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Reviewed by: Emily McFarlane, Elementary School Librarian Title: Ink Girls Author: Marieke Nijkamp Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Year: 2023 Good for Grades: 3-7 Genre/Type of Book: Fantastical Historical Fiction/Graphic Novel
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: None Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: Love graphic novels, and this one had a cover that jumped out at me! If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: What do you do when those in power aren't doing what's best for everyone?
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Review:
Cinzia lives in the beautiful city of Siannerra with her Maestra, Aronne. She's a printer's apprentice, and together, she and Maestra Aronne print the city's "avvisi" or newsletter. They've been working on a story about the Lord Magistrate that could get them in a lot of trouble. Printers are "bound to the truth, not to power," Aronne says, but Cinzia isn't so sure. The night after the avvisi is distributed, Aronne and Cinzia are arrested for telling the truth. Can Cinzia prove her Maestra's innocence? Can she show the people in power that the truth is the most important thing?
I enjoyed this historical-ish, fantastical-ish graphic novel. Rooted in the history of the Renaissance cities where real avvisi were one of the ways news traveled through an area, it's true that the truth could be dangerous. At its heart, this is a story about ensuring that the truth prevails, even over the fear of those in power. It is also a story of courage, friendship, and girl power. Three girls band together to create the core cast (Cinzia, Elena, the next princess, and Carlotta, a nobleman's daughter,) and together they bring different strengths to the table that allow them to overcome the problems in their city. The mystery is intriguing enough to keep the reader interested, and the details of the city add a life to the novel. It feels like a real, bustling, Mediterranean city from the 1500s or so.
There is a lot of variance in the character's looks though not body type. Their faces are expressive, and there are a ton of background and minor characters that really help to populate the world. Cinzia even uses a cane, which is awesome to see in a middle grade story! Each of the main girls has a distinctive main outfit or color palette that helps to identify t hem, though their hair and faces are distinct enough to tell who is who throughout.
This would be a great book to use for units on things like the power of storytelling, politics, telling the truth about those in power/challenging power structures, etc. It could also fit into a historical unit about things like the printing press, how information was spread/disseminated in the past, and more. There was a lot of subtext packed in here! The cover is dynamic, with the three leads standing triumphantly above a section of the city with a bright blue sky behind. It gives the historical feeling, while also highlighting who our three leads are. Cinzia is pictured with her cane, so you can tell the main character is differently abled right from the get-go. I think this one would be popular with graphic novel fans, history fans, literature fans, and more.
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Find resources for Ink Girls at Teachingbooks.net
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