I really enjoyed Barry Deutsch’s Hereville when it was a webcomic, and I like it even better now that it’s a full-length graphic novel, which will be released by Abrams in November. Set in an Orthodox Jewish community, Hereville has a strong sense of the traditional about it, and parts of the story (as when the heroine battles a pig that has been tormenting her) are strongly reminiscent of folk tales. Deutsch breathes life into his story, though, by having characters who talk and react like real tweens and teens. She may dress differently from her peers in public school, but when 11-year-old Mirka tries to solve a math problem, or is torn between her family’s expectations and her own desires, she is channeling every kid. Deutsch’s art has lightened up quite a bit in this book, and he has honed his extraordinary talent for using panel arrangements and other visual effects to tell his story in the most effective way possible. I would go into more detail, but my 10-year-old nephew swiped the book at dinner last night and I don’t know when I’m going to get it back. Highly recommended!

You can see a whole bunch of Hereville title page sketches here on Flickr. And I’ve just now added two more to the set:

The second sketch is below the fold.

Let’s get the obvious comments over with. Yes. This is a graphic novel where the brave heroine is an 11 year-old Orthodox Jewish girl. This is definitely not something you see every day. However, it’s not treated as a novelty, and while the reader will learn about Orthodox Judaism and its practices, it is not done in an overly didactic manner. Mirka is a bit of a rebel in some ways, but overall she’s true to her family and her beliefs without sacrificing her need for adventure.

I used to work as a librarian in a mostly Orthodox Jewish community and I have to say that my most of my patrons were voracious readers. Friday afternoons, before Shabbat, children would storm the library in droves, walking off with ten books or so a piece, and leaving bare shelves behind. It always troubled me that, while I was surrounded by so many dedicated book-lovers, the children rarely saw themselves reflected in books. Or if so, it was as a novelty/token character or they were featured in a Holocaust-related novel. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, but I hope this graphic novel reaches that community and is well-loved.

Hereville is not exceptional merely because of its unusual protagonist, but because it’s a fun and humorous adventure. It’s well-paced and beautifully drawn. Mirka is passionate about her desire for action and adventure, but just as passionate about her love of her late mother, as well as the rest of her family. Mirka’s stepmother, Fruma, is a source hilarious entertainment, with her nagging and desperate need to argue. The troll and the witch are also sources of comedy. Last, there are many bittersweet moments concerning Mirka and her deceased mother. It’s a multi-faceted comic, offering not only adventure but depth and emotion.

In other words, I’m ready for more Mirka!

Thanks, Inge! I’ve gotta say, Inge’s reaction is exactly the reaction, in every way, I’m hoping for. :-)

I really hope that Hereville will find some fans among Orthodox Jewish families. (Hereville the webcomic had several Orthodox readers, who made many very helpful comments.) We’ll see.

“Yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl,” says the byline. Well seriously. How was I supposed to pass that up? I’d grabbed a copy of Hereville at an American Library Association conference along with a whole host of other books. I don’t think I even gave it half a glance at the time. Just nabbed, stuffed, and scooted. It was only back in the comfort of my hotel room as I repacked my bags that the byline got my attention. I sat down for a quick look. Twenty minutes later I was still reading, with no intention at all of repacking anything until I was done. In my experience, fantasy novels for children do not like to involve religion in any way, shape, or form. And children’s graphic novels? Puh-leeze. You’re as likely to find a copy of Babymouse wax rhapsodic on the topic of organized religion as you are a copy of Harry Potter. So to read Barry Deutsch’s book is to experience a mild marvel. There is religion, fantasy, knitting, some of the best art I’ve seen since The Secret Science Alliance, and a story that actually makes you sit up and feel something. This is like nothing I’ve ever encountered before, and I think it’s truly remarkable. Without a doubt, this is the best graphic novel of 2010 for kids. Bar none. [...]

Confession: Truth be told, there is very little in this book I do not like. What’s more, it offers me, a children’s librarian, a sneaky way to introduce kids to religions and creeds they might not otherwise have any exposure to in a format they already love. Bereft of any kind of stereotyping you might name, Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword could only make me angry if it failed to produce a sequel in the future. Until then, we’ll just have to be content with this. A remarkable little book and, I guarantee, like nothing else you have on your bookstore, library, or personal shelves.

There’s a lot more to her review, but you’ll have to click through to read it.

(Click here for information about preordering Hereville.)

“An unusual eleven-year-old orthodox Jewish girl with more chutzpa than Yentl seeks a magic sword, and has an epic battle with a troll, as author/illustrator Barry Deutsch offers up a mitzvah–a graphic novel which has joy, style, lots of Yiddishkeit, adventure, and magic. Not all of it kosher! (There is a goyisch pig after all.)”

–Jane Yolen, author of The Devil’s Arithmetic, Naming Liberty, and O Jerusalem as well as the graphic novel, Foiled.

(Remember, Hereville is now available for preorder!)

Anyway, here are two more of those sketches. You can see a whole bunch of Hereville title page sketches here on Flickr.

And the second one…

Publishers Weekly, August 2, 2010

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword

Spunky Mirka wants to be a dragon-slayer, but everyone in the small Orthodox Jewish community of Hereville is against it. When a witch and a talking pig turn up in the woods near home, Mirka can’t help getting involved, much to the dismay of her seven sisters, brother, and argumentative stepmother.

The book brings new material to the original Web comic, completed in 2008, allowing Deutsch to make a great comic even better. His expressive, surprising drawings give life to Mirka’s quest and to the unusual and genuine relationships she has with family members and magical creatures. Deutsch weaves in information about Shabbos, phrases in Yiddish (translated at the bottom of the page), illustrations of the different looks (rebel, pious, popular) girls create with the white shirts and long black skirts they wear – and all of it is lively and engaging.

Fantastical elements mesh perfectly with the deep emotional heart of Mirka’s story. “I live in the family your mother made, surrounded by her children and under her roof,” Mirka’s intelligent, prickly, loving stepmother tells her, in one poignant scene. This is a terrific story, told with skill and lots of heart, that readers of all ages will enjoy.

Sometimes the odds against Hereville seem immense. The marketplace is so huge, consumers are strapped for money, and Hereville is such a weird book. It’s an action-adventure comic with very little actual violence in it; it’s a mass-market book with a oddball, artsy palette; probably a third of the book is about Mirka arguing with her relatives; the art makes everyone look like muppets; and, of course, it’s about an 11 year old Orthodox Jewish girl.

On the plus side, I’ve been extremely flattered — I’d even say, taken aback — by the positive response I’ve had to Hereville. The first time I took Hereville to a con, I had two publishers tell me they’d be interested, which was an enormous boost to my self-confidence. Actually getting an amazing agent (hi, Judy!) and a book deal is a literal dream come true. Everyone seems to like the artwork, despite what seems to me to be my glaring lack of drawing skill. And most importantly — amazingly — is how many readers have stuck with Hereville, despite the too many years it’s taken for anything to get done.

Of course, unlike a lottery ticket, I’m guaranteed to win. Even if Hereville sells badly, I’m still amazed it’s coming out at all, and proud of the work that Jake (the colorist) and I have done. And even if my audience remains small, it’s such a great audience!

If you create a book, and it flops… well, then, you still have the book!

I’m also committed to creating the second Hereville book, no matter what happens with book one. (Happily, I’ve made major creative progress on writing the second book this week, completing the first draft of the story. And getting the story written is the hardest part for me. Well, that and laying it out. Oh, and drawing it.).

But let’s face it: It will all be easier if the first Hereville book does well commercially. It’s easier getting paid than not getting paid, after all. The book is scheduled to hit shelves November 1st, and by January or February we’ll know how it did in the market. Until then, I guess I’ll just keep working on book 2… and chewing my fingernails.