Neil Young's Greendale

Even for politically active teenage girls, Sun Green has always been different. There's been talk that the Green family women had great powers in concert with nature, but Sun herself never really wondered too much about it. Then, in the fall of 2003, as the nation gallops blindly into war, a Stranger appears in her hometown of Greendale, and everything starts going to hell. In an effort to overcome the pain the Stranger brings, Sun unearths the mystery of the Green family women, and in doing so, finds her own inherent power, not just to confront the Stranger, but to confront the mounting injustice of the world outside of Greendale as well.

"Greendale" is based on Neil Young's critically acclaimed 2003 album and 2004 film of the same name. Many have referred to the album as a "rock novel" which explores the effects of crime, media, consumerism and environmental issues on the Green family in the sheltered small Northern California town of Greendale.

Even for politically active teenage girls, Sun Green has always been different. There's been talk that the Green family women had great powers in concert with nature, but Sun herself never really wondered too much about it. Then, in the fall of 2003, as the nation gallops blindly into war, a Stranger appears in her hometown of Greendale, and everything starts going to hell. In an effort to overcome the pain the Stranger brings, Sun unearths the mystery of the Green family women, and in doing so, finds her own inherent power, not just to confront the Stranger, but to confront the mounting injustice of the world outside of Greendale as well.

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—Meet Sun Green. She's the latest in the familial line of "Green Women"—environmentally conscious girls who are intent on saving the planet. The only problem is, all the other women in her family mysteriously disappeared when they reached her age. Fearful about what she may become and where she might end up, Sun seeks answers from her remaining extended family. When a mysterious stranger comes to town and threatens her brother and her new boyfriend, she may have to figure out a way to tap into her power and defeat him sooner rather than later. Set in 2003 during both the debate surrounding the Iraq conflict and the question of drilling for oil in Alaska, this tale manages to be both politically conscious and massively entertaining. The art is stunning. Sun is beautifully drawn and is just as radiant as her namesake. The unnamed mysterious stranger is depicted as gritty and sinister, just as a villain should be. This graphic novel is a great source for teenagers trying to understand the environment and how an individual can make a difference.—Ryan Donovan, New York Public Library