This is a fascinating and moving story about the first boarding school for black girls in the US. It is quite heartwrenching because the story shows how the white people of influence in the town, did their utmost to close the school down by resorting to violence, threats, exclusion and even passing legislation. Even the small local church was complicit. A shameful perversion of the Gospel but not surprising because people will use any means as a weapon when seeking to discriminate or oppress others. Thankfully the courage of the teacher and students now echoes through history.

I thought the sections at the beginning and the end were very helpful if the reader wants to know more about the school and the history. I actually saw a TV programme which mentioned the school and so it has been good to read this. I wasn't too fond of the artwork but the story is gripping and a helpful introduction to the real history.

Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley.

Set in Connecticut in the 1830's, when slavery was still legal in the southern states. Although people of colour were "free" in the north, they did not enjoy the same rights as whites.

This beautiful illustrated story tells the true story of a white girls school where the owner decides to close her doors to white girls and start educating black and mixed race girls.

As other reviews have said, a large part of the story focuses on the white owner's story, when it would have been interesting to have understood what the individual students and their families went through in order to attend. That said, it is still a wonderful story, painted in a beautiful colour palette of muted colours and a rainbow of skin tones.

What I really loved about this book was the back pages where a lot more history was told about what happened to individuals within the story. I have had The Underground Railroad on my pile waiting to be read for ages and this graphic novel has really wet my appetite to read more on the topic.

My kids have recently become interested in graphic novels and this is one I will definitely be adding to their collection.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Europe Comics for a review copy of #WhiteAllAround

Amazing book about black people (especially black women) in the USA of 1832. It's hard, but so important and this book relates a true story. The drawings are beautiful, I really loved them. I recommend this book for everyone.

The writers tell a bittersweet story about racism and attempts to overcome it in 1800s America, which proves more complex and engaging than any similar works. The illustration style, which allows for characters who can seem caricatured or multilayered depending on the setup, adds more layers to the story and creates an engaging read.

As a historian, I’m always pro using various mediums to convey important historical issues. This graphic novel would do that very well for a middle grade audience. I agree with previous reviewers that there is too much focus on the school owner (which is ironic really).
The illustrations are gorgeous though and sometimes it can be hard to convey emotion through graphic novels - it’s done well here

The positive thing about this book is that it focuses on an important issue - the education of young black women in 19th century USA. Unfortunately, it felt a little bit too white-savioury since most of the focus was put on the story and struggle of the white school owner and teacher. I understand that this reflects the historical reality but I think that our time and age needs these types of stories to be told from a different angle, focusing more on the actual black experience and voice. As for the formal aspects, as a reader I would appreciate if there was more of a graphic division between "chapters", this way it felt a little disorientating, jumping from one scene to another.

Im giving it three stars because 1. the content matter is important and refreshing, 2. the illustrations are nice, 3. it does paint a fairly accurate picture of the terrible behaviour and sentiments held by the white people and how powerful individuals could be.

Overall, it's a quick and interesting read, but I do believe it has some faults. And for example the story of the boy (Charles, I believe) seemed irrelevant for the story, perhaps if it was more developed, it would benefit the whole book much more.

Wilfred Lupano and Stéfane Gert's White All Around is a beautiful, evocative graphic novel about the Prudence Crandall boarding school and Black girls' right to education. Set in the early 19th century in Connecticut at the height of the abolitionist movement, Black people were "free" but were still fighting for civil rights.

This is a historical novel based on actual events. The students faced physical violence, deprivation of basic supplies, their teacher was thrown in jail and they were barred from the town's church. Ultimately, the school was burnt down by the townspeople who saw the education of Black girls as a threat and deprivation to their communities.

Just yesterday I was listening to Ezra Klein interview Heather McGhee (author of The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together). In the interview they talked about how in 1950s White communities in the US shut down public pools, depriving ALL, because they couldn't tolerate Black people being able to access them too.

The idea that public goods is a zero sum game is so ingrained and persisting in society still, the result is ultimately - everyone loses. It's the reason why in one of the richest countries in the world is still doesn't have UHC, maternity leave and a robust social safety net.

Okay, I didn't mean to get so serious on a review of a graphic novel, but this is the consequence of a great book! Thank you @netgalley and @europecomics for this eARC.

#whiteallaround #europecomics #netgalley
#blackhistory #blackhistorymonth #graphicnovel #graphicnovels #bookrecommendations #bookreviews #bookstagram #bookstagramuk #readersofinsta #igreads #comics

While I really loved the art of this book, the story didn't quite sit right with me. I think that the nature of how the story was told felt very forced and choppy. It really jumped out to me, and while i wanted to LOVE it, i just liked it. I also think that the info at the back of the book might have been more useful at the beginning of the book. Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.

Very nice illustrations and an interesting historical story. Not something I would usually read but I enjoyed it.

White All Around dives into the history of Canterbury, Connecticut and tells the story of Prudence Crandall's Female Boarding School. Although Connecticut was part of the "free" North, people of color did not have the same rights as white people and not all white people were willing to make any changes to achieve it. When Prudence Crandall decided to start admitting black females to her school the town of Canterbury was not happy and went to great lengths to make that known.

White All Around is beautifully illustrated and does a great job telling the story of the boarding school's trials. This was a part of history that I was not previously familiar with and I enjoyed learning it through a graphic novel. I also appreciated the thorough research put into this novel which is shown in the Afterword at the end of the novel.

This book makes you hold your breath and your stomach hurt. The author did a fantastic job of relying the horribleness of the time. The dire situation young African American girls were in. I learned quite a bit of history from this book. Things I had never heard of, I epically loved the part where she questioned what she was learning. There is some nudity in this book, regardless I adored it and will be adding it to the library.

The grace of graphic novels is that it is a way of spreading stories in a simple way, sometimes on topics as important as this, so, on that side, it serves its purpose by highlighting the school for black girls created in 1832 in Connecticut. Not to mention that it could be said that it was the first integration of a black student in a school for white girls. But the canvas here falls short to demonstrate the courage and importance of the people who lived it. For the short time that could be.

What it did help me was to learn about a piece of history that made me want to do a little more research on Prudence Crandall, a Quaker-educated woman who opens a boarding school for girls in Canterbury, Connecticut ("The Canterbury Female Boarding School" in 1831-1834). When 20-year-old Sarah Harris asks to be her student to teach other black girls later, the trouble begins. The parents protest and withdraw the white girls, and so Prudence ends up turning it into a boarding school for black girls in the face of opposition from all over town, and specially from her neighbor Andrew T. Judson(*), a politician, who previously supported her with her school.

Screenshot-2021-02-14-10036651

Prudence ends up in jail, and they fight for the girls to continue in the school with laws and they manage to get a new law, but that is not enough because violence prevails.

Screenshot-2021-02-14-10036651-pdf-9791032811320-1-pdf-2

The twist that Lupano gives to his novel is to introduce a black boy who lives in the woods and who recites the story of Ned Turner, who starred in a bloody rebellion and created a kind of even greater paranoia towards blacks who could read and write and that knew something of the biblical scriptures. It is in how he presents this child that I have a problem, because he seems too close to that of the 'good savage' (he even says he calls himself Feral) with his proclamations against "white" education.

And then he goes and puts that woman who lives in the forest (a witch?), And he puts feminism and the Goddess and all that story that I think he got a bit out of hand in wanting to put everything together with the education of the women and all the anti-patriarchal roll and against religion and traditional European education. It is too much together that you want to put here, diverting the focus from the main idea.

So, no, I am not satisfied with how this story is told. The History is so much better.

What I did like was how the girls interacted at school.

The art? Interesting color and palette.

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[In Spanish now:]

La gracia de las novelas gráficas es que es una forma de difusión de historias en forma sencilla, a veces de temas tan importantes como éste, así que, por ese lado, sirve su propósito destacando a la escuela para señoritas negras creada en 1832 en Connecticut . Eso sin contar que podria decirse que fue la primera integración de una alumna negra en una escuela de niñas blancas. Pero el lienzo aquí se queda corto para demostrar la valentía y la importancia de la gente que lo vivió. Por el breve tiempo que pudo ser.

En lo que me sirvió a mi fue para conocer una pieza de la historia que me hizo querer investigar un poco más acerca de Prudence Crandall, una mujer educada como cuaquera quien abre un internado para niñas en Canterbury, Conneticut ("The Canterbury Female Boarding School" en 1831). Cuando una joven negra, Sarah Harris de 20 años le pide ser su estudiante para enseñarle después a otras chicas negras es cuando empiezan los problemas. Los padres protestan y retiran las niñas blancas, y así Prudence termina convirtiendole en un internado para señoritas negras frente a la oposición de todo el pueblo, y especialmente de su vecino Andrew T. Judson , un politico, quien anteriormente la apoyaba con su escuela. Prudence termina en la carcel, y se lucha porque las chicas sigan en la escuela con leyes y logran sacar una ley nueva, pero eso no es suficiente pues la violencia prevalece.


El giro que le da Lupano a su novela, es introducir a un niño negro que vive en los bosques y que recita la historia de Ned Turner, quien protagonizara una cruenta rebelion y creo una suerte de paranoia aun mayor hacia negros que supieran leer y escribir y que supieran algo de las escrituras bíblicas. Es en cómo presenta a este niño que tengo un problema, pues me parece demasiado cercano a eso del 'buen salvaje' (inclusive dice llamarse Feral) con sus proclamas en contra de la educación "blanca".

Y después va y mete a esa mujer que vive en el bosque (¿una bruja?), y mete feminismo y la Diosa y todo ese cuento que creo que se le pasó un poco la mano en quere meter todo junto con la educación de las mujeres y todo el rollo antipatriarcal y contra la religión y la educación tradicional eurpeo. Es demasiada cosa junta que quiere meter aqui, desviando el foco de la idea principal.

Así que, no, no me deja satisfecha como esta contado este cuento. La historia es mucho mejor.

Por otra parte, me gutó como interactuaban las chicas en la escuela, a pesar de ser diferentes y como pensaban.

¿El arte? Interesante color y paleta.

This is a Graphic Novel based on a true story about a female boarding school in Canterbury Connecticut in the 1830's that began accepting black students, & the results that ensued. The story is easy to read & follow along, & the drawings/artwork that accompany the written words are really good & expressive! This tells about some history that I hadn't known about & the Afterword really is very good, telling about where the real characters went on from there.....earning the 4th star in rating! I'd recommend this book to everyone! What a great way to learn history!
I received this e-book from Europe Comics via NetGalley, in return for reading it & offering my own fair/honest review.

This graphic novel is based on true events that happened in Cantebury, CT in the 1830's. This was the time shortly after the Nat Turner rebellion. Slavery was still legal in the south. While Black people were free in the north, they didn't have equal rights. A local white woman, Prudence Crandall ran a girl's boarding school. She made a decision to make the school exclusively for Black girls. This made most of the towns folks angry and they protested the existence of a school for Black girls. Crandall ended up going to court for her right to keep the school open.

This was an interesting piece of New England history that I was not previously aware of. It is important to know the history of all races so we can better understand how we got to where we are. I highly recommend this one to history buffs or fans of realistic graphic novels.

WHITE ALL AROUND is a historically based graphic novel about courage, allyship, and the threat of racism in an even liberal-leaning environment. Beautifully written and illustrated. It draws the reader into a story that examines the darkest period of the U.S., and the courage of those who nearly two centuries later continue to shine.
WHITE ALL AROUND is recommended for ages 12 and up.

WHITE ALL AROUND is based on the life of Prudence Crandall, an American schoolteacher at the Canterbury Female Boarding School and activist. Crandall had what is considered being the first integrated classroom and later operated the first school for black girls (“young Ladies and little Misses of color”) in the United States. The story also follows her students, Sarah Harris Fayerweather, a curious girl with a quick mind and desire to learn, (a teacher’s dream) her sister Mary Harris, and Mary Elizabeth Miles.
The author also created supporting characters vivid and impactful, most notably the nameless boy that terrorizes the community with his recitals of the “Confessions of Nat Turner.” Reminding all that Nat Turner’s violence was a response to the violence of slavery.
The story opens in Canterbury, Connecticut, a city with a significant population of Blacks who were free while slavery flourished in the south. However, the town’s people are ill at ease., a year prior, the Nat Turner revolt in Southampton County, Virginia continued to send shock waves throughout the land.
Nat Turner was a slave, a preacher, a rebel who became a cult leader, most disturbing about Turner, was that he was a slave that could read.
Prudence Crandall arrives and establishes a school for girls that become successful. It is when she is open to allowing Harris, a black girl, into her school that sets in motion events with an outcome that is painful, shocking but all too familiar.
Wilfrid Lupano tells a story of Prudence Crandall’s heroism with empathy and balance.
Stephane Ferte’s art is engaging, capturing the range of emotion of characters with a lush pallet of colors.
It is noteworthy, this powerful tale was published by French publisher Dargaud, and distributed by Euro-Comics.
The last six pages are dedicated to Prudence Crandall, the school and the Black students she empowered.
Stories like WHITE ALL AROUND are important to remind Americans and the world beyond that its promise of a land free for all is a promise worth fighting for and a fight that one should expect.
AJ Harper is the author of the YA series Tales of Urban Horror

I appreciate having had an opportunity to read and review this book. The appeal of this particular book was not evident to me, and if I cannot file a generally positive review I prefer simply to advise the publisher to that effect and file no review at all.

White All Around by Wilfrid Lupano is a beautifully illustrated story about an underappreciated part of American History. Unfortunately, it is also lacking in its historical accuracy, cultural presentation, and general plotline. Although the graphic novel clearly demonstrates how racism still affected Black people in America in a Northern "Free" World, it's message is muddled by a magical subplot.

The strength of this story, outside its lovely artistic renderings, is certainly in the characters themselves. The Black girls who sought out a better education are seen as intelligent, capable, and independent in their own respective ways. When I first started reading, I was worried the story would focus too much on the white female educator and the school's legal proceedings. While legal fights and adversity faced by the teacher was discussed, the book was squarely focused on the Black students themselves. I really appreciated how the teacher's own prejudices were challenged. It was great to see a narrative that was respectful of the students' autonomy, voices, and current knowledge before becoming more educated. The Black girls' attempts to fit in with society and elevate their statuses through education was also challenged by other Black characters in the book. I appreciated how the book refused to shy away from the racism of white people and also discuss how Black people themselves were split on what was considered right and wrong.

Despite some nuance, much of this graphic novel is a miss both in its historical presentation and narrative choices. I found myself really invested in Feral's story and his self-educated view of the world around him. I thought it was interesting how people responded to Feral's recited quotes from Nat Turner, but was perplexed on why Turner's actions were never discussed. Nat Turner was referred to as a murderer and a zealot by both white and Black people alike. There was no mention of how his actions was not senseless murder but instead a slave rebellion meant to liberate enslaved peoples. There were some comments the Black female students made about tying Nat Turner's actions to the fact he was a man, just like the racist white people who prevented them from attaining an equitable education. This comment was not an accurate representation of the power dynamics involving the two men or the racial history which took place during this time period. I was also confused by Lupano's decision to deviate the ending of the book from the actual historical events, as keeping its historical accuracy would not have significantly changed the message or plot of the fictionalized story. I did appreciate, however, that the real history of the boarding school was included at the end of the graphic novel. The final aspect of the presentation that confused me was the addition of a witch subplot to the story. There was a white witch who meets the Black students at a part of the book, and encourages them to explore themselves in less conventional ways. Considering the emphasis that the story takes on both the importance of Christianity and the time period this story is set, the addition of the witch was confusing. While there are Black characters in the story that believed in the magical powers nature has, the subplot itself had very little purpose to the story itself and would have been better off excluded from the narrative or replaced with a more accurate portrayal of cultural magic use in Black communities.

This book has its merit as a book which is appealing to the eye while also spurring difficult historical conversations. It's loose interpretation of history isn't ideal and is likely due to the author's French heritage. Regardless, it is nice for little known aspects of America's history to be brought into international attention.

White All Around tells the story of the first school for Black girls in Canterbury, Connecticut in the 1830s. The story follows the students and the founder as they navigate providing and gaining access to the fundamental right of education in a time of violent racism.

This book was beautifully illustrated and did not hold back on the horrible things the students encountered in their pursuit of education. I found it to be an incredibly important read and thought the author and the artist presented it in a very strong way.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

NOTE: I received free access to this book through netgalley in exchange for writing an impartial review. Thank you Europe Comics. Publication Date: January 20, 2021.

I've only read a handful of graphic novels -- I read WHITE ALL AROUND in just a few hours. It tells one of those little known but remarkably interesting true stories from US history, about the Prudence Crandall School in Connecticut in 1832 when the headmistress decided to admit students of color. Naturally, lots of trouble followed -- overt racism, systemic racism, legal battles, and violence. Stephane Fert's illustrations are dramatic and complement the story well.

I found however that the story itself had quite a few abrupt transitions. So much so that I wondered at times if some pages were missing. Perhaps because I was looking at a PDF version, the layout might have been different. But based on the little experience I have with other graphic novels, this one did not flow as smoothly as the others.

Particularly interesting is the Afterword where author Wilfrid Lupano provides quite a bit of information about what became of many of the students at the school. Not surprisingly, many become prominent abolitionists.

I do recommend the book -- especially because it requires so little investment of time and because the story is so worthwhile.

This graphic novel is an interesting juxtaposition of beautiful artwork, and an ugly history; which makes it one of the most important graphic novels to be published this year.

Stephane Fert's artistic style used warm palettes of reds and browns, filling the pages with colour and warmth during dark moments of brutality. The white characters are insidious and violent, and I hated that this story's ending is so passive. (Whilst accurate to the history, it made for a poignant and painful read).

It was interesting to see the different perspectives on their situation, and even to see the teacher come to terms with her own privilege and how it can make it difficult for her to teach those who's experiences she doesn't fully understand.

As I said, this is an important read- beautiful and sad. We all owe these women a lot.