Oh Brother: (A Graphic Memoir)

Every kid is shaped by their family--but not every kid has a brother like Rob. In this bright and thoughtful middle grade graphic memoir, debut cartoonist Gina Chadderton examines the fun and difficult parts of growing up alongside their autistic and nonverbal brother.

So much is changing in Gina Chadderton’s life. Her family is moving, she’s about to start middle school., and her brother Rob has just escaped out a playroom window ended up over at the new neighbor’s house! This coming-of-age memoir explores Gina and Rob’s lives. As a nonverbal autistic boy with an intellectual disability, Rob doesn’t communicate his thoughts and feelings like most people do. Despite the difficulties that come with that, the Chadderton family has never failed to show each other kindness and love.

But as Gina begins to grapple with her own growing body and whether or not to shave her legs, she struggles with how hard it is to take care of her brother while also taking care of herself.

Compassionate, informative, and emotionally nuanced, Oh Brother is a heartfelt story about the good days and bad days that come with growing up with someone who will always need help. But more than that, it’s about how you can fill even the most challenging of days with joy.

Georgina Chadderton (she/they) is an Australian cartoonist. Her work has been featured in outlets including The Nib and Voiceworks Magazine. They are a cofounder of Papercuts Comics Festival, an independent annual celebration of graphic novels held in Adelaide. When they’re not drawing, Georgina enjoys eating pizza and playing roller derby.