83 Days in Mariupol: A War Diary

"83 Days in Mariupol" is a compelling graphic novel for young adults, detailing the real-life siege of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol from February to May 2022. Author Don Brown, with a journalist's eye, illuminates the daily horrors faced by civilians and defenders, including dwindling resources, constant shelling, and immense loss. This book offers a raw, unflinching look at the human cost of war, patriotism, and the extraordinary resilience of a community under siege. It's an important, timely read for ages 12-18, providing historical context to current events and fostering discussions about conflict, bravery, and global politics. Parents should be prepared for intense themes of violence, death, and suffering.

A young adult graphic novel that captures the complexities of the war in Ukraine, focusing on the siege of Mariupol (Feb '22 - May '22) and the brave people who stayed to defend their city against Russian forces as well as the resulting effects on global politics. A city ruined. In once quiet residential streets, two armies battle, driving people into cellars and basements with little food or water. No lights or heat. Dwindling medical supplies. Shells and bullets deliver cruel, random death to the young and old, men, women, and children. This is Mariupol, a Ukrainian city and early target of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Bordering Russian-occupied territory, the coastal city seemed doomed to a defeat that would come within days, if not hours. Could Mariupol, and Ukraine, survive? As Russian rockets threatened the city, Ukrainians resisted, and with a heroic combination of sacrifice and bravery, the besieged city endured . . . for months. But it all came at a steep cost. With compassion and his keen journalist's eye, Sibert Honor creator Don Brown illuminates the horrors of Mariupol and the depredations of its people not seen in the city since World War II. He also shows that outside of Mariupol, the city's agonies were mirrored by similar events occurring in towns and cities across Ukraine. 82 Days in Mariupol reminds us that the bloody defiance shown at The Alamo, Dunkirk, Leningrad, and Thermopylae isn't confined to the past but has a violent, modern presence. It is the story of senseless destruction, patriotism, and grit against long odds--a brutal battle whose consequences still reverberate across Ukraine and continue to reshape the global political landscape.