Silence of Our Friends, The

As the civil rights struggle heats up in Texas, two familiesone white, one blackfind common ground.This semi-autobiographical tale is setin 1967 Texas, against the backdrop of the fight for civil rights. A white family from a notoriously racist neighborhood in the suburbs and a black family from its poorest ward cross Houston's color line, overcoming humiliation, degradation, and violence to win the freedom of five black college students unjustly charged with the murder of a policeman. The Silence of Our Friendsfollows events through the point of view of young Mark Long, whose father is a reporter covering the story. Semi-fictionalized, this story has its roots solidly in very real events. With art from the brilliant Nate Powell ( Swallow Me Whole) bringing the tale to heart-wrenching life, The Silence of Our Friendsis a new and important entry in the body of civil rights literature for older teens and adults.

Mark Long is a video game designer and producer living in Seattle. The Silence of Our Friends is based on Long’s childhood experiences with the civil rights movement in suburban Houston, Texas.

Jim Demonakos founded Seattle’s annual Emerald City Comicon, as well as The Comic Stop chain of retail stores. He has written, edited, and promoted a variety of books for different publishers throughout his career. He lives in the Seattle area.

Nate Powell is the author and illustrator of the graphic novel Swallow Me Whole (an LA Times Book Prize finalist, the 2009 Eisner Award winner for Best Graphic Novel, and an Ignatz Award winner). He is currently working on an illustrated novel for Roaring Brook Press, with author Cecil Castellucci. Nate lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with his wife.