Alpha by Sarah Bessora
A timely and important graphic novel account of one man's desperate journey from North Africa to Europe. Alpha brings together prize-winning artist Barroux and novelist Bessora, and comes to the UK market with a foreword by Michael Morpurgo and endorsed by Amnesty International."Both Alpha’s plight and those of the characters he meets give the refugee crisis a human faceUsing a limited colour palette and felt-tip pens, the effect is stark and powerful" – The Bookseller
"Once you read this deeply troubling book, passing by, looking away, is no longer an option" – Michael Morpurgo
"Surely more relevant now than ever, and although it is certainly not a sentimental book, Bessora weaves an underlying humanity into this narrative of desperation and degradation" – INIS
Bessora is a prize-winning French author of Swiss and Gabonese heritage, deeply committed to telling unheard and suppressed stories. In telling Alpha’s story, her aim was to create a strong connection between narrator and reader. She says, “Alpha is like your brother, whispering in your ear. You are very close to him. So anyone can identify with Alpha: he raises the question of destiny. Do we take it in hand? What meaning do we give to our life?”
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Sarah Ardizzone is a translator, working from French to English. She has won the Marsh Award for Children's Literature in Translation two times (2005 and 2009), and the Scott-Moncrieff Prize once in 2007.
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Barroux is a French graphic artist best known as an illustrator for children. He grew up in Morocco and has always wanted to create a book representing contemporary Africa. He settled on Alpha when he met an African refugee in his workplace in Paris. Barroux explains, “His name was – is – Togola and he came to Alice’s Garden with no official papers and unable to work although he had been in France for seven years. And I was talking to him and thinking this is so novelistic, you could make such an incredible book out of this man’s story.”
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781911370017 |
| ISBN 10 | 1911370014 |
| Title | Alpha |
| Author | Sarah Bessora |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | HarperCollins Publishers |
| Year published | 2016-08-01 |
| Number of pages | 128 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |