Write a book review for one of the graphic novels we read during the semester: Mom’s Cancer, Gender Queer, Spellbound, and Seek You. Introduction (1 paragraph) Identify the author, title of the book, and the book’s main theme; Describe key details about the author and their positionality (first or third person) and why that positionality is important

Assignment Question

The book: Gender queer by Maia Kobabe Background A book review is a genre that critically evaluates a text for an audience by summarizing the content and perspective, evaluating it, and (not) recommending it for a potential audience. The book review asks you to enter into dialogue and discussion with the author and the text itself for an overhearing audience. A good review identifies exemplary aspects of a text but can also identify deficiencies, too. The most important element of a book review is that it makes an argument by commenting on the text overall. Reviews share some common features: A review typically gives the reader a concise summary of the content, including a description of the topic, its overall perspective, argument, and purpose. A review offers a critical assessment of the content. This involves your reaction as a reader, including what strikes you as noteworthy, whether or not it was effective or persuasive, and how it enhanced your understanding of the issues. A review often suggests who (which audience) might or might not appreciate the text, that is, do you recommend the text and to whom do you recommend it? The Assignment The goal of the final assignment is to write a book review for one of the graphic novels we read during the semester: Mom’s Cancer, Gender Queer, Spellbound, and Seek You. Introduction (1 paragraph) Identify the author, title of the book, and the book’s main theme; Describe key details about the author and their positionality (first or third person) and why that positionality is important; Summarize the overall point of the novel. What is it trying to achieve? What’s the aim? State your thesis about the book. What do you want to focus on in your review? Summary of the Book Overall (1 paragraph) Assume the audience for your review has not read the novel. Assume the audience for your review has never read a graphic novel. What does a naïve audience need to know to appreciate the content? Analysis and Evaluation of the Book (at least 3 paragraphs total) Story and health narrative (1 paragraph using at least one idea from Units 2 or 3)

What is the story being told? How does the author weave the story into a health narrative? What idea from Units 2 or 3 can help describe or make sense of the narrative? (e.g., caregiving, interactions with providers, bio-psycho-social model, stigma, health literacy, etc.) Graphic and visual style (1 paragraph using at least one idea from Unit 1) What is the graphic style? (e.g., Representation-Abstract Continuum, etc.) Are there key images or sequences in the novel stand out? Why are those notable? How do these images help advance your argument? What does the author do well graphically and visually? What could the author have done graphically or visually to help the audience understand the topic? Overall evaluation (1 paragraph) What 1-2 aspects of the book were most compelling? Explain why. What most helped you understand the author’s perspective? Be specific. What audience would most (and least) appreciate this novel? Explain why. Conclusion (1 paragraph) Restate your thesis. Make the final judgment of the book. Who would be interested in reading this book? Who may not be interested but should read it anyway? How can you persuade people who have never read a graphic novel that comics offer an engaging way to learn about people’s experience with health and illness? COMM 428 Graphic and Visual Health Communication Fall 2023 Final

Assignment: Book Review You should clearly state your opinion of the text as an argument (a thesis statement) that is supported with body paragraphs and a conclusion. General Guidelines for the Book Review The review must be argumentative and have a clearly identified thesis. The main body of the review will support the thesis using the questions and outline above. The review must include at least one piece of evidence taken from the text, that is, at least one example from the text (with page numbers) that somehow supports your main idea/thesis. The review must be typed, double spaced and will be between 750-1,000 words (~3-4 double- spaced pages), not including Works Cited, and will use Times (New Roman) 12 pt or Arial 10 pt. The review will include at 4-5 sources formatted in American Psychological Association (APA) style 7th edition. Sources can include including articles, blogs, YouTube videos, from the course Canvas site incorporated in-text to support your thesis; The review will include a Works Cited section at the end of the review to include the book you are reviewing and the sources you use in APA 7th edition format. Focus your paper on a CENTRAL IDEA. The thesis should state this idea. The body of the review should support this thesis using at least one example to support that idea. The main body of the review will use The example(s) you use will Review the required texts and other graphic material carefully. Use these to collect specific details, examples, and information related to your topic. Gather as much evidence for your central idea (thesis) as possible. You must demonstrate something to the reader. Focus your project on something specific, such as a specific theme, a revealing idea, strategy for representing something related to comics and health communication. Support your points with specific details from the texts. Remember that the audience/reader has not read the texts. Therefore, you will need to provide the reader with specific details, moments, descriptions, and events from the texts to demonstrate your points. However, don’t just retell the story point by point. Instead, use moments from the story to build evidence towards the central idea (thesis).

Pay attention to THESIS DEVELOPMENT. Make sure that the body paragraphs develop all parts of the thesis in the order presented in the thesis. 482778 28 minutes ago some readings to help: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-09-25/gender-queer-most-banned-book 1. https://www.npr.org/2023/01/04/1146866267/banned-books-maia-kobabe-explores-gender-identity-in-gender-queer 2. https://bleedingcool.com/comics/another-american-librarian-fired-for-refusing-to-remove-gender-queer/ 3. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/21/graphic-novel-gender-queer-australian-classification-board-appeal-rejected 4. https://youtu.be/9LSwvauQ0A8?si=k49KLRIyIf8oUEgb

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