Stitches by David Small 329 pages

Caldecott award winning illustrator, David Small uses black and white pen and ink drawings to tell the story of his traumatic childhood growing up in a loveless home with a cruel and selfish mother, unforgivable father and distant older brother. As a sickly young boy, his father subjects David to frequent x-rays to monitor his sinus problems. As a result of this treatment he develops cancer. His mother refuses to get him a diagnosis for the growth on his neck for two years. The subsequent surgeries removes one of his vocal chords and leaves a disfiguring scar on his throat. He stops talking until he meets a sympathetic psychiatrist advises him to leave home (at age 16!) Through art, he finds his voice and acceptance. This has to be one of the most moving graphic novels that I have experienced.