Sarah Bonaca Bonaca itibaren Malyja Siachnovičy, Belarus itibaren Malyja Siachnovičy, Belarus

An epic graphic novel (obviously influenced by Walt Kelly's Pogo), the range and scope of which goes far beyond what you would expect. I haven't seen the full color version, but I expect that would be pretty cool.

Elsa's life has never been easy, but when she meets a nurse when she is sixteen, she finds a direction in her life. Eventually, she joins an aid group and ends up in Afghanistan. It is here that her life completely changes. She becomes the head nurse and administrator at a small hospital in an even smaller village. The conditions there are like nothing she has ever seen, as in no running water or electricity. It made me seriously think about everything I have and don't have. This book made a lot of wants and desires seem trivial; there are people with genuine needs in this world that too often I forget about. Elsa becomes friends with Parween, and other people in the village, and they change her life. They make her a stronger, more confident person. She also meets Dave and Mike, two special forces soldiers who will also change her life. There is a little bit of romance thrown in this book, and it does not take away from the story at all. It is sweet and innocent and just adds to the overall beauty of the story. Not only do you hear Elsa's story, but Parween's story is also woven in, and hers is one of serious heartbreak and courage.