Middle-Grade Graphic Novel “Gert and the Sacred Stones” and Multi-Cultural War Story ‘Papaya Salad’ Arrive Summer 2020
From Italian publisher Tunué, creators Marco Rocchi and Francesca Carità, and translator Jamie Richards comes middle-grade graphic novel ‘Gert and the Sacred Stones’, available in English for the first time!
Gert and the Sacred Stones is a story of heart, bravery, and conflict. Meet Gert, a young orphan whose land is shrouded in a thick fog that hides ferocious, fantastical animals that endlessly constantly besiege her village. Tired of the endless war between humans and nature, Gert sets out to make sure no one else suffers what she has as a result of the war. But to achieve this she’ll have to do what is forbidden to young women like her: become a warrior.
If Gert is to succeed in her quest, she must learn the hard truths of war and violence, and discover that being a hero may not mean what it seems.
“We wanted to create a multi-faceted and well-rounded female character who could mirror the strengths and weakness of both girls and boys. Although it’s a fantasy setting, there are many references to real life and to our way of seeing the world. Many will recognize themselves in the protagonist’s will to forge and affirm her own unique identity despite the adversities she faces, and in her awareness that she must learn more, experience more, and grow by taking responsibility for her choices before she can change the world.”—Marco Rocchi and Francesa Carità
Gert and the Sacred Stones TPB arrives in comic shops August 26, 2020 and in bookstores September 8, 2020. The 160-page graphic novel is available for pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local comic shop for $14.99.
A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON WORLD WAR II
What happens when you find yourself in a war that’s not your own? That’s the question Sompong must answer for himself, and the one creator Elisa Macellari explores as she looks back on the life of her Great Uncle in Papaya Salad with translator Carla Roncalli Di Montorio.
On the eve of World War II, Sompong leaves his native Thailand to study abroad in Italy on a military scholarship. A gentle and resolute man with a love of books and language, Sompong chronicles his life during the war all while finding humor, joy, and love even as the world changes irrevocably around him.
Originally published by Italian publisher BAO, Papaya Salad gives voice to an often-overlooked perspective on World War II. As Macellari describes “[Papaya Salad is] a historical and emotional journey through my family and my roots, grown in both Europe and Asia. A personal narrative that needs to be shared and hopefully finds a home in the empathy of readers”.
Papaya Salad arrives August 26, 2020 for $24.99 and is available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at your local comic shop.
Praise for Papaya Salad and Elisa Macellari
“A good hand can tell you a story, but a great hand can make you live it. With a dynamic and surrealist perspective, Elisa’s artistic touch breathes life into the pages.” -Giulia Flamini, Art Director at Rebel Girls
“A beautiful graphic novel to be treasured like a secret family recipe.” — Marco Filoni, Il Venerdì si Repubblica
“Macellari gives us a real and familiar character who, like many others at that time, found himself at the mercy of events in a world where everything seemed possible.” — Pietro Minto, Rolling Stone Italia
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