Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword

By Barry Deutsch

A young Orthodox Jewish girl embarks on a fantastical adventure in this acclaimed graphic novel for preteens—“a terrific story, told with skill” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn’t interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There’s only one thing she does want: to fight dragons!

Granted, no dragons have been breathing fire around Hereville, the Orthodox Jewish community where Mirka lives. But that doesn’t stop the plucky girl from honing her skills by fearlessly stands up to local bullies. She battles a very large, very menacing pig. But when she boldly accepts a challenge from a mysterious witch, Mirka might finally get her very own dragon-slaying sword! All she has to do is find—and outwit—the giant troll who’s got it!

A delightful mix of fantasy, adventure, cultural traditions, and preteen commotion, Hereville will captivate middle-school readers with its exciting visuals and entertaining new heroine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Nov 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781613124482

Book preview

Reviews for Hereville

[jennybeast · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Brilliantly illustrated, Mirka has such an amazing range of facial expressions.

[bunnyjadwiga · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's hard to imagine being enraptured by a graphic novel of a (middle school?) girl living in a rather 20th century Orthodox Jewish community, even if there is a sword and witches involved. But Deutsch's characters shine, from Mirka herself, to the witch and her pig, and even Mirka's stepmother, as well the rather surprising troll who Mirka fights for her sword... My stepdaughter, when she first read the book, compared me to Fruma, Mirka's stepdaughter... ask yourself, when you read this, whether that's a bad thing or not. But Deutsch's spiky black and white illustrations, if not 'attractive,' are evocative. While the storyline sketches the 'old country,' it's clearly set in a much newer world, but that doesn't fade its appeal. The combination of feisty daughters, swords, magic, and... well, knitting... appeals.

[junipersun · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very enjoyable read. Somehow this book melds a tale out of squabbling siblings who support each other when the chips are down; kids growing up in a parochial community having limited contact with anyone different; dreams of making a difference in the world; women who are expected to use their intellect; trolls and dragons and witches.Now I've got to think of how to promote this in our rural Wisconsin community library where I doubt any of the youth have heard of Orthodox Judaism, to say nothing of any kind of passing acquaintance with any type of Jewish person. Fortuantely the few scattered Yiddish words are translated in the outer margins of the page.

[reader1009-863136 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

children's graphic novel; adventure/multicultural. Plotwise, this story was only so-so, but it's significant in its choice of characters (an Orthodox Jewish girl amidst and Orth. J. community). Kids are introduced to various aspects of the culture and reminded of similarities, too.

[sarahlh-41506 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A charming graphic with a strong-willed female protagonist that combines elements of epic fantasy with aspects of the Orthodox Jewish lifestyle which makes for a fascinating and fun read. Mirka is my favorite kind of heroine: clever and outspoken who ends up solving problems her own way.

[salsabrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mirka dreams of becoming a dragon slayer. But it's not a practical dream in her orthodox Jewish community of Hereville, where Mirka is expected to learn how to do traditionally female pursuits and work, and be ready to become a wife someday. When Mirka attempts to pick a grapevine in front of an unfamiliar house owned by a witch, she raises the ire of a talking pig who seeks revenge for Mirka's sullying the garden. From there, we have a family celebration of shabbos and then Mirka in pursuit of a troll to claim his sword through some clever talk. It doesn't seem like this could work, but it's an entertaining graphic novel that offers a glimpse of Orthodox Jewish life and culture, and features a gutsy, outspoken girl standing a bit outside the status quo.

[foggidawn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mirka, an 11-year-old resident of the Orthodox Jewish community of Hereville, dreams of fighting monsters and slaying dragons. An encounter with a strange woman in a mysterious house in the woods (and a confrontation with a talking pig) leads to Mirka's first battle. If she can outwit a troll, she can earn her sword. But what if the battle involves Mirka's greatest weakness?I've been wanting to read this graphic novel ever since it was released, lo these many years ago. I finally got around to it, and it was lots of fun! Mirka's a great character, and I like her stepmother Fruma as well. Recommended to those who enjoy juvenile graphic novels.

[bill5bradford · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating look at Orthodox Jewish life but I thought a little more exposition was needed.

[hlevy-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mirka is an Orthodox Jewish girl who lives with an argumentative step mother and a multitude of brothers and sisters. Mirka dreams of slaying dragons, but must keep her book of monsters hidden under her bed because she is not allowed to have "non-Jewish books" in her house. The author, Barry Deutsch, does an excellent job of weaving information about the Orthodox Jewish life into the pages of this graphic novel. Mirka is a wonderful female hero who, early in the story, defends her brother against bullies. Soon after that she wanders off and finds a house she has never seen before. Against the advice of her siblings, Mirka takes a grape off the vine from this house and her trouble starts. Because of her grape stealing ways, Mirka is chased by a pig - the most non-kosher thing you can imagine! Mirka gets tangled up with the bullies, the pig, a witch and a toll and ends up winning on all fronts. It's wonderful stop see such a strong female character in this well told tale set in Orthodox Jewish life.

[yonitdm · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Super cute book I read with my daughter. No goodie two shoes heroes here! the adventure was fun and the family relatable. looking forward to more!

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cute enough, and certainly refreshingly original. I like Fruma (stepmother) best. Didn't hit my sweet spot, though, somehow. Did read both 1st & 2nd books, giving same review to both.

[etborg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The tagline of this book pretty much says it all. Mirka is always fighting with her step-mother and would rather be welding swords and fighting dragons than sitting at home knitting. This first book (yes, there are more!) tells the story of how our heroine wins her sword from a witch, fights a troll, and maybe even learns a little something about herself on the way.

Once upon a time I was a section head for the children's graphic novel section at Powell's Books in Portland, OR. I didn't really read comics beyond the old Archie comics my mom had in a cardboard box in the garage, but by the time Hereville was published I'd already picked it as my staff pick and made plans to drag two unsuspecting friends along to a reading Barry Deutsch was giving in Portland. I'm not Jewish, so I can't speak to the authenticity of the Orthodox community portrayed, but I have heard it is very good, and it is a wonderful way to introduce readers to a religious doctrine they might not be as familiar with. Regardless of the religious setting, this is a wonderful book for all girls (and boys!) who ever felt like they are maybe meant for something bigger and have ever wished they could ditch their chores and go fight a dragon. Also their is a pretty unconventional battle with a troll.

[alovett-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Deutsch, Barry. Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword. 2010. $15.95. Amulet. 98-0-8109-8422-6. Ages 10-14.Mirka is an orthodox Jew, along with all the other residents of Hereville. But rather than knitting and planning ahead for the matchmaking process, Mirka is determined to fight dragons. Then Mirka meets a witch in the forest, and after eating some of her grapes Mirka finds herself being terrorized by a pig, which none of her friends or teachers can fathom. After defeating the pig, the witch tells Mirka where she can get a good sword for dragon fighting - if she can outwit the ogre who owns it in a knitting battle. This graphic novel features pen and Ink illustrations in monochromatic shades of orange, sepia, and blue. A mixture of classic panel design with some full spreads and illustrations that break their boundaries, much like their main character defies the boundaries of her society. Full of Deutsch’s tongue-in-cheek humor, this unexpected and clever story is also instructive: Yiddish words are incorporated and explained in footnotes, as are other practices like the Shabbas dinner. Highly recommended. Ages 10-14.

[pussreboots · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch is a graphic novel that features another strong female lead in the role of the unlikely but willing hero. Of all the recent books, I've read, Mirka reminds me most of September from The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making.Mirka lives in an Orthodox Jewish community. She wants to learn sword fighting but is stuck learning knitting instead. Just like September and her mother's wrench, she learns how to wield the weaponry she is given. Here, the threat is a troll and the battle takes place in the nearby forest, rather than far away fairyland. The need for wits and unusual weaponry, though, is the same.The artwork is done in a sepia scheme with strong lines. Stylistically it's somewhere between Hope Larson and Marjane Satrapi.The one distraction, for me, were all the asides explaining either Jewish culture or the Yiddish and Hebrew words being used by the characters. A simple glossary or appendix for those who need it would have sufficed.

[kottenbrookk · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hereville is a well-executed and engaging graphic novel that tells the unexpected story of Mirka, an Orthodox Jewish girl who escapes the tedium of her day-to-day life by going on adventures in the woods outside her home town. The fantastical plot and surprising, clearly articulated characters will appeal to middle- and high-school readers of any religion. The illustrations are a mix of rounded edges and sharp corners, done in bold black ink. The muted colors are used to express mood: when Mirka goes on her quest to find and slay a troll at night, the color of the pages shifts from soft orange to blue-grey to convey a sense of mystery and magic. The dynamic illustrations often tell the story independent of text. One of the most interesting aspects of Hereville is that, in the story’s world, Orthodox Judaism is the norm. There are notes to help readers who are not familiar with Judaism, but the characters’ religion and traditions are not treated as strange or exceptional. The themes of the story grapple with issues inherent in many religious communities: among them identity, family, culture, and gender. Mirka, who longs to slay dragons, struggles with a community that thinks girls should marry and raise children, and she must find a way to accommodate tradition while staying true to herself. Readers from middle-grade through adulthood will find in Mirka a hero to cheer for. Highly Recommended. Grade 6+

[maowangvater · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One day on her way to school Mirka Hirschberg discovers a house that she’s never seen before in her town of Hereville and in the yard of this house is a woman pruning a tree while floating ten feet off the ground. Mirka plucks one of the enormous grapes hanging on the fence of the house, and she’s set upon by a monster. The monster turns out to be a pig, but since Hereville is town inhabited only by Orthodox Jews, Mirka has never seen one, and doesn’t know what to call it until enlightened by her more worldly step-sister. Since Mirka’s ambition in life is to be a dragon slayer, she vows that she’s not going to be defeated by a pig. But when she sets a trap for the pig, she ends up having to battle a troll!

[ghelmus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Being my first graphic novel, I was unsure of what to expect. But I couldn't put this book down. The creativity of illustrations made it aesthetically pleasing, while the dialogue was easy to follow and kept the story moving. Seeing as it was a book based around the Orthodox Jewish religion, I also think it was a helpful touch to add Jewish words with their meanings at the bottom of the page. I would not have expected to learn about another religion while reading about a girl meeting witches and fighting trolls. It's a quick read, but a worthwhile one. It was clear what text was being spoken and what was setting/character information. Each character was thought out and redeemed in the end. I could see this book being enjoyed by children of any age.

[librarianmaven · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is, in my estimation, nearly as perfect a youth graphic novel as you can get. Mirka is an inspiring heroine, and I loved the warm portrayal of Orthodox Judaism and family, even as Mirka engages in untraditional girl behaviors like swordfighting trolls.

[plasticatoms · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mirka is an adventurous girl growing up in an insular Orthodox Jewish community. In encounters with a witch, a troll, and a talking pig, she combines quick thinking and determination with lessons learned from her family in order to come out on top. It's bit like (a much more child-friendly) Pan's Labyrinth. Especially of note is the setting, a deeply religious community with little contact with the outside world, to the point where it's not even clear what country or time period it's taking place in. The author paints an engaging and three-dimensional portrait of the town of Hereville, lovingly depicting a rich culture without sugar-coating the fact that it's also pretty repressive in a number of ways--Mirka has to smuggle in books that aren't on the narrow list of approved reading, among other things, and I must admit my reaction to a lot of it was, "wow, I would not have survived if I'd been born here". I'd recommend this book to kids who are interested in learning about different cultures, fans of books that blend magic and realism, and anyone who just likes to argue for the sake of argument or look at thinks from different angle (depicted here as a useful skill and a part of mental flexibility -- in the climax, Mirka seemingly fails a knitting challenge against a troll, but successfully outwits him by challenging his assumptions about what makes a sweater "better".)

[sara.rivera · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Summary: Mirka is an 11 year old orthodox Jewish girl who lives in the Jewish community of Hereville. Mirka dreams of being a brave dragon fighter, though her step mother dreams of her learning to knit, getting an education, and setting a good example for her many siblings. Mirka encounters a woman she believes to be witch in the forest, and brings her friends and siblings to see. When Mirka steals a giant grape from the woman's yard, a giant monster attacks her. The monster turns out to be a large pig, which as a Jew, Mirka has never had contact with. Mirka makes a deal with the pig to stop harassing her, and the witch returns to make an offer to her. Mirka can have a great sword if she can defeat a troll, and the witch says that Mirka's step mother has the knowledge she will need to do so. Mirka barely defeats the troll and escapes with her life.Personal Reaction: I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped. It lacked the humor I expected from it's tag line, "Yet another Troll-Fighting 11 year old orthodox Jewish girl". The illustrations were black, white and gray on deep burgundy pages, brighter colors may have drawn more attention to the scenes around the girl. I did like that the Yiddish terminology that was used by the characters was translated at the bottom of the pages. Classroom Extension Ideas:1. A series of critical thinking puzzles and problems that would demonstrate to students how to solve a problem without force.2. Bring in some silly looking sweaters to compare to the ones Mirka and the troll knitted.3. Explore Jewish traditions mentioned in the book during a multicultural themed week.

[akmargie · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good art and a solid fantasy story with a strong female lead.

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Odd, original, and quite entertaining.

[girlsonfire · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book of a unique graphic novel series. The story revolves around an 11-year-old Jewish girl named Mirka and her desire for adventure. In this novel, she must outwit a troll in order to obtain a magic sword. The graphic novel is infused with Yiddish dialect and Jewish tradition, which gives the book an educational but still adventurous slant and the orange, black, and white color combination makes it a pleasing story visually.Readalikes: Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke.

[marared9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book. The subtitle alone sold me: "yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl." That was enough to get me to order the book and sit down to read it as soon as it arrived. The author does a wonderful job of setting the story in an Orthodox Jewish town with all the religious implications and cultural references that are unfamiliar to people outside the culture, while still letting the story tell itself without degenerating into a diatribe or morality tale.After reading the first 10 pages or so, I thought, "my daughter would love this book, but she's bound to get lost in all the culture-specific vocabulary". It was then that I noticed the asterisked footnotes "translating" the unfamiliar words and ideas for those who aren't familiar with the context. This makes the book accessible without burying it in explanations.The story is told in the form of a graphic novel and relates the adventures of Mirka, who really just wants to fight a dragon, but first needs to take on a protective brother, an intelligent pig, and a troll. Hilarious story with hilarious illustrations. I was very pleased with the graphic novel format here, as it added to rather than detracted from the story. Sometimes graphic novels for kids are an attempt to dumb down the content or they are so poorly executed they make your teeth hurt. In this case the format really compliments the story and adds important nuances that convey personality and subtle details of the story.Great idea, great execution. My daughter and her friends are in for a treat.

[raizel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to like this book: it has a spunky heroine, who happens to be Orthodox, fantasy, lots of pictures---it's a graphic novel, afterall, and seems to provide a very good picture of what it is like to live in an Orthodox community, BUT there is a glaring error about the Jewish Sabbath starting when there are three stars in the sky! This is such a basic mistake, that it makes me wonder how accurate all the other details of everyday life are. Perhaps this was the result of a "helpful" editor "fixing" the text. (Admittedly, everything else sounded realistic to me.) There also seems to be a missing backstory that would explain how Mirka's stepmother knows so much about monsters from non-Jewish folklore. I suspect that there are feminist undertones to the book. Mirka doesn't want to learn feminine tasks such as knitting, although this turns out to be an invaluable skill, but she also comes to realize that her stepmother's abilities include more than traditional womanly arts.

[nicollh_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An interesting introduction to some of the aspects of the Orthodox Jewish culture in a graphic novel format for kids, however the plot is rather thin and seems to exist mostly as a means of introducing these elements.

[francescadefreitas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the art and I loved the story. Mirka battles a troll in a most unexpected way to earn her sword.

[abbylibrarian_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Graphic novel about an Orthodox Jewish girl who wants to be a dragon slayer. A perfect blend of adventure, humor, and cultural education. Highly recommended!

[triciadm_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mirka is unlike other Orthodox Jewish girls her age. She is not interested in knitting and other traditional duties, she wants to fight dragons. Can she find her sword without ruining her family and community's reputation in the process?

[5eva5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A beautifully made graphic novel about Mirka, an Orthodox Jewish girl, which introduces the reader to a well-functioning community without any comment on the "whys" but rather the "hows" of daily life in such a community. It is at its core a story about a little girl gaining her independence without breaking away, but with some fantasy and mythological elements to it. I have a tiny issue with the skill needed for Mirka to succeed in her task, but it's minor and is absolutely overshadowed by the drawing style, the lovely story telling, and the characters. It's definitely a story for younger readers, but is very readable for people of any age.