Jackie Roche

Escape from Syria

illustrator, Escape From Syria
written by Samya Kullab
colorist Mike Freiheit
Firefly Books

"Groundbreaking and unforgettable."
—Kirkus (starred review)

"This is a powerful, eye-opening graphic novel that will foster empathy and understanding in readers of all ages."
—The Globe and Mail

"In league with Art Spiegelman's Maus and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, this is a must-purchase for any teen or adult graphic novel collection."
—School Library Journal (starred review)

From the pen of former Daily Star (Lebanon) reporter Samya Kullab comes this breathtaking and hard-hitting story of one family's struggle to survive in the face of war, displacement, poverty and relocation.

Escape from Syria is a fictionalized account that calls on real-life circumstances and true tales of refugee families to serve as a microcosm of the Syrian uprising and the war and refugee crisis that followed. 

The Plastic Problem

contributing illustrator, The Plastic Problem
written by Rachael Salt
Firefly Books

In 18 bite-sized chapters, Salt walks readers through the invention and globalized creation of plastic, its impacts and uses in our day-today lives, and its importance to the larger global economy. She then examines the how and why of what makes plastic so harmful to our planet and, just in case there was any doubt, Salt reinforces this danger by providing chapters on the planet-choking results of our plastic habit — including the fact that there is almost certainly, plastic floating inside each and every person in the world.

Salt finishes this vital book with a message of hope. All is not lost. We can make changes — both at home and on a global scale.

Noise Makers: 25 Women Who Raised Their Voices & Changed the World - A Graphic Collection from Kazoo

contributing writer and illustrator, Noise Makers comics anthology
Random House Children's Books

"Thoughtful, timely and Super-Engaging. So glad the powerhouse young people coming up have Kazoo as a blueprint, a roadmap, and a glimpse into history." -Jacqueline Woodson

"Astonishing comics about world-changing women. What could possibly be better?"--Neil Gaiman

"All the women in this book were discouraged from doing the work they were born to do. Fortunately, they didn't let that stop them. Here are their riveting stories, told in unputdownable comics. I wish I'd had NOISEMAKERS when I was growing up." -Alison Bechdel

From the creators of the award-winning Kazoo magazine comes a look at the lives of 25 extraordinary women through the eyes of 25 extraordinary comic artists. In chapters titled Grow, Tinker, Play, Create, Rally, and Explore, you'll meet Eugenie Clark, who swam with sharks, Raye Montague, who revolutionized the design process for ships, Hedy Lamarr, a beautiful actress and brilliant inventor, Julia Child, a chef who wasn't afraid to make mistakes, Kate Warne, the first female detective, who saved the life of President-Elect Abraham Lincoln, and many more.

The Graphic Canon of Crime and Mystery, Volume 1: From Sherlock Holmes to A Clockwork Orange to Jo Nesbø

contributing illustrator, The Graphic Canon of Crime and Mystery, Vol 1 comics anthology
edited by Russ Kick

"Featuring adaptations of famous crime classics, most of which were created specifically for this volume, this work displays a range of absolutely stunning talent. From a relatively straight­forward depiction of the murder scene in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment to a wildly experimental take on Stanley ­Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, [Russ Kick] presents a fantastic survey of the literature concerned with criminal activity, as well as a primer on everything possible in the graphic format. ... As an introduction to the crime genre, this edition is second to none." —Library Journal

Sweaty Palms vol. 1: The Anthology About Anxiety

contributing writer and illustrator, Sweaty Palms vol. 1 comics anthology
eds. Sage Coffey and Liz Enright

Sweaty Palms, edited by Liz Enright and Sage Coffey is a powerful collection of autobiographical comic-essays on mental health. Featuring over 50 artists from around the globe, Sweaty Palms investigates many different aspects of mental illness, anxiety, and, depression from many perspectives.

The anthology is full of very personal and specific situations and manifestations of depression. Brought together, they weave a tapestry of the commonalities between different symptoms and solutions to living with depression. Through that, they show that while we may feel alone in our struggles, our experiences are more shared than we know, and help may be closer than we think.