something didn't sit right with me with this book, whether it be the messy plot or characters, however the art was stunning and it would be an incredible read for those interested in this part of history

Wonderfully illustrated retelling of historical events, depicting the story of a boarding school accepting Black girls in the 1830s and the brutal actions of the white residents from the town nearby.

Great additional information in the afterword on the stories of the women being fictionalized in the book.

This wasn't for me – an oh-so worthy look at America's first female school pupils of colour, it comes with a visual style that was far too easy to really dislike, and a visual palette that kind of makes no sense when colour is the key issue. One and a half stars – people with an interest in that era of history may like it much more. But I wouldn't guarantee it.

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

What can I say after reading this beautiful book is that it hurts, it really hurts to read about such an injustice, unhuman behavior and the ugliness of racism.

I can't say that I liked the story because it's not about this when it comes to such books, no. This book is a reminder for those who forgot what was it like to live in such a world where you see awful things done to people and you can't do nothing and when you try to make a change like Prudence Crandall, you might end up being marginalized, attacked or hurt.

Anyway, the illustrations were beautiful to look at and it made the story less dramatic to read. A different and interesting way to portray such difficult themes with colors and art.

I have to say that I didn't like the title, I think that wasn't the best choice for the content of this book.

A harrowing and deeply affecting recounting of a series of events and issues revolving around the Prudence Crandall School’s announcement to accept “black students” thirty years before the abolition of slavery in the U.S. Told through pointed dialogue and lavish illustrations, White All Around explores a nexus of historic racial injustices and prejudices, as well as tensions between genders, classes, ages, and teacher/student relationships.

i must say i really enjoyed the art in this book. but the book seemed a little bit messy at times. for me it was hard to follow the story. but thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

The title is a bit misleading unless it is meant to showcase that there were white people all around the school. This is the story of a school whose founder, opened her doors to women of color. The heroics of the students and principal helped to segregate US schools almost a century later.

Some of the boarders lives are showcased within the novel by way of biographies. I had never heard this story during history courses. I am grateful for the author and publisher. The barbarity of the citizens of Canterbury during that time, seems to visit us now in 2021, such a shame that some still feel threatened by people of color wanting to educate themselves and have equal rights.

I received a free E-ARC of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

CW: racism, gun violence, discrimination, violence

The book is based on a true story of a school set up In Canterbury in 1832 for African American girls three decades before abolition. However it does contain a few fictional elements. I liked the story though it meandered at some points and at times had a few too many main characters.

The art in this book is beautiful. The colors are gorgeous and it has some lovely full page showcases. This novel is carried by its art and though I received an e arc I think it would truly shine in print.

This is a fictionalized, very fictionalized version of a school for black women in Connecticut before the American Civil War. While the main story line, about how the locals did not like the school is true, the other bits, with a witch of the woods, and the strange boy that quoted a book about Nate Tucker, is out of the imagination of this French writer.

While the illustrations are nice, and the story, goes off the rails at a certain point, it is probably worth the read to just see how poorly the young women were treated.

But, after reading it, I didn't feel as though I got to the heart of the historical story. And, because the teacher was a Quaker, it was never made clear why she would be going to the local church, and having an issue about not being let in.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

4.5

1832 in Canterbury, African Americans are FREE but have no civil rights. A small female boarding school was preparing to welcome its first black students.
Twenty colored girls can board at Miss Crandall's school. A law designed to shut her school down, she went to jail for a few days when she refused to pay. She tried hard for their school to become legal.
The parents are scared to send their kids to school but try changing their children's destiny. Sarah seeks the why and the how, and Eliza is the first student who arrived. In the meanwhile, slowly the school filled and people in town get more and more furious.
I liked the colors and pictures. This was a beautiful, heartbreaking, and sort of funny story about how people can become blind and unkind to each other. Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, I have given an honest review of White All Around by Script by Wilfrid Lupano & art by Stéphane Fert.

This beautiful graphic novel recounts the story of a school that started taking Black girls as students in the Northern USA, thirty years before slavery was abolished.

The illustration style is beautiful and plays with light and nature in wonderful way, the sun and trees are especially gorgeous. The colour palette used is restrained but all the more gorgeous for it.

The narrative itself is interesting, though limited by being based on a true story. I appreciated that each student we followed had a distinct sense of character, and that the school teacher wasn’t presented as an all knowing White saviour.

The historical information included at the end was helpful in filling out details after reading the graphic novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Content warnings for racism, mob violence, murder and threats of sexual assault.

3.5 stars *may change
trigger warnings: racism, death, anti-blackness
It must be pointed out first and foremost that this is a story about the black experience in America in the 1800s. That being said, the author, Wilfrid Lupano, is, as far as I can tell, white. I'm not a black reviewer, and so it is not my place to say if Lupano has the right to tell such a story. This foreword is a warning. This is not, from what I've seen, an own voices.
I think the art for a graphic novel must, to some extent, capture the story. For that, you must know the story first.
White All Around is a historically-based graphic novel about a female boarding school in 1832 Canterbury, Connecticut. Its headmistress, Prudence Crandall, admits a young black girl named Sarah into the school as is met by immediate backlash. Obviously, she retaliates by making it a school for women of color only. So on, and so on.
I really did love the art style for this. The color palettes change every scene from warm reds to a harsh purple or somber blues. It's very cartoony, but I think it's charming in that sense.
I did appreciate the addition of historical photographs, biographies, and documents. A graphic novel can only capture so much of reality when that reality has been hidden or unknown. The ending pages provide the real-life people and scenarios the story portrays. It's a good way to tell their story.
I never know how to review graphic novels. They look lovely, but they really only take me like an hour to read. It was quite alright.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced reader's copy.

This beautifully illustrated and smartly written graphic novel of historical fiction tells the story of a time before the Civil War when Black people were free, but not equal. They were free, but unable to go to school [especially if they were women]. They were free, but unable to protest or even talk about their own ideas and beliefs. It is the story of a school that admitted Black girls and ended up being burnt down because of it.
People think that the North and life in the North for Black people was the "land of plenty" and for some, history shows, it was. But for many, just because they were free didn't mean oppression ceased. It didn't mean that they still had to work for very little or for nothing [in some cases - not everyone in the North was an abolitionist, as this story shows]. It shows that many thought it was okay that the Black people were free, but wanted to make sure "they knew their place". And all of this is told in this short graphic novel. It tells the story succinctly and the pictures often tell more than the words. This book is very well done and everyone should be reading this piece of history in my opinion. What good is history, especially your own, if you don't read it and know it?
Very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wilfrid Lupano, Stephane Fert and Europe Comics for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not only did this graphic novel have beautiful artwork, but it also had a perfect balance of text on the page to keep me engaged in the story. The foreword and afterword were amazingly done and helped to put this short graphic novel into perspective and reality since it's based on true events. I highly recommend picking this one up to learn more about what it was like for people of color trying to attend school during this time.

White All Around is a charming graphic novel with an important message underlying it.
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I enjoyed this! The art style was so so gorgeous and fun! It had a nice contrast to the darker storyline and darker events.
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This book truly showed how when someone is so overcome with hate that they can do terrible things. It is a heavy read with many lessons throughout.
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TW- racism, violence, race-based violence, fire, guns, bigotry

I cried a little...

First of, I want to hug this art. I want to live in it and in these colors and never come back. I want my life to be this art. It is the purest and most beautiful art I've seen!
That forest goddess! 😍

The year is 1832 and Prudence Crandall teaches young girls in her boarding school. The society is not all that strong on educated women, but oh well...
Until Prudence decides that she will start teaching only young ladies of color!

This is a lovely and scary and uplifting story of that school, of what Prudence and the girls went through and what the school left them with.

I loved it beyond words!