Steve Jobs: Insanely Great

Reviewed by: Cathy Potter - Falmouth Elementary School, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 18, 2015

Review

Jessie Hartland chronicles the life and work of Steve Jobs in this graphic novel aimed at middle grade readers. Beginning with his childhood in Santa Clara, CA, Hartland paints an honest picture of the tech mogul. It is obvious from an early age that Jobs is a creator, an inventor and an entrepreneur. Black and white illustrations are rendered in India ink and pencil. The pages are busy with a combination of illustrations, captions and dialogue. Some readers may have difficulties reading Hartland's handwritten text that is a hybrid of cursive and manuscript. Readers will enjoy studying the two-page spread in the middle of the book that illustrates the technology available in the 1980s including cordless phones, the fax machine, and the Sony Walkman. Overall, the graphic novel eloquently captures the accomplishments and personality traits of the complex Jobs in both words and pictures. Source notes and a lengthy bibliography are provided in the back matter.

Overall Book Score: very good