Leise Hook ’20 NAMES AND FACES Graphic Novel is Now Available for Pre-order

November 30, 2025

Cartoonist and illustrator Leise Hook ‘20 is out with a new book, NAMES AND FACES, a collection of graphic autobiographical essays. Releasing on April 14, it is now available for pre-order via Henry Holt Books!

“In the vein of Cathy Park Hong and Gene Luen Yang, Hook’s graphic memoir-in-essays rendered via her signature, award-winning style, explores what it means to come of age as a mixed-race woman, forging a singular identity in a world intent on putting her into ill-fitting boxes.” —Henry Holt & Co.

“With beautifully drawn panels and deftly created layouts, Leise Hook’s deeply reflective memoir bridges personal identity, family history, and a wide range of cultures.”
—Eddie Ahn, author of ADVOCATE

“NAMES AND FACES is a moving portrait of a young biracial woman claiming herself in wholeness, deftly dissecting the threads of her complex identity to forge a self that is more than the sum of her parts. This smart and tender memoir will help anyone navigating the question of where they belong.”
—Tessa Hulls, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of FEEDING GHOSTS

Leise Hook’s work has appeared in The Believer, The New Yorker, Catapult, and Spotlight PA, and has been short-listed for a National Magazine Award and the Cartoonist Studio Prize. You can learn more about her work at linktr.ee/leisehook.

Preorder a copy!


Congratulations, Leise!

Tags: , , ,

Apply now

Donate

MFA and Certificate Program

Make a Gift to CCS

Online and In-person Workshops

Join CCS ENews

Cartoon Club

The Schulz Library

A Free One-Week Cartooning Workout

One Week Cartooning Workout

A free self-directed eCourse to improve your cartooning skills. Online, Start Anytime!

THE ED KOREN SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Click here to learn more and make an online donation now.

FREE COMICS

ART & COURAGE: A GUIDE TO SUSTAINING A CREATIVE PATH

We hope Art & Courage, will help readers feel a little more prepared for whatever creative journey they embark upon. Click here to read a free digital edition or to order print copies. This 32-page comic is filled with

CARTOONING IN AN ANXIOUS AGE

Cartooning In An Anxious Age (pdf) is a free comic by Cara Bean on the act of drawing, which focuses your attention and intimately connects you with the generative act of creation. It’s an inspiring read.

Let's Talk About It: A Graphic Guide to Mental Health

Let's Talk About It: A Graphic Guide to Mental Health

Created for middle and high school students, Let’s Talk About It: A Graphic Guide To Mental Health is a lively and educational comic book that destigmatizes the conversation around mental health.

A 32-page comic on how our government works

This Is What Democracy Looks Like comic cover

Using the power of comics to teach teens about the way our government works This Is What Democracy Looks Like, A Graphic Guide To Governance is a 32-page comic book created by The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS). This short comic guide helps to bring democracy back to the hands of the people by explaining what democracy actually means and how the whole thing works. This guide will be a great jumping-off point to learn about our government.

THE APPLIED CARTOONING MANIFESTO

Download a free copy of The World is Made of Cheese, The Applied Cartooning Manifesto.

SHARE: