The Red Zone
An Earthquake Story
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
An Italian town deals with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake
Matteo, Guilia, and Federico have ordinary lives: they spend time with friends, help out their families, go to school, and deal with the many mood swings that come with growing up. Then, in a single night, everything changes. The ground shakes. An earthquake devastates their town and their security. But after everything is gone, life must go on. Anger and fear affect everyone in the community, but each of them must find a way to begin again. In the aftermath, the roots for stronger friendships can be laid amid the rubble. This graphic novel provides a look at how natural disaster can strike and forever change a community.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Translated from the Italian, Vecchini's meditative graphic novel is a response to the 2016 earthquakes in Italy. When a quake disrupts the evening stillness, teenager Matteo watches as a lamp swings, Giulia's pencil skitters off her drawing, and crockery tumbles. Then the dusk-blue background vanishes to black as the electricity fails. Matteo huddles with his preschool-age stepsister, lighting the space with his phone. The remainder of the book in earthy clay hues on white follows the quake's aftermath. People move into a tent city, their village declared an off-limits "red zone." Children sketch their memories, and one draws an air raid; he and his dad were already refugees. Matteo's dad returns the family's old camper to Matteo's mother and her new partner so the kids have a temporary home. Matteo, Giulia, and their grieving friend Federico, who cannot find his dog, sneak into their old neighborhood to confront their fears because, otherwise, "your thoughts make shadows that get in the way of reality." With many traumatized characters and limited explanations, readers may need to backtrack; a second pass reveals subtleties as the survivors adapt. Sualzo's clear, expressive artwork amplifies the mood of anxiety but does not show graphic injuries, while the panels effectively balance wordless panels and dialogue to convey uncertainty amid aftershocks. Winner of the 2018 Attilio Micheluzzi Award in Italy, this sensitive offering makes expert use of the graphic format to tell an ultimately hopeful story about young survivors. Ages 8 12.
