2025 selection · Graphic novels

Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls

Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls by Rob Edwards, illustrated by Sean Damien Hill and Alex Paterson, cover illustration by Nikolas Draper-Ivey appears in NPR’s 2025 Books We Love guide. NPR’s editors categorized the recommendation around nonfiction, biography & memoir, comics & graphic novels, placing it within the year’s broader reading conversation.

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Why it matters

This selection preserves a named editorial recommendation alongside jury-selected books, making agreements and differences between institutions visible.

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You want an NPR-recommended nonfiction, biography & memoir, comics & graphic novels title from 2025.

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nonfictionbiography & memoircomics & graphic novelsstaff picksfor history lovers

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