PERSEPOLIS: THE STORY OF A CHILDHOOD

A nod to the author's preferred childhood reading -- a comic book about Marxism -- Persepolis is an autobiographical novel of both vivid vision and social unrest. The Iranian-bred Marjane Satrapi came from political pedigree, and the outrage of growing up under the ironfisted Shah and Islamic fundamentalists further raised her consciousness. Still, she wasn't above the trappings of youth, like bad behavior (giving a teacher lip) and punk rock (rebelling against the veil). Her tales aren't without heartbreak, but like any self-respecting comic-book heroine, she stands her ground with awesome fearlessness.