Sartrapi, M. (2004).  Persepolis.  NY: Pantheon.

This story begins with Marjane about a year after the Iranian Revolution.  Even though her family isn’t religious she must now wear a veil and attend an all girls school.  The story is told from a child’s point of view with all the confusion and wonder of a child.  As the country becomes more religious the bombing in Tehran begins and the family spends time in a bomb shelter.  All along Margi is trying to become a normal teenager.    Her parents send her away to a school in Austria.  Soon she moves into a boarding house run by nuns where the nuns make cruel comments about her heritage.  She moves in with a friend and wonders why European teens are so interested in sex.  She experiments with sex and drug use and eventually ends up on the street.  Eventually she returns home only to realize she doesn’t fit in there either.  She marries and divorces and realizes she must leave to find the life she desires.  As an adult and an artist she realizes that that leaving is also painful.

Target audience for this text is grades 9 – 12.  It is a Graphic Novel and has a Lexile of about 380L.  It could easily be used for current world issues as we see a rise in ISIS and Al Queda.  It could also be used as a way to instruct Middle Eastern morals and customs.    As a coming of age novel, it may be relatable to a wide audience.  Monitoring the student’s perceptions can provide opportunities to encourage tolerance and respect for others.  This is a chance to introduce graphic novels and discuss culturally relevant comic strips