"This first-rate graphic novel presents a powerful personal perspective on the 1966 Aberfan mining disaster."
October 2026 Book of the Month
Sharing a moment-by-moment story of the 1966 mining disaster that shook a community, and indeed the whole of Wales and wider UK, Aberfan: A Family Story sees author-illustrator Jack Lewis relate the tragic events through the lens of his own family in graphic novel form. All the more poignant as a result of this personal context, this is non-fiction at its most impactful, with striking illustrations and a combination of the author’s narrative and words shared by three members of his family amounting to a tremendously powerful work.
For context, on the morning of 21st October 1966, an avalanche of slurry engulfed a junior school and Aberfan village, killing 144 people, 116 of them children. Before relating the events of that day from the perspective of his uncle Wyndham Lewis, a coal miner who was among the first on the scene, and two of Wyndham’s nieces, the author provides valuable context on the community, painting a vivid picture of a close-knit village that was, like many places in South Wales, ruled by coal: “All things revolve around it.
All parts of life are shaped by it”. Against this backdrop, community, family and education were everything in Aberfan, and “children were the life blood of the village”.
What follows is a stirring account of how a typical Aberfan day was interrupted by the disaster, changing a community forever as a result of a whole generation being lost. Also sharing the fact that the National Coal Board refused to accept any blame, and only increased their offer of compensation from £50 to £500 for each child lost after much criticism, with the unthinkably appalling proviso that compensation would only be granted if their investigation found that bereaved parents were “close to their dead children”. Aberfan: A Family Story is perfectly-pitched for 12+-year-olds and comes recommended as a classroom resource. It’s also a valuable addition to the canon of Welsh social history more broadly.
A graphic novel interpretation of the Aberfan Disaster, told from the perspective of a single family.
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the best books for 9-12 year olds · the best books for teenagers
A graphic novel interpretation of the Aberfan Disaster, told from the perspective of a single family. On 21 October 1966 a mountain of slurry rushed down a hillside and engulfed the small village of Aberfan, Merthyr Tydfil, causing the deaths of 144 people including many children just starting their school day.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Aberfan: A Family Story and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-14 years old
Aberfan: A Family Story features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, True Stories, History, People / Places, PSHE: Bereavement and Grief, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Graphic Novels & Comics, Educational: History, Children’s / Teenage social topics: Accidents, disasters or emergencies, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Educational: Humanities and social sciences, general, Educational material, Children’s / Teenage: Social issues / topics
Paperback. £13.50, down from the £15.00 cover price. Pre-order. 21st October 2026.
Aberfan: A Family Story was written by Jack Lewis and published by Graffeg Limited
Aberfan: A Family Story has 80 pages
£13.50, reduced from £15.00. Pre-order. 21st October 2026.
