FAMILYFANS Books & Comics

LAIKA

by Nick Abadzis, color by Hilary Sycamore

(First Second)

Reader Appeal: Youth through Adults

Genre: Graphic Novel / Biography

A casual glance at the cover of Laika, with its simple pencil drawing of a dog and a rocket on the front, might give you the impression that this is a straightforward children’s story. If you examine the cover a little longer, though, you’ll start to notice curious details, such as the red star dotting the “i” in the title, or the strange, numbered bodysuit the dog is wearing, or the odd shape of the rocket, or the strangely melancholy expression on the face of the dog. These little clues all fall into place when you realize that this little book is the story of the first space traveler, an abandoned dog of mixed breeds that was famously shot into space only a few months after the launching of the world’s first man-made satellite, Sputnik. And this book will leave you feeling a little like that dog on the cover, strangely melancholy.

In essence, the story is simple. A puppy is born, grows up, gets picked as a test animal, and gets shot into space. The protagonist is a cute little dog who doesn’t say a word to anyone and only barks once or twice. But the larger story and the lives of the people that this little dog is caught up in are far from simple. This moment is a turning point in history. The Russians have beat the Americans into space, tension is running high, and Premier Khrushchev demands a further victory to prove Russian superiority. In the interest of propaganda, he demands a second launch, and the workers scramble to make it happen. Caught in the middle of all this pressure to succeed are numerous characters, such as Korolev, once a political prisoner, now chief engineer of the space program, and Yelena, a lab worker responsible for taking care of the test animals. In the end, we know how it all has to go—Sputnik 2 burned up on reentry. But the story of how the dog got there and what it cost the people involved is anything but simple.

All in all, this was a pretty good story. It’s wasn’t a happy story, and it doesn’t shy away from the frank brutality of unhappy people. The drawings are simple and beautiful, with pale colors that set a powerful, if somewhat oppressive mood, and the artist manages to pack a lot of panels into one page. The plot is a lot like the page layout, lots of little pictures comprising a larger narrative. Numerous characters go by and never turn up again, but their stories linger in a powerful way as little morality tales. The author puts a lot of emphasis on pushing home the point that nothing lasts forever. It’s not quite clear, in the end, if this is meant to be a hopeful message, but it’s certainly a unhappy truth. The final message, as I see it, is that we need to remember the things that have happened, and in attempting to help us remember that little dog, Nick Abadzis has certainly succeeded. In the end, that’s what I have to say about this book: you’ll remember it. And that makes it worth reading.

Of course, beyond the relative (current) obscurity of its historical premise, this book suffers from a few other elements that might hurt its appeal to readers. Young readers might find it too stark and sad for enjoyable reading. Older readers might find it too quaint and cute to spend their time reading about the life and times of a stray puppy. Parents should also be aware that the characters in this book aren’t above cursing, drinking, or a little mean-spirited violence, but such behavior isn’t glorified (much the opposite).

This is actually one of the better graphic novels I’ve read. It’s short on action, heavy on drama, and rife with historical detail, so don’t go to it looking for a light read or mindless entertainment for yourself or your kids. On the other hand, it brings up lots of interesting issues and provides an accessible entry point for talking with youth about our history. So go for it. You could certainly do worse.

FAMILYFANS RATING: B+

AFTER THE STORY

If your family members are interested in this book, then encourage discussion about it afterward. You can use these questions to get started:

• How did this story make you feel? Why?

• Why didn’t any of the characters throughout the book try to rescue Laika? Do you think they made the right choices? Why or why not?

• What does how we treat animals say about what kind of people we are?

--MV

Note: All book or comics-related graphics in this column are standard publicity/promotional shots and are owned by their respective publisher.