A Chicago-based librarian has transformed a real-world controversy over banned books into a compelling graphic novel that explores censorship in schools.
Jarrett Dapier, who works as a librarian, has authored a graphic novel that recreates the 2013 incident when Chicago Public Schools limited student access to “Persepolis,” the acclaimed memoir by Marjane Satrapi.
The book presents a fictional retelling of the actual events that unfolded more than a decade ago, when school officials placed restrictions on Satrapi’s autobiographical work about growing up during the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Dapier’s graphic novel offers readers insight into the complexities surrounding book challenges in educational environments, drawing directly from the real experiences that occurred within the Chicago school system.
The work represents a creative approach to documenting and discussing the ongoing debates about which materials should be available to students in school libraries and classrooms.
