The most poignant and memorable part of this memoir is: "As people become more disillusioned with the world, they're going to turn to people with a vision for a better future who are able to find joy despite seeing the world for what it is. This is where what comes next will be grown." With the way things are right now, this quote is more important for folks to remember than anything else.

Though it's quick, this is an inspiring read. I recommend it for youngin's (probably late elementary and middle school-aged, perhaps even high schoolers) to help them understand climate activism and how even the little man can do things to help inspire change. Even if you aren't a kiddo, read this yourself as a reminder that no matter what happens, resistance matters.

The art style is comfortable and the use of colors to distinguish between the different vignettes was a wonderful choice. Transcribing oral histories into a graphic memoir is such a unique take and honestly, fulfills the author's goal of making information and knowledge more accessible and digestible to the masses.

Though the fight wasn't won against the MV pipeline, this memoir is a reminder of the most important aspect of resistance: connect with others, tell your story, and keep fighting.

A wonderful, graphic novel exploring rural resistance, especially pertaining to the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Nalamalapu explores the individual actions that have delayed the project and brought attention to the environmental risks of the MVP. Through illustrated interviews with people who have committed to environmental justice, Holler tells the story of Appalachians coming together to protect their land and preserve the future. Nalamalapu also explores the greed, white supremacy, and classism that drive the MVP project and calls out the intersectionality of environmental justice. A hopeful, informative look at what happens when we stand up for what we believe in and a call to action to protect our future.

The main focus of Holler is the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) and the Appalachian Americans affected by the industry's destruction and greed. I thoroughly enjoyed Nalamalapu's illustration of the interviews. They brought another level of peace and charm to this graphic novel. I would highly recommend this to readers who are interested in climate change.

Holler brings us straight into the kitchens and living rooms of average Appalachians turned activists in a simultaneously inspiring and frustrating real-life story of those impacted by and opposing the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The limited color palette in the illustrations focuses readers on the lived experiences of each activist while also providing enough detail to show the beauty of Appalachia. This graphic novel will make you consider your own power and skills while serving up a stark reminder of the deep enmeshment of government and corporate interests.

I really wanted to love Holler. The subject matter is so important—activism, environmental justice, and the fight against corporate overreach are topics that absolutely deserve attention. And for readers already invested in these issues, this book might be a valuable resource. But for me, it just didn’t fully land.

While I appreciated learning about the activists and their personal stakes in resisting the Mountain Valley Pipeline, I never felt fully connected to them. The storytelling leaned more toward telling than showing, and I found the author’s reflections at the end of each section a bit too heavy-handed. Instead of drawing me in, it felt like I was being preached to, which made it harder to stay engaged.

Visually, I also struggled. Graphic memoirs usually enhance emotional impact for me, but here, the art didn’t resonate in a way that pulled me deeper into the stories. I wish I had felt more immersed in the world of these activists instead of reading about them at a distance.

Maybe I’m just not the target audience, but I walked away appreciating the intent of this book more than the execution. That said, if you’re already passionate about environmental activism, you might get more out of Holler than I did.

A graphic novel everyone should read. The simple execution helped me understand the dangerous of the pipeline construction and how politicians and greedy companies don’t care about the consequences. Each opposer experience creates an informative and educational read. We need more books like this!

I picked this up because the topic sounded interesting and relevant, and I really appreciated the diversity of voices the author included. Unfortunately, the book ended up disappointing me. It felt shallow and not very informative, repeating the same cliché statements (yes, fossil fuels are bad; yes, racism is a huge problem; yes, the greed of a few hurts many). While I respect the effort that went into the interviews, this one just didn’t work for me.

Graphic memoir of climate change activists fighting a pipeline in WVA. interesting take on the topic. I did find the authors interpretations of each story a bit trite. but I get she is trying to inspire a new generation of activists. It is hard to be inspired but a lost battle though.

I enjoyed this book and learned so much about the MVP project, which I hadn't heard of before. Climate change and initiatives like this often feel overwhelming, and it’s easy to feel hopeless. However, this book does an exceptional job of showcasing inspiring stories of ordinary people keeping the faith and doing the important and necessary work. The timeline at the beginning was especially helpful. The graphic novel format made it especially engaging and approachable for me—I might not have picked it up otherwise. While I still feel daunted by the scale of the challenges we face, I am inspired. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an early copy!

This was one of the most fascinating reads of this year - empathetic, hugely heartfelt and a strong narrative to boot. My huge thanks to NetGalley and Timber Press for providing me with an ARC of this wonderful experience of a book.

Holler provides snapshots of six different climate activists resisting the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Appalachia. Nalamalapu interviews activists from different walks of life, doing their parts big and small to slow or halt the progress of a devastating pipeline. Their stories highlight not only different ways to be an activist, but put a focus on the connections, community, and purpose that activism gives people. Nalamalapu has clearly made an effort to make the concepts of class and race issues as accessible as possible. They thread the needle of instilling hope and meaning in climate activism while avoiding using rose-colored glasses. The forces climate activists are up again are daunting and powerful, but, as Michael James-Deramo asks in chapter 5, "Can you think of anything more beautiful than standing alongside those you love, staring hopelessness, isolation, and collapse in the face?" This is an entreaty to turn away from despair and apathy, and to root into the land and people you love. Teenagers, young adults, and adults needing inspiration for how to start using their skills for causes that matter will find this a short but inspiring read.

What an important but also devastating story. I had no idea about the MVP before and thought this book might be about a pipeline from a long time ago. Turns out it’s very current news that I hadn’t heard of. It’s great how the author includes a lot of diverse voices and perspectives to highlight the importance of community organizing. Highly recommend

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this graphic novel

I have always been interested in history to do with the world we live in and also the people who helped change it for the bigger or worse, this book talks about a few people who did all they could in their own ways to make it better - the first story we get is

Paula Mann

She was an elderly woman who lived on a farm with her parents and after they passed on she stayed and loved the nature she was a part of, during the time of new pipes being planned to be built under the forest she took the time to take pictures of the areas it would go through as well as letting them know the damage that could happen both with the nearby towns and also the forest, this made them redo their plans

She is one of a few people talked about in this graphic novel who did what they could their own way to fight for change.

These stories all come together to show the impact a few people can have that can change the lives of so many as well as save the beauty of nature that we have around us and take it for granted.

I think this is a great way to show children serious issues without making it too hard to understand or possess

Short but sweet. Profiles of folks leading the way in pipeline resistance in Applachia. Great artwork, important storytelling, but I did feel this fell short of being classified as a memoir.

CW: classism, racism, colonialism

I would like to thank NetGalley and Timber Press for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Direct, on-the-ground storytelling of the active resistance against the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MYP) project, climate activist Denali Sai Nalamalapu's debut graphic memoir is a poignant and powerful story of community-based climate activism.

Through the vignettes of six frontline activists, Nalamalapu provides a concise look into the lives of these activists as they navigate unjust systems, corporate greed, and some who even travel to the nation's capital to speak out against the MYP project. Holler shows more of the multitudes of the realities behind activism, including activism burnout and the need to take of one's self, but Holler also recognizes the work that we can do to provide a better tomorrow for future generations. I felt that the information about MYP project was easy-to-understand despite not knowing about the project until reading this book, and Nalamalapu does a great job with interspersing these vignettes with their own experience fighting against the MVP project.

If you like memoirs about climate activists and/or you want to gain more of an understanding about Appalachia and the work done to protect its resources, I would definitely recommend checking out this book.

I am not sure if this is a Young Adult title but I have not problems having it in my HS library. I love the six individual stories of activism and motivation. The art and limited colors help focus on the story and the emotional strength of all the interviewees.

I was really excited by the title and the premise of this book. I enjoy books set in the Appalachian region and the history around the people living and working there. This book fell really flat for me. I didn’t connect emotionally to the author or any of the people highlighted. I understand that the author was trying to make a connection between these real humans and their values, morals, lives and the destruction of the land but I failed to feel emotional connection with them and so the authors intent didn’t feel realized. I just feel like a graphic novel is not the correct format for this story.

Holler is a graphic novel/memoir which tells the story of the Mountain Valley Pipeline fight, where protestors, activists, and organizers did their part to work towards climate justice and equal treatment of American citizens. There's lots of strong messages within about helping your community, listening to your heart, and using your strengths to do what you can. Each of the pipeline resisters described, Paula Manin, Karolyn Givens, Becky Crabtree, Crystal Mello, Michael James, Desiree Shelley, and the author, uses their own abilities and ideas in order to share with the community and strengthen the movement. Progress depends on organization and coalition-building, as shown in past civil rights movements. We should take lessons where we can, and Holler reminds us of how important it is to look to others who have been where we want to go. Another aspect I appreciated was that Holler takes place in Appalachia, where most people are facing poverty, lack of resources, and climate distress. I am a big believer that lifting up the most vulnerable makes the world better for all of us - and Appalachia and climate justice is a great place to start if you are able to participate in any way you can.

I would like to end by sending a huge thank you to Denali Sai Nalamalapu, the publisher, Timber Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Holler. I will share my review to Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble as well. I hope more activism-based memoirs/graphic novels will follow :)

I just finished an ARC of this graphic novel and I think it's an absolute MUST for young adult readers and adult readers alike. It outlines stories or people living in Appalachia, their love of this place, and how they were impacted by the mountain valley pipeline project. It's a story of hope, community, and passion and it's absolutely brilliant.

I want to be clear- you don't have to be a graphic novel reader to be able to appreciate and enjoy this book. I personally have a difficult time tracking stories in a visual format in most cases, but between the simple color palette and the clearly defined order to read along, this graphic novel was so easy to follow.

Additionally, I so appreciated that this followed a number of people's stories and reactions to navigating the Mountain Valley Pipeline. It allows the reader to learn, listen, and appreciate diverse voices and experiences.

Please pick up a copy of this book. Please request that your library purchase this book. Please purchase this book to gift to loved ones. Its story is so important and beautifully told.

An outstanding exploration of the women involved in preventing the Mountain Valley Pipeline from coming to completion. Many of the people in this book, as well as others involved in the protest, face criminal charges. This is important witness to an environmental struggle.