GENRE: Graphic Novel, Historical - Holocaust
HONORS: 1992 Pulitzer Prize - Special Awards, and other international awards
REVIEW: In Maus I, Art Spiegelman, portrays his contemporary life as a cartoonist in New York who documents a story of his father's survival during the overtaking of Jews by Nazi Germany during World War II. Presented in comic book format, the story confronts serious issues concerning the annihilation of the Jewish race, the father's abrasive nature towards his second wife and those around him, as well as the events that lead to the suicide of his first wife and Art's mother, Anja. The characters portrayed in the comic provide a satirical tone to the story where felines are the Nazi's, pigs are the Polish, and mice are the Jews.
OPINION: An engrossing read that vividly captures the tracing of one’s family history. The story touches on how thousands of families were lead to concentration camps or to their deaths for their culture and identity. The comic format and rendered art is visually appealing and conveys a clear dialogue for young people to learn about the tragedy of the Holocaust without plowing through a history textbook.
IDEAS: A great addition to The Diary of Anne Frank, The Sunflower, and Night for high school curriculum about the Holocaust or for libraries to feature during the month of May, which is Jewish American Heritage Month.
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