Inside the Hidden Lives of Children Caught in America’s Gun Violence Epidemic
When the research becomes dense and threatens to hamper the narrative, Kerwin breaks it up with one of these portraits.
There’s nothing gory or brutal about them. The graphic novel is mostly illustrated in black and white, but soothing yellow highlights are applied in the portraits. Kerwin’s playful character drawings are slightly cartoonish in a style reminiscent of cartoonist Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes). They’re further amplified by quotes and memoiristic recordings of the deceased.
We get a real sense of four distinct personalities and habits that Kerwin imbues with tenderness. She sketches out each child’s daily habits and friendships, before leading us into the moments where gun violence strikes them down. It’s heart-wrenching, but we’re meant to empathize, never pitying or becoming overwhelmed with grief.
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