“A powerful, achingly honest memoir” – SLJ on Katie Green’s Lighter Than My Shadow Graphic Novel
Like most kids, Katie was a picky eater. She'd sit at the table in silent protest, hide uneaten toast in her bedroom, listen to parental threats that she'd have to eat it for breakfast. But in any life a set of circumstances can collide, and normal behavior might soon shade into something sinister,
something deadly. One day you can find yourself being told you have two weeks to live.
Lighter Than My Shadow (9781941302415, $19.99) is the hand-drawn graphic memoir of British artist and writer Katie Green's struggle and recovery; a trip into the black heart of a taboo illness, an exposure of those who are so weak as to prey on the weak, and an inspiration to anybody who believes in the human power to endure towards happiness.
Green delicately deals with the important real-world topics of eating disorders and sexual assualt in a sensitive, honest, and memorable way. Previously published in England, Lighter Than My Shadow (9781941302415, $19.99) has received reviews in The National Eating Disorder Association, School Library Journal, Stylist Magazine, and Bella Magazine.
Lighter Than My Shadow (9781941302415, $19.99) is in stores TODAY. For a preview of the graphic novel, click here.
School Library Journal Starred Review Gr 9 Up–Green chronicles her struggles with an eating disorder. In high school, when her weight dropped dangerously low, she underwent treatment for anorexia; in college, she restricted what she ate and engaged in binge eating. For Green, food was
intricately linked to her constant pursuit of perfection; despite high grades, she was rarely satisfied with her achievements. She offers a nuanced exploration of the other factors that contributed to her disorder, such as finicky childhood eating habits, negative and positive comments about her body, and unwanted sexual advances from a predatory self-professed healer. Straightforward text and vivid imagery combine for a powerful, achingly honest memoir. Spare artwork devoid of color other than
beige, gray, or sepia backgrounds reflects Green’s despair. Controlled linework gives way to arresting, chaotic imagery. A cloud of scribbled black lines, symbolizing Green’s ever-present stream of self-criticism, threatens to engulf her. At times her nude body floats through space, whittled down or engorged, or is depicted with the skin flayed, revealing her organs. Green realistically portrays her transformation over time from a rigidly controlled adolescent stymied by fear of
failure to a young woman willing to take risks. Though the book ends on an optimistic note, the author emphasizes that recovery is ongoing and that she still combats her anxieties and fears. VERDICT This intimate, unflinching title is an essential addition to graphic novel collections. – Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal
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