Akissi is a French-language comic about the adventures of a little West African girl, now available in English translation thanks to the astoundingly excellent Flying Eye, a new kids' imprint of London's NoBrow. It was created by Marguerite Abouet, whom you may know from Aya, a series of comics for adults set in Cote d'Ivoire, widely available and appreciated in English translation.
Akissi's adventures are both universal and absolutely particular to her milieu. My young daughter — born and raised in London — has never kept a pet monkey, had a tapeworm come out of her nose, or had to contend with an older brother who wouldn't take her pigeon hunting; but Akissi's struggles with authority, her close friendships, and her misunderstandings are immediately recognisable to my daughter and her friends when they come over, and I've read the book aloud to them a good half-dozen times since I brought it home last week. It's the perfect combination of gross-out humour, authority clashes, and general mischief to capture a kid's interest.
Akissi comprises seven short stories, each of which stands alone, and, as with all of the NoBrow titles, it is a beautiful package — great binding, endpapers, paper stock, and spine — suitable for both your own library and as a handsome gift. It's on sale in the UK now, and will be out in the USA in June.
Akissi [Amazon UK]
AKISSI [Flying Eye]
