My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf

Backderf, D. (2012). My friend Dahmer: A graphic novel. New York: Abrams. 

 This graphic novel is the memoir of Derf Backderf who knew the infamous serial-killer Jeffery Dahmer in high school.  It is about the adolescent Jeffery, who makes the monster of a man that we know of today, seem at least a little more human. It also gives us clues to why he may have turned out to be a murderer.  It seems that he always had strange and antisocial behavior but add in a not so happy home life, alcoholism, and the fact that nobody at school seem to care about him either, then it helps to explain a lot.  

 This is a unique non-fiction graphic novel.  It is an entertaining way to present the pre-murderous man because of the great format of graphic novel.  It shows many of the criteria for YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teen award list including the  integration of images and words and ability of images to convey necessary meaning.  The intended audience for this book would be a mature young adult (high school level) and/or graphic novel enthusiast.