actualization, and the feeling of frustration that teenagers have when adults unilaterally decide to deprive them of intellectual choices under the guise of protection.
Like "Persepolis," Dungo's illustrations uses a limited color pallet of black, greys, and blues, only using red to denote the cover of "Persepolis." The stylistic choice is meaningful, however, the stripped down art style doesn't immediately entice readers who might otherwise be willing to read John Lewis' "March" trilogy or Backderf's graphic memoirs. Dungo accurately captures known faces of public figures throughout the book, but the collection of teenagers and teachers have a generic quality that can sometimes make it difficult to identify the ages, sexes, or identities of the characters. There were also some cases where the shifting POV of the panels left a disorienting feeling, like the situation where Aofie is talking with her dad and the symbolism of the open beer bottle looms to foreshadow his alcoholic crashout, but the perspective between the bottle and the dad keeps shifting in ways that I don't think were intentional. This also happens when a student decides to leave class for the protest and is exiting the door towards the left of the panel and then seen to the right, implying a shift outside of the classroom but without any background identifiers it feels muddled. Dungo has a lot of panels that are powerfully set, but also panels where giant gobs of tears drawn on a character's face seems to detract from the scene.
Dapier's writing is the real strength of the book. While it starts out slow, and unevenly, the different perspective of the teens are all worthwhile. I would say, like all stories that feature multiple plotlines, some are far stronger than others. Aofie and Kendall, who begin the book, seem to fade out of importance part of the way. I think, in part, it's because Aofie's personal struggles sideline her so significantly, so the writing makes a salient point about how well-meaning protesters can become derailed by other life events, but I also think the way things wrapped up with her dad was the weakest ending of the major characters. Weston's anxiety being sympathetically triggered by the censorship was woven in very well, paralleling Aofie's emotional turmoil over her dad. However, the strongest storyline, the one that makes it worth reading even if someone isn't enamored by the artwork and feels like the story goes slowly, is Aditi's. Aditi is the obvious student you think of who would be upset by a book ban: an immigrant girl and A+ student, whose academic track has kept her focused. But the threat of the book being taken away feels like a wake up call to reclaim her own identity as someone who read for pleasure and values the variety of perspectives that books can bring. Her inclusion in the protests starts out slow, gradually rising in importance for her to take time out of extracurricular classes and eventually volunteering to head the Banned Books Club.
Overall, an interesting multilayered perspective of how students collectively came together for a cause. The voices sound authentic and, while some storylines are stronger than others, they all have something to say. I don't think the illustrations are stylistically suited for large casts of various characters and scene changes, but it doesn't hobble the story. Highly recommend.
Like "Persepolis," Dungo's illustrations uses a limited color pallet of black, greys, and blues, only using red to denote the cover of "Persepolis." The stylistic choice is meaningful, however, the stripped down art style doesn't immediately entice readers who might otherwise be willing to read John Lewis' "March" trilogy or Backderf's graphic memoirs. Dungo accurately captures known faces of public figures throughout the book, but the collection of teenagers and teachers have a generic quality that can sometimes make it difficult to identify the ages, sexes, or identities of the characters. There were also some cases where the shifting POV of the panels left a disorienting feeling, like the situation where Aofie is talking with her dad and the symbolism of the open beer bottle looms to foreshadow his alcoholic crashout, but the perspective between the bottle and the dad keeps shifting in ways that I don't think were intentional. This also happens when a student decides to leave class for the protest and is exiting the door towards the left of the panel and then seen to the right, implying a shift outside of the classroom but without any background identifiers it feels muddled. Dungo has a lot of panels that are powerfully set, but also panels where giant gobs of tears drawn on a character's face seems to detract from the scene.
Dapier's writing is the real strength of the book. While it starts out slow, and unevenly, the different perspective of the teens are all worthwhile. I would say, like all stories that feature multiple plotlines, some are far stronger than others. Aofie and Kendall, who begin the book, seem to fade out of importance part of the way. I think, in part, it's because Aofie's personal struggles sideline her so significantly, so the writing makes a salient point about how well-meaning protesters can become derailed by other life events, but I also think the way things wrapped up with her dad was the weakest ending of the major characters. Weston's anxiety being sympathetically triggered by the censorship was woven in very well, paralleling Aofie's emotional turmoil over her dad. However, the strongest storyline, the one that makes it worth reading even if someone isn't enamored by the artwork and feels like the story goes slowly, is Aditi's. Aditi is the obvious student you think of who would be upset by a book ban: an immigrant girl and A+ student, whose academic track has kept her focused. But the threat of the book being taken away feels like a wake up call to reclaim her own identity as someone who read for pleasure and values the variety of perspectives that books can bring. Her inclusion in the protests starts out slow, gradually rising in importance for her to take time out of extracurricular classes and eventually volunteering to head the Banned Books Club.
Overall, an interesting multilayered perspective of how students collectively came together for a cause. The voices sound authentic and, while some storylines are stronger than others, they all have something to say. I don't think the illustrations are stylistically suited for large casts of various characters and scene changes, but it doesn't hobble the story. Highly recommend.
April 4, 2026
Would recommend for readers into YA graphic novels, books about book bans/fighting for your right to read/fighting against censorship. Focuses on one book banning case and includes slices of high school life (navigating relationships, academic pressure, figuring out who you are, etc.) that happens as the case goes on within a short few weeks. This is a fictionalized account of what happened in March 2013 with the Chicago Public School (CPS) system banning Persepolis and the response of students at schools gathering together to fight for their right to read. The author (in their author note) shares their passion about fighting for everyone's right to read what they want, their experience writing about this specific censorship case for their thesis, and their excitement in receiving documentation from their FOIA request that leads to making the news with information about who was behind the ban (much in the same way how the fictional work ends).
As a complete sidenote, I preferred this book over Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers' Rights (anthology) because I feel like this is a more cohesive work. It's focused on one main censorship case (while addressing censorship issues on a broader scale too) in one city's schools through the lenses of multiple characters (students and staff). It's also more relatable and accessible to teens because this work shows glimpses of the struggles of teens' everyday lives - taking care of struggling parents, the pressure to study and be the top of your class, wanting to have your voice be heard, friendship drama, navigating grief/loss/painful experiences in life, etc. I enjoyed it. It had a narrow focus, did it well, and included relatable teen life experiences within it. The message is clear: everyone should be able to read what they want without restriction, and you can use your voice to fight for your rights and for others too.
Also, Dungo is into skating vibes, I think, because I'm on the holds list for Skating Wilder (graphic novel about skateboarding that Dungo illustrated too), and this book had a good amount of skater boy in it with Weston.
Story: This work's strength is that it focuses clearly on one case of book banning within a city and that it is heavily based off a real event. The work also manages to weave in moments of everyday teenage life, which softens the work and makes it relatable to teens on a larger scale rather than just having this be categorized as a dry nonfiction piece. The plot progressed naturally at a good pace. There was a resolution for a lot of the students' personal storylines (Weston/Miguel, Aoife with her dad, Aditi with her academic pressure she places on herself and wanting to feel like herself again/do what she is passionate about) that were tied up nicely.
Voice: The dialogue between teens sound like teens with the cursing and insults and excitement and random phrases LOL. The text exchanges sound legit. Some of it can sound a tad info-dumpy/preachy but it does get the definition across for some things (when they talk about not censoring people's viewpoints even if you disagree with them). The voice seemed consistent throughout.
Style: The style was a bit like a movie, where you have the date/time/place/speaker noted at the top panel and it continues on with the character's story. It worked effectively in giving readers the pertinent information without interrupting story flow. Liked the stylistic choice to tell the story from multiple POVs with some first-person narration but mostly use of conversation/speech bubbles to reveal information and keep the plot progressing.
Setting: The book takes place within a few weeks (March 11-March 30, 2013). Date, time, and place is clearly denoted at the top of panels. Sense of place is clear and stays within Chicago. I appreciated that there were often panels where no one was speaking and movement was shown (everyone at different places doing different things at the same time, or all staring at their device screens in different places).
Accuracy: Well-researched (thanks for the author's note) and is really a labor of love and interest by the author, which I can always appreciate. Accurate to the teen struggles (caring for struggling parents, academic pressures to help immigrant families, mental health struggles, relationship navigation). Contains lots of references to things in real life that teens could look into to get involved in fighting censorship - FOIA, ALA, OIF, book bans, collection development policy in libraries, student protests/walk-outs at schools, contacting media and journalism efforts, library sit-ins, reading as protest, using your voice in different ways to support your right to read.
Characters: There were a lot of student characters, which is both a yay and a nay. Yay because yay representation and diverse viewpoints for the story, but nay because there were a lot. Black character (Kendall - girl), Mexican character (Miguel), Indian character (Aditi), boys in love (Weston/Miguel), drama kids (Miguel), skater kids (Weston), journalism kids (Jackson, Xochitl), alcoholic/drugged/suicidal parents (Aoife's dad), pressures to perform academically (Aditi), immigrant families giving you a better life (Aditi), anxiety/panic attacks (Weston), etc. All the characters were likeable and relatable in their struggles to things young adults face every day, so it felt accurate. Given the large amount of characters, I feel like everyone got decent page time and their storylines were resolved well.
Theme: You can make a difference and stand up for your right to read any materials. You are not fighting censorship only for yourself, but for others now and for those who will come after you. There are a variety of ways to protest - silently, reading, walking out, protesting with signs loudly, through media and journalism, by letting your voice be known, becoming an officer in a school club, using the library, etc. Students in particular are important in fighting for their right to read!
Illustrations: Like the use of the blues and reds for the color pallet. I had a hard time with the artwork at times in terms of characters because some of the people don't look distinct so it was hard for me to remember who was who outside of Kendall, Aoife, and Weston. Or maybe there were just too many student characters? Like Jackson, Eli, Aditi, Adam, Meredith, etc. Besides that, I liked the simplicity of the illustrations and boldness of the linework. It's not my favorite art style and did not blow me away by any means, but the lines were clear and worked well with the message the story was telling (bold and clear too). I think when there was less going on in the frames that the illustrations did well in showing and not telling - we see hints of Aoife's dad's alcoholism from the very start just by looking at their home, for example.��Enjoyed that the Persepolis books were solid bright red in color throughout the book, symbolizing their importance as a symbol of resisting censorship.
Design (including format, organization, etc.): Liked the decision not to have chapter sections but to use date/time/place/narrator denotations at the top of the panels to break up the story and indicate shifts in narrative. Liked that the story progressed chronologically. Also enjoyed the use of blue as the chosen pallet with red being used to note important objects like the bright red Persepolis book.
Profanity. Scene of alcohol poisoning, mention of drug use/alcohol poisoning/stomach pumping, a 72-hour hold in a psychiatric ward because of suicide ideation for Aoife's father, visiting her father in the ward under heavy medication. Mention of sexual assault, police brutality against Black individuals, physical assault, bullying. Two boys kissing in a bed.
"You have to take tyrants seriously the second they show you who they are." (337)
"But I do know that stories have the power to change the rhythm of things...to change people. In ways we don't even understand. They go beyond what we can anticipate or expect once they're out there." (353)
As a complete sidenote, I preferred this book over Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers' Rights (anthology) because I feel like this is a more cohesive work. It's focused on one main censorship case (while addressing censorship issues on a broader scale too) in one city's schools through the lenses of multiple characters (students and staff). It's also more relatable and accessible to teens because this work shows glimpses of the struggles of teens' everyday lives - taking care of struggling parents, the pressure to study and be the top of your class, wanting to have your voice be heard, friendship drama, navigating grief/loss/painful experiences in life, etc. I enjoyed it. It had a narrow focus, did it well, and included relatable teen life experiences within it. The message is clear: everyone should be able to read what they want without restriction, and you can use your voice to fight for your rights and for others too.
Also, Dungo is into skating vibes, I think, because I'm on the holds list for Skating Wilder (graphic novel about skateboarding that Dungo illustrated too), and this book had a good amount of skater boy in it with Weston.
Story: This work's strength is that it focuses clearly on one case of book banning within a city and that it is heavily based off a real event. The work also manages to weave in moments of everyday teenage life, which softens the work and makes it relatable to teens on a larger scale rather than just having this be categorized as a dry nonfiction piece. The plot progressed naturally at a good pace. There was a resolution for a lot of the students' personal storylines (Weston/Miguel, Aoife with her dad, Aditi with her academic pressure she places on herself and wanting to feel like herself again/do what she is passionate about) that were tied up nicely.
Voice: The dialogue between teens sound like teens with the cursing and insults and excitement and random phrases LOL. The text exchanges sound legit. Some of it can sound a tad info-dumpy/preachy but it does get the definition across for some things (when they talk about not censoring people's viewpoints even if you disagree with them). The voice seemed consistent throughout.
Style: The style was a bit like a movie, where you have the date/time/place/speaker noted at the top panel and it continues on with the character's story. It worked effectively in giving readers the pertinent information without interrupting story flow. Liked the stylistic choice to tell the story from multiple POVs with some first-person narration but mostly use of conversation/speech bubbles to reveal information and keep the plot progressing.
Setting: The book takes place within a few weeks (March 11-March 30, 2013). Date, time, and place is clearly denoted at the top of panels. Sense of place is clear and stays within Chicago. I appreciated that there were often panels where no one was speaking and movement was shown (everyone at different places doing different things at the same time, or all staring at their device screens in different places).
Accuracy: Well-researched (thanks for the author's note) and is really a labor of love and interest by the author, which I can always appreciate. Accurate to the teen struggles (caring for struggling parents, academic pressures to help immigrant families, mental health struggles, relationship navigation). Contains lots of references to things in real life that teens could look into to get involved in fighting censorship - FOIA, ALA, OIF, book bans, collection development policy in libraries, student protests/walk-outs at schools, contacting media and journalism efforts, library sit-ins, reading as protest, using your voice in different ways to support your right to read.
Characters: There were a lot of student characters, which is both a yay and a nay. Yay because yay representation and diverse viewpoints for the story, but nay because there were a lot. Black character (Kendall - girl), Mexican character (Miguel), Indian character (Aditi), boys in love (Weston/Miguel), drama kids (Miguel), skater kids (Weston), journalism kids (Jackson, Xochitl), alcoholic/drugged/suicidal parents (Aoife's dad), pressures to perform academically (Aditi), immigrant families giving you a better life (Aditi), anxiety/panic attacks (Weston), etc. All the characters were likeable and relatable in their struggles to things young adults face every day, so it felt accurate. Given the large amount of characters, I feel like everyone got decent page time and their storylines were resolved well.
Theme: You can make a difference and stand up for your right to read any materials. You are not fighting censorship only for yourself, but for others now and for those who will come after you. There are a variety of ways to protest - silently, reading, walking out, protesting with signs loudly, through media and journalism, by letting your voice be known, becoming an officer in a school club, using the library, etc. Students in particular are important in fighting for their right to read!
Illustrations: Like the use of the blues and reds for the color pallet. I had a hard time with the artwork at times in terms of characters because some of the people don't look distinct so it was hard for me to remember who was who outside of Kendall, Aoife, and Weston. Or maybe there were just too many student characters? Like Jackson, Eli, Aditi, Adam, Meredith, etc. Besides that, I liked the simplicity of the illustrations and boldness of the linework. It's not my favorite art style and did not blow me away by any means, but the lines were clear and worked well with the message the story was telling (bold and clear too). I think when there was less going on in the frames that the illustrations did well in showing and not telling - we see hints of Aoife's dad's alcoholism from the very start just by looking at their home, for example.��Enjoyed that the Persepolis books were solid bright red in color throughout the book, symbolizing their importance as a symbol of resisting censorship.
Design (including format, organization, etc.): Liked the decision not to have chapter sections but to use date/time/place/narrator denotations at the top of the panels to break up the story and indicate shifts in narrative. Liked that the story progressed chronologically. Also enjoyed the use of blue as the chosen pallet with red being used to note important objects like the bright red Persepolis book.
Profanity. Scene of alcohol poisoning, mention of drug use/alcohol poisoning/stomach pumping, a 72-hour hold in a psychiatric ward because of suicide ideation for Aoife's father, visiting her father in the ward under heavy medication. Mention of sexual assault, police brutality against Black individuals, physical assault, bullying. Two boys kissing in a bed.
"You have to take tyrants seriously the second they show you who they are." (337)
"But I do know that stories have the power to change the rhythm of things...to change people. In ways we don't even understand. They go beyond what we can anticipate or expect once they're out there." (353)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2026
Some students at Curtis Technical College Preparatory High School had the honor to read Persepolis, which was a favorite amongst the students, in 7th grade English class. It’s March 2013 and Persepolis has been banned by the Chicago Public Schools with a vague explanation that it contained violent content. The book was deemed inappropriate for 7th and 8th graders but CPS was reconsidering it for higher grades provided teachers had the “appropriate teacher training”. What is “appropriate teacher training” if teachers already have credentials and higher degrees to teach? Censoring a book with a topic about censorship. How does this make any sense? The books have been removed from the classrooms but remain in the school libraries, if a school even has a library. This was a backhanded way of CPS saying the book was not banned but the intention was clear to slowly eliminate it from their teaching and reading catalog because the number of school libraries in Chicago was dwindling. The ban greatly upset the Curtis students, the teachers who taught it, and the school’s 451 Banned Books Club. The students strategize how to bring awareness that book banning takes away rights from readers. They make posters, participate in a library sit-in, and a stage a school walkout in protest. One student contacted the author Marjane Satrapi and she responded. Satrapi’s response was provided to news media and NPR about the outrage and a staged school protest makes wind in newscasts. However, some students in the story are unable to attend the protest due to their personal struggles, such as familial alcoholism, anxiety, sexual orientation, and pressure to get perfect grades and participate in the right extracurricular activities to get into the best colleges.
This book is largely based on actual events that occurred in Chicago on March 2013 such as the protest, emails from the CPS CEO, the people and news articles from TV and newspapers. This book could represent any school system in the country that has banned or attempted to ban books because they deem it inappropriate. I am totally against book banning. All it takes is one bible-thumping parent to feed oil to feed the flame on the fire of book banning. There is an excerpt in the story where students believed that Persepolis was banned because it is a graphic novel as opposed to a novel. A parent could see the illustrations of torture leading to retention of those images in their mind as opposed to lots of narrative text. This is a valid point. I have read Persepolis years ago and it spoke of truths in Iran that were also depicted on TV news and newspaper articles. The news media have the right to free speech but not an author? I commend the author who had a personal interest in CPS’s book banning and his 12 years of work on this graphic novel depicts the history with some fictionalized accounts. The characters in the story are fictionalized to include their personal struggles as teenagers. Those struggles are real and authentic, carrying forward to today’s world. However, the events of the CPS book banning are factual. I like how the fiction is interwoven with the factual history. It made for a powerful story.
The artwork was simply drawn and minimal with massive dialog balloons that occupied much of the real estate on the panels. I was not fond of the disproportionate sizing of the dialog balloons in relation to the illustrations as it was a distraction. The color was monochrome in shades of gray. Nevertheless, these elements did not deter from the point of the entire story – book banning is simply just wrong.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
This book is largely based on actual events that occurred in Chicago on March 2013 such as the protest, emails from the CPS CEO, the people and news articles from TV and newspapers. This book could represent any school system in the country that has banned or attempted to ban books because they deem it inappropriate. I am totally against book banning. All it takes is one bible-thumping parent to feed oil to feed the flame on the fire of book banning. There is an excerpt in the story where students believed that Persepolis was banned because it is a graphic novel as opposed to a novel. A parent could see the illustrations of torture leading to retention of those images in their mind as opposed to lots of narrative text. This is a valid point. I have read Persepolis years ago and it spoke of truths in Iran that were also depicted on TV news and newspaper articles. The news media have the right to free speech but not an author? I commend the author who had a personal interest in CPS’s book banning and his 12 years of work on this graphic novel depicts the history with some fictionalized accounts. The characters in the story are fictionalized to include their personal struggles as teenagers. Those struggles are real and authentic, carrying forward to today’s world. However, the events of the CPS book banning are factual. I like how the fiction is interwoven with the factual history. It made for a powerful story.
The artwork was simply drawn and minimal with massive dialog balloons that occupied much of the real estate on the panels. I was not fond of the disproportionate sizing of the dialog balloons in relation to the illustrations as it was a distraction. The color was monochrome in shades of gray. Nevertheless, these elements did not deter from the point of the entire story – book banning is simply just wrong.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
February 22, 2026
Wake in the Fire: A Story of Censorship, Action, Love and Hope (2026) by Jarret Dapier and illustrated by Aj Dungo might be described as an historical fiction graphic novel about the 2013 Chicago Public School banning of Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis, her autobiographical fiction of growing up in the 1979 Iranian revolution. Thanks to the authors, Ten Speed Graphic and Net Galley for the opportunity to review it, which I received before the publication date, but now have finally read it. Satrapi’s book is a graphic novel, so it is appropriate that a book about the censorship of that novel is a graphic novel. Persepolis is about brutal repression and resistance, focused on the story of a young woman’s experience of that important time, and so it is appropriate that the (ironic) repression of the truth of that history be told through a focus on young people resisting that in the schools here.
The banning began by Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the CEO of the Chicago Public Schools (and maybe Mayor Rahm Emanuel) and other educational “leaders” who then tried to deny their personal involvement in the decision, though a FOIA request, once heavily redacted, revealed the truth. The book was being taught at Lane Tech High School (called Curtis for reasons of fiction, I guess) and the students, supported by teachers and librarians and others, protested and researched and reported and got the book returned to libraries and classrooms.
The book wisely focuses on the student struggle for free speech and against censorship, for a full opportunity to know history. We get to know a few students, there’s a focus on character development and relationships as we know about the lives they were living and the struggles they faced at home as they also became activists in school.
This book is too long at 464 pages to reasonably be considered for adoption in classrooms, but it is a great secondary text for teachers who are teaching Persepolis, especially in the worst time of censorship in history in libraries and schools in this country, a time of the repression of this country's racism. So it’s an inspiration. The art by award-winning Dungo (In Waves) is simple, with few backgrounds, but it is solid and there isn’t too much text. I think it should be edited down more to make it more accessible for more people, it could be more condensed, but it is still an impressive document.
Activism about graphic novels in schools was part of the student activism as well, a focus I especially appreciate as a teacher of graphic novels, promoting their use in schools for close to two decades.
*Rahm Emanuel was Mayor at the time. He has been in Japan for a few years now, an ambassador, who it is said wants to run for President. Most Chicago teachers would not vote for him, certainly. Yes, this is personal. I was here during this period in Chicago, as a Chicago teacher and teacher educator. And it is said that when he worked for President Barack Obama that it was his job to repress the investigation of American torture and prisoner abuse post 9/11 in Abu Ghraib. Connect the dots here: The main problem CPS had with Persepolis was that it talked about the torture of Satrapi’s uncle; they wanted to ban a book that discussed that, and then prevent students (and others) from knowing about US torture.
Here’s a couple articles about the censorship:
https://ncac.org/news/blog/persepolis...
https://ncac.org/news/blog/persepolis...
https://ncac.org/news/blog/how-chicag...
https://abc7chicago.com/archive/9029488/
The banning began by Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the CEO of the Chicago Public Schools (and maybe Mayor Rahm Emanuel) and other educational “leaders” who then tried to deny their personal involvement in the decision, though a FOIA request, once heavily redacted, revealed the truth. The book was being taught at Lane Tech High School (called Curtis for reasons of fiction, I guess) and the students, supported by teachers and librarians and others, protested and researched and reported and got the book returned to libraries and classrooms.
The book wisely focuses on the student struggle for free speech and against censorship, for a full opportunity to know history. We get to know a few students, there’s a focus on character development and relationships as we know about the lives they were living and the struggles they faced at home as they also became activists in school.
This book is too long at 464 pages to reasonably be considered for adoption in classrooms, but it is a great secondary text for teachers who are teaching Persepolis, especially in the worst time of censorship in history in libraries and schools in this country, a time of the repression of this country's racism. So it’s an inspiration. The art by award-winning Dungo (In Waves) is simple, with few backgrounds, but it is solid and there isn’t too much text. I think it should be edited down more to make it more accessible for more people, it could be more condensed, but it is still an impressive document.
Activism about graphic novels in schools was part of the student activism as well, a focus I especially appreciate as a teacher of graphic novels, promoting their use in schools for close to two decades.
*Rahm Emanuel was Mayor at the time. He has been in Japan for a few years now, an ambassador, who it is said wants to run for President. Most Chicago teachers would not vote for him, certainly. Yes, this is personal. I was here during this period in Chicago, as a Chicago teacher and teacher educator. And it is said that when he worked for President Barack Obama that it was his job to repress the investigation of American torture and prisoner abuse post 9/11 in Abu Ghraib. Connect the dots here: The main problem CPS had with Persepolis was that it talked about the torture of Satrapi’s uncle; they wanted to ban a book that discussed that, and then prevent students (and others) from knowing about US torture.
Here’s a couple articles about the censorship:
https://ncac.org/news/blog/persepolis...
https://ncac.org/news/blog/persepolis...
https://ncac.org/news/blog/how-chicag...
https://abc7chicago.com/archive/9029488/
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
For several years, I taught Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis in my high school English classes, a chance to introduce readers to the graphic novel storytelling style while helping see what people their age endure in other countries. Last year, after a few parents complained about language and sex, I was asked to remove it from the curriculum (although I could keep it in my class library).
When I introduced the story, I referenced its international awards as well as the brief 2013 ban of the book from Chicago Public Schools. So, the parallels were not lost on me. But I never knew the full story.
Former teen librarian at the Evanston and Skokie public libraries, Dapier knows his audience, and the teenagers in this fictionalized account of the true event sound authentic. As the students at Curtis Technical College Preparatory High School arrived on Monday, March 11, 2013, we see how a memo from the district begins the sequence of events.
First, an English teacher has to take the books out of the classroom and then we discover the entire district has to comply, which involves collecting and disposing of them. She bravely preserved her class set.
As word spreads, we focus on several sets of students, including those working on the school newspaper, who begin researching the event. For whatever reason, the Chicago CEO of Schools, Barbara Byrd-Bennett, refuses to respond to requests for comment. Satrapi, though, does, and mainstream media are directed to retrieve her quote from the student journalist.
Dapier does a nice job weaving the growing student discontent into their personal lives, making things complex and realistic. Apparently, the characteristics and life events were real, although characters were changed for dramatic reasons. I appreciate seeing the classroom discussions across the disciplines to make sure all voices and opinions are reflected.
As the 451 Banned Books Club plans a Persepolis read-in and others plan a walkout protest for that Friday. We watch each student wrestle with their choice of action and its consequences. This makes the book a rich reading experience as well as a breezy one.
Dungo’s artwork is relatively simple, mixing real and cartoon elements with thick ink lines, using a limited blue palette, with just red reserved for the banned book’s cover. I wish Dungo tightened the balloon shapes, which wasted a lot of space and, instead, provided more backgrounds, making much of the story seem simplistic/ I found the balloons (but not the captions, go figure) distracting throughout.
In the Note from the Author, we discover it was Dapier who used the Freedom of Information Act to retrieve the vital documents which proved Byrd-Bennett was behind the ban, despite lying about it, and this proved to be one of many instances of her misconduct, ultimately leading to her firing.
With books still under attack across the country, this book is a vital resource that shows how students can take action, have a voice, and hold adults accountable. It’s a compelling read, one I raced through and suspect you will, too.
When I introduced the story, I referenced its international awards as well as the brief 2013 ban of the book from Chicago Public Schools. So, the parallels were not lost on me. But I never knew the full story.
Former teen librarian at the Evanston and Skokie public libraries, Dapier knows his audience, and the teenagers in this fictionalized account of the true event sound authentic. As the students at Curtis Technical College Preparatory High School arrived on Monday, March 11, 2013, we see how a memo from the district begins the sequence of events.
First, an English teacher has to take the books out of the classroom and then we discover the entire district has to comply, which involves collecting and disposing of them. She bravely preserved her class set.
As word spreads, we focus on several sets of students, including those working on the school newspaper, who begin researching the event. For whatever reason, the Chicago CEO of Schools, Barbara Byrd-Bennett, refuses to respond to requests for comment. Satrapi, though, does, and mainstream media are directed to retrieve her quote from the student journalist.
Dapier does a nice job weaving the growing student discontent into their personal lives, making things complex and realistic. Apparently, the characteristics and life events were real, although characters were changed for dramatic reasons. I appreciate seeing the classroom discussions across the disciplines to make sure all voices and opinions are reflected.
As the 451 Banned Books Club plans a Persepolis read-in and others plan a walkout protest for that Friday. We watch each student wrestle with their choice of action and its consequences. This makes the book a rich reading experience as well as a breezy one.
Dungo’s artwork is relatively simple, mixing real and cartoon elements with thick ink lines, using a limited blue palette, with just red reserved for the banned book’s cover. I wish Dungo tightened the balloon shapes, which wasted a lot of space and, instead, provided more backgrounds, making much of the story seem simplistic/ I found the balloons (but not the captions, go figure) distracting throughout.
In the Note from the Author, we discover it was Dapier who used the Freedom of Information Act to retrieve the vital documents which proved Byrd-Bennett was behind the ban, despite lying about it, and this proved to be one of many instances of her misconduct, ultimately leading to her firing.
With books still under attack across the country, this book is a vital resource that shows how students can take action, have a voice, and hold adults accountable. It’s a compelling read, one I raced through and suspect you will, too.
May 6, 2026
Fictionalized GN about Chicago public schools' attempt to ban Persepolis (Satrapi) from all classrooms. Keyword CLASSROOMS. So the librarians stocked up on the removed classroom copies featured it and fought the ban, as we do.
pg.177
Librarian: I'm gonna put these library copies we already have front and center right here on my desk. And we're gonna turn your classroom copies into library copies.
Teacher [or student?]: Librarians, man...
pg335
Why would a school do this?
... In a lot of ways, the book is about young people in Iran trying to think for themselves in a dictatorship.
Interesting...
pg356 (about the Iraq war atrocities)
You know, the... the um, secret prison in Iraq where American soldiers and, like, CIA guys, um, electrocuted and ... water boarded and sicced dogs on naked detainees...
No.
I didn't see. I mean my parents didn't talk about it.
I remember seeing the photos when I was nine. My parents had left out a New Yorker. I just picked it up and... saw all these photos of handcuffed naked men piled on top of each other and guards laughing at them. Also, this picture of this terrified man, a dog snarling inches from his face...
... It's the big reason I want to be a journalist. I mean, the Times printed these spreads of all the weapons Bush was going to use to kill people when the invasion started, my mom said. Like it was a sports stat or something. That paper has blood on its hands ... I want to be a journalist who reports TRUTH, not a, like, copy boy of the elite.
pg371 [my note says, "Reminds me of my class who had never heard of And Tango Makes Three, even though they have well-read liberal parents. Successful censorship."]
pg380 ... does anyone think that the book was targeted because it's a graphic novel?
Adults frickin' hate graphic novels, at least my mom does.
...So maybe it was a teacher or a principal somewhere who didn't know the story, flipped the book open, and saw the guy getting cut up into pieces. That wouldn't happen if it was just a novel without pictures.
pg383 interesting perspective/discussion about hate speech
"The function of freedom is to free someone else." Toni Morrison
pg.177
Librarian: I'm gonna put these library copies we already have front and center right here on my desk. And we're gonna turn your classroom copies into library copies.
Teacher [or student?]: Librarians, man...
pg335
Why would a school do this?
... In a lot of ways, the book is about young people in Iran trying to think for themselves in a dictatorship.
Interesting...
pg356 (about the Iraq war atrocities)
You know, the... the um, secret prison in Iraq where American soldiers and, like, CIA guys, um, electrocuted and ... water boarded and sicced dogs on naked detainees...
No.
I didn't see. I mean my parents didn't talk about it.
I remember seeing the photos when I was nine. My parents had left out a New Yorker. I just picked it up and... saw all these photos of handcuffed naked men piled on top of each other and guards laughing at them. Also, this picture of this terrified man, a dog snarling inches from his face...
... It's the big reason I want to be a journalist. I mean, the Times printed these spreads of all the weapons Bush was going to use to kill people when the invasion started, my mom said. Like it was a sports stat or something. That paper has blood on its hands ... I want to be a journalist who reports TRUTH, not a, like, copy boy of the elite.
pg371 [my note says, "Reminds me of my class who had never heard of And Tango Makes Three, even though they have well-read liberal parents. Successful censorship."]
pg380 ... does anyone think that the book was targeted because it's a graphic novel?
Adults frickin' hate graphic novels, at least my mom does.
...So maybe it was a teacher or a principal somewhere who didn't know the story, flipped the book open, and saw the guy getting cut up into pieces. That wouldn't happen if it was just a novel without pictures.
pg383 interesting perspective/discussion about hate speech
"The function of freedom is to free someone else." Toni Morrison
February 7, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC!
This is a very timely story that drives home the reality of people advocating for what they strongly believe in and participating in activism while still having to carry everything that is going on in their own lives day to day. ESPECIALLY so for teenagers! Adults may think that teens have life pretty easy because they don't have bills to pay or full time jobs, but we so often forget the internal turmoil that is happening at that age; the struggle to learn and shape the person you are growing into, surrounded by all of the external influences trying to mold you into one thing or another. To grow up in times of political upheaval and uncertainty adds yet another layer to this complex time in a young person's life, and Dapier illustrates it beautifully through the cast of the story. From Aoife's strained relationship with her alcoholic father to Weston's trauma following the disappearance of his cousin, everyone's personal life intersects with the ongoing battle against censorship at their school that they WANT to take a stand against. We see different adults and faculty members supporting or hindering their efforts, and it reminds me why it is so difficult to bring about change. So to read the very real story of students persevering and succeeding in the face of that, when many adults would have failed or given up, is both inspiring and depressing. Inspiring, because children are always the future, but depressing, because children should not have to be joining the battles that adults are supposed to be fighting on their behalf.
Even knowing that the personal narratives and names are fictionalized, these are very realistic events and stories that real high school students deal with every day. It reminds the readers that the people they see at protests are no different from the ones who clock into their job and "don't talk politics" when it comes to obligations to loved ones, to society, and to themselves. The biggest difference is being willing to stand up and say something when they see injustice happening.
This is a very timely story that drives home the reality of people advocating for what they strongly believe in and participating in activism while still having to carry everything that is going on in their own lives day to day. ESPECIALLY so for teenagers! Adults may think that teens have life pretty easy because they don't have bills to pay or full time jobs, but we so often forget the internal turmoil that is happening at that age; the struggle to learn and shape the person you are growing into, surrounded by all of the external influences trying to mold you into one thing or another. To grow up in times of political upheaval and uncertainty adds yet another layer to this complex time in a young person's life, and Dapier illustrates it beautifully through the cast of the story. From Aoife's strained relationship with her alcoholic father to Weston's trauma following the disappearance of his cousin, everyone's personal life intersects with the ongoing battle against censorship at their school that they WANT to take a stand against. We see different adults and faculty members supporting or hindering their efforts, and it reminds me why it is so difficult to bring about change. So to read the very real story of students persevering and succeeding in the face of that, when many adults would have failed or given up, is both inspiring and depressing. Inspiring, because children are always the future, but depressing, because children should not have to be joining the battles that adults are supposed to be fighting on their behalf.
Even knowing that the personal narratives and names are fictionalized, these are very realistic events and stories that real high school students deal with every day. It reminds the readers that the people they see at protests are no different from the ones who clock into their job and "don't talk politics" when it comes to obligations to loved ones, to society, and to themselves. The biggest difference is being willing to stand up and say something when they see injustice happening.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I'm always up to read a book about fighting censorship.
This one is a historical fiction based on a real decision in 2013 to remove Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood from the Chicago public school curriculum due to two pages that depict torture and use profanity. The administration obfuscated, lied, and backtracked once the issue became publicized by activist students and the local press.
Here we look into the lives of some fictional students who organize and participate in the protests or report on it for the school newspaper, seeing how the book impacted them or how their own lives intersect with themes from the book.
Honestly, we spend too much time lost in the weeds of teen angst. The story is 460 pages long with dozens of students, teachers, parents, and journalists popping in and out of the pages, and it became hard to keep track of them all as we are hit with an alcoholic father, a missing person case, a kindling romance, a friendship breakup, GPA concerns, school play casting drama, etc. And the art is a little vague, often leaving distinctive hats as the best way to distinguish characters.
At least the pages are mostly lean on dialogue and captions, so the story reads quickly. And I do like how the central plot unfolds, with activism and journalism helping to expose a small-minded, authoritarian fiat.
I wish the author had told the story as it actually occurred, but I can appreciate the larger, nuanced portrait of ramifications he is trying to create.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
This one is a historical fiction based on a real decision in 2013 to remove Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood from the Chicago public school curriculum due to two pages that depict torture and use profanity. The administration obfuscated, lied, and backtracked once the issue became publicized by activist students and the local press.
Here we look into the lives of some fictional students who organize and participate in the protests or report on it for the school newspaper, seeing how the book impacted them or how their own lives intersect with themes from the book.
Honestly, we spend too much time lost in the weeds of teen angst. The story is 460 pages long with dozens of students, teachers, parents, and journalists popping in and out of the pages, and it became hard to keep track of them all as we are hit with an alcoholic father, a missing person case, a kindling romance, a friendship breakup, GPA concerns, school play casting drama, etc. And the art is a little vague, often leaving distinctive hats as the best way to distinguish characters.
At least the pages are mostly lean on dialogue and captions, so the story reads quickly. And I do like how the central plot unfolds, with activism and journalism helping to expose a small-minded, authoritarian fiat.
I wish the author had told the story as it actually occurred, but I can appreciate the larger, nuanced portrait of ramifications he is trying to create.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
April 20, 2026
It started with an email - at a Chicago public high school, a notice that a book is no longer allowed, and to please remove it from the classroom. But it's not just one Chicago school - it's ALL of them, and nobody knows why the book has been banned, and to comply with the order. Ironic, considering the book is a powerful story of oppression, survival, and resistance against authoritarian power. And the students of Chicago aren't going to let it go without a fight. Told from multiple perspectives, based on extensive interviews with the real-life students and teachers who were affected, and written by the librarian who exposed key information about the Chicago Public Schools censorship decision, "Wake Now in the Fire" is a fictionalized account of a true event that galvanized a community and a love letter to the books we love and must protect.
"Censorship of the world does not end on paper, but on the skin of human beings" - Herta Muller. Just like the real-life book this graphic novel is based on, "Persepolis", "Wake Now in the Fire" is one of those works destined to become a rallying cry and a spark for the flames of the fire we must all wake in. It does a fantastic job of plainly explaining the complex issues behind blanket banning books; the value and true meaning of free speech; and how censorship of something as simple as a comic book is interwoven into so much more than its component parts - it relates to who wand what we are in greater contexts, too. If you don't find yourself wanting to fill your shelves with banned literature by the end while calling a representative and organizing a community outreach meeting by the end of this book, you need to go back and read it again. Fantastic, one of my favorite reads of 2026 by far.
"Censorship of the world does not end on paper, but on the skin of human beings" - Herta Muller. Just like the real-life book this graphic novel is based on, "Persepolis", "Wake Now in the Fire" is one of those works destined to become a rallying cry and a spark for the flames of the fire we must all wake in. It does a fantastic job of plainly explaining the complex issues behind blanket banning books; the value and true meaning of free speech; and how censorship of something as simple as a comic book is interwoven into so much more than its component parts - it relates to who wand what we are in greater contexts, too. If you don't find yourself wanting to fill your shelves with banned literature by the end while calling a representative and organizing a community outreach meeting by the end of this book, you need to go back and read it again. Fantastic, one of my favorite reads of 2026 by far.
April 14, 2026
In their graphic novel, Dapier and Dungo capture the courage and conviction of a group of Chicago Public School students uniting to fight back against censorship, bringing attention to their cause to ensure everyone has access to accurate and necessary information without oppression. In March 2013, a directive was issued to immediately remove all copies of Marjane Satrapi’s book “Persepolis,” a graphic novel about her life as a young girl growing up in Iran after the Ayatollah’s revolution, leaving teachers and librarians with no understanding as to why such an important historical and cultural story was being banned. Outraged by the ban, and especially by the lack of transparency as to its cause, several students organized an all school protest, with whole classes leaving in unison to take to the street to raise public awareness over an issue that officials wanted to bury and obfuscate. Despite claims from the president of the school system that they had no knowledge of the ban, both the reasoning behind it and its implementation, the students uncovered evidence proving that administrators directly lied to the public, refused to accept accountability, and denied recourse that would allow the book to be freely taught in classes and accessible in libraries. With these students’ efforts, what started as a niche local education issue turned into a national controversy, raising important questions about free speech and the limits of authority. A harbinger of the broader fight against censorship in the years to come, especially against marginalized voices, it is a story of how every voice matters, no matter how young.
February 6, 2026
I really enjoyed the message in this graphic novel. It felt especially important to me right now, here in the United States, when there are real efforts to control what students are allowed to read and learn in schools.
I appreciated seeing high school students portrayed as activists. That does happen. Teenagers organize, they walk out, and they push back when something meaningful to them is taken away. This story captures that energy and that refusal to quietly accept a book ban.
At the same time, I did feel that the story was a little too long. The core issue could probably have been explored in fewer pages. But as I think about it more, I wonder if that length was intentional. The book quietly reflects how slow and frustrating real progress can be. Change doesn’t happen in a single dramatic moment. It takes investigation, planning, setbacks, and patience, and the pacing mirrors that reality.
On the other hand, one of the things I liked most was how the book treats the students as almost-adults. By junior and senior year, they really are standing at that edge. It’s a good reminder for those of us who are older not to underestimate them.
I also appreciated that the story shows adults working alongside the students, encouraging them and helping them think through their choices about how to challenge the ban. For teens, it’s an important message too. You may have enormous energy, heart, and passion, but wisdom and experience still matter. Partnering with supportive adults can make that passion stronger and more effective.
I appreciated seeing high school students portrayed as activists. That does happen. Teenagers organize, they walk out, and they push back when something meaningful to them is taken away. This story captures that energy and that refusal to quietly accept a book ban.
At the same time, I did feel that the story was a little too long. The core issue could probably have been explored in fewer pages. But as I think about it more, I wonder if that length was intentional. The book quietly reflects how slow and frustrating real progress can be. Change doesn’t happen in a single dramatic moment. It takes investigation, planning, setbacks, and patience, and the pacing mirrors that reality.
On the other hand, one of the things I liked most was how the book treats the students as almost-adults. By junior and senior year, they really are standing at that edge. It’s a good reminder for those of us who are older not to underestimate them.
I also appreciated that the story shows adults working alongside the students, encouraging them and helping them think through their choices about how to challenge the ban. For teens, it’s an important message too. You may have enormous energy, heart, and passion, but wisdom and experience still matter. Partnering with supportive adults can make that passion stronger and more effective.
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