Minneapolis, Minnesota, Oct. 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lizard in a Zoot Suit, available now from Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, sends readers on an adventure through the streets of Los Angeles during the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. This historical graphic novel by Marco Finnegan embraces timely topics of race and social unrest, but adds a sci fi twist making it a must-read for fans of E. T. and The Shape of Water.
In the summer of the Zoot Suit Riots, twin sisters Flaca and Cuata are facing additional challenges. It's bigger than being grounded by their strict mother. It's bigger than fights with the soldiers stationed near their neighborhood. And it's shaped like a five-foot-tall lizard. After a scaly creature rescues Cuata from a brawl in downtown L.A., she names him Chulito. He's a stranded member of an undiscovered species, with the rest of his family nowhere to be found. When a corrupt military scientist tries to capture the lizard, the sisters will have to scramble to keep their new friend safe. Packed with action and heart, this page-turning graphic novel will have readers racing through the streets (and sewers) of Los Angeles.
Through striking two-color artwork and snappy dialogue, Lizard in a Zoot Suit gives readers a glimpse in to an oft-forgotten period in US history . . . with a few human-sized lizards thrown in for good measure.
Advance Praise for Lizard in a Zoot Suit:
"A unique and effective lens through which fans of historical fiction can view the treatment of the 'other' and race issues of the 1940s."—School Library Journal
"Though the adventure is fast-paced and fun, themes of racism, colonialism, counterculture, and family are all explored. . . . Period pop horror that will lure readers in for important history lessons."—Kirkus Reviews
"Lizard in a Zoot Suit is a beautifully rendered, heartbreaking, and insightful graphic adventure."—John Jennings, illustrator, Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
"An entertaining and meaningful story. The bicultural characters and diverse Mexican-American setting are a fun entry point into some serious Chicano history, the era of the 1940s Zoot Suit Riots. Put on your tacuche and your tando, and get ready for Lizard in a Zoot Suit!"—Lalo Alcaraz, illustrator, Latino USA: A Cartoon History
“Fast paced and entertaining.”—GeekDad
“The Zoot Suit Riots meet Underground LA lizard people.”—LAist
“A new YA graphic novel takes a moment in real world history and turns it into the basis for a thrilling adventure that is never anything less than stylish — but what else could be expected from a book titled Lizard in a Zoot Suit?”—The Hollywood Reporter
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About the Publisher
Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, creates high-interest and nonfiction titles through supreme graphic novel artwork and story lines created by industry veterans and up-and-coming talents.
Lizard in a Zoot Suit
August 2020
$31.99 Hardcover, Jacketed
$12.99 Paperback
eBook Also Available
Ages 12–18
HC: 978-1-5415-2365-4
PB: 978-1-5415-8695-6
144 Pages ● 7 x 10
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