A story of survival, courage, and connection across generations, Refugee: The Graphic Novel by @alan.gratz , illustrated by @sydfini is officially a bestseller!
USA Today Bestselling graphic novel illustrator Syd Fini’s ANU IN THE CAT KINGDOM, his debut author-illustrated series in which a feral street kitten rebels against a corrupt empire, colored by @nedakazemifar , to Maggie Lehrman @maggielehrman at Abrams Fanfare @abramsbooks , in a two book deal, for publication in Fall 2028, by Katie Blagden @katieblagden at The Ampersand Agency (world English).
‘A silence can be broken by the might of one small word. / Our voices are our power… and together we’ll be heard.’
📣Our Voices, Together is an excellent choice for sharing with children who may be feeling helpless in the face of seeing/hearing things in the news.
🪧Inda’s rhyming text is a rallying cry - an urgent and vital reminder that we can *all* make a difference, and that we must think of all children as our own. We often hear the phrase, ‘nobody is too small to make a difference’; an idea that is celebrated here, highlighting the combined power children - and we all - have, if we speak out rather than staying silent or passive.
✏️Syd’s evocative illustrations are incredibly powerful. Paper cranes appear on the endpapers and pop up in various spreads, and he hasn’t shied away from depicting the fear and felt by children in places of conflict. Flowers sprout from tanks, children gather with placards at the UN, candles are lit in silent vigils when voices need to be recharged, and we see imagined scenes of children holding the hands of the children they’ve seen on the news. Importantly, adults appear with the children; activists of all ages, marching together.
📣This was one of my most anticipated books of 2026 - Inda came onto my radar thanks to her constant advocacy for Palestine, and wrote Our Voices, Together in 2021, when Gaza had just been attacked (again). The pairing with Syd Fini - illustrator of Alan Gratz’s Refugee: The Graphic Novel - is perfect, and so is Inda’s dedication: ‘To all children, the souls of our souls.’
Rattapallax, Inc. is pleased to announce it is the recipient of @NYCulture FY26 Cultural Development Fund!! Support the creation of an augmented reality (AR) comic book honoring Harriet Tubman written by Pulitzer Prize winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa with a live performance at Stella Adler Center for the Arts directed by Melissa Maxwell. Art and culture are the heart and soul of New York, and we’re proud to be among the nearly 1,200 groups receiving city support this year thanks to the partnership between the NYC Mayor’s Office and the City Council. #NYCulture
Our Voices, Together is a picture book about the enduring power of activism and hope in the face of the injustice and cruelty of war written by the brilliant @inda_binda and published by @brightlightpublishing@hardiegrantkids
A silence can be broken
by the might of one small word.
Our voices are our power ...
and together we’ll be heard.
Our Voices, Together speaks to the power we all have to stand up against war, violence and inequity. Written in rhyme and illustrated thoughtfully, this picture book acknowledges the realities of children in conflict zones and suggests tangible steps that we can take to speak up. Thanks to @alex___bright for all her support and @soraya.mk24 for her great help on the inks and @nedakazemifar for always giving best advice on the colors.
On my Substack today is a peek at @sydfini ‘s first sketch for Our Voices, Together 🤍 along with some of his heartbreaking current work.
Read more about the making of the book at indabinda3.substack.com
Zeinab (Sahar) Fard, born May 1988 in Varamin, was a former champion of Iran’s women’s taekwondo team and a fitness and Pilates coach in Qarchak.
On January 8, Sahar was killed by Islamic Republic security forces after being shot with live ammunition near Kalantari Square in Qarchak. That evening, as she moved with a large crowd toward the square, snipers opened fire. A bullet struck her temple, tearing through her head and killing her instantly.
Sahar Fard was among the first victims of the killings that began in Qarchak after the nationwide internet shutdown. Witnesses said that when her body fell to the ground, many people froze in shock, unable to run, and were then targeted by additional sniper fire from rooftops surrounding the square.
According to a source speaking to IranWire, Sahar had lost her sister years earlier in an accident. She lived with her parents and brother. “She was always running toward a completely ordinary life,” the source said. “She never stopped. Maybe only that bullet could stop her.”
#iranmassacre
Mohsen Arbabi.
20 years old. A young Baluch man from Gosht, Saravan, who had gone to Karaj to work as a laborer.
I saw a peaceful image of him resting with his cockatiel close to his face.
On Thursday night, January 8, during the protests in Karaj, Mohsen was shot directly in the head and killed by The Islamic regime’s security forces. #iranmassacre
Arak January 8
Ali Nouri.
17 years old.
Killed by direct fire during the protests in Arak.
He was still a child.
His sister wrote:
“You were too little to leave, brother. You hadn’t even reached your seventeenth birthday yet.” #iranmassacre
Ali Pourakrami. 21 years old.
Tehran. An only child.
He was arrested after seeking shelter in a home.
His family was told, “Don’t worry, he’ll be released in the morning.”
The next day, his mother was called and told where to find his body, abandoned by a highway.
The official cause: suffocation.
The truth: he was killed in detention.
Ali was Maryam’s only son.
He should not become a rumor.
He should not become a statistic. #iranmassacre
In Kermanshah (Kermashan), Melina Asadi, a 3-year-old Kurdish child, was killed by direct gunfire from Iranian government forces on Taq-e Bostan Boulevard. Immediately afterward, state-affiliated media blamed protesters for her death and forced her family to confirm this narrative on camera. #iranmassacre
