I picked up this title because I figured it would be a good library buy- short and punchy, with a strong artistic style. I was correct, and this book left me wanting much more from these people, their stories, and this author. Stories like these are so important and are only going to become more so.

As someone who grew up near Appalachia and spent summers, birthdays, holidays, and every spare moment in East Tennessee and rural Alabama, my heart has always resided in the hollers and mountains of my ancestors. Holler does a beautiful job of concisely communicating these mountains' ancestral power and the importance of place in regard to culture and resistance to white supremacy.

As Americans (especially those of us who are white), we are often disconnected from "place" and from the ways the land sustains our lives. Holler helps readers reconnect to the importance of the land as a symbiotic entity inextricable from our survival. It demonstrates how to resist corporate greed, white supremacy, and a loss of connection to community. We must notice what is wrong, speak up, get involved in our local communities, and bring attention to the problems that plague our sacred land sites if we want to retain our agency in this world.

I thought Holler had endearing artwork that underpinned the passion and urgency required to preserve and protect everything that makes human life worth living. The different interviews and viewpoints featured in the book demonstrated the unique ways each person can contribute to resistance while keeping the values of community and connection at the center. As a life-long lover of Appalachia, I think Holler is a lovely snapshot of the problems working class people and people of color are facing and the many ways activism can manifest. I think it should be required reading in schools!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers at Timber Press for sending me an e-ARC! This book is short enough to be accessible to most people, but it is powerful enough to impart a message that readers will be thinking about long after they close its pages.

Holler is a quick overview of activists standing against the Mountain Valley Pipeline through West Virginia and Virginia and if you’re looking for a quick overview of this subject, you’ve come to the right place.

Good for people looking for firsthand accounts of the effects of pipelines and the ongoing battle against climate change.

I enjoyed reading this graphic novel.

Not only did I learn quite a bit about the Mountain Valley Pipeline, but the novel also does an excellent job highlighting those leading the fight to keep it away from the Mountain Valley. In some ways, more information could have been provided about each person, but I also understand that it is a graphic novel and must be condensed.

The timeline at the beginning outlines everything that has happened and makes it easy to follow.

When it is released, I will purchase a copy so my kids can read it.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and Timber Press for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Powerful reads, informative reads, environmental news

This is a powerful and fast read. This is a great graphic novel for teaching about the environmental issues caused from MVP. Very informative. I love the perspective of the different stories with a common cause. I highly recommend it!

This features shortened versions of interviews conducted by the author. They introduce the overarching issue—the Mountain Valley Pipeline project & the destruction of natural resources—then they speak with six people who have worked to save their Appalachian communities & the land they grew up on/live on.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
I loved the graphic format of the interviews & how the artwork was simple enough to not overshadow the important message, yet detailed enough to show the beauty of the natural lands. I have never been to Appalachia, but I grew up in “the natural state” of Arkansas, so I felt connected to these activists who have worked to protect their natural surroundings from environmental injustice.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
While I think the graphic novel could have been longer overall, I still learned a lot & I was inspired by these wonderful, regular people standing up to the powerful, greedy politicians & corporations responsible for dangerous, destructive projects. This is a quick, educational, & moving read that I think is accessible to all ages. Everyone everywhere can learn something from this.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
It shows us that when we stand up for what we believe in, together, we can & will make a difference—no matter how small or how hopeless it may seem!⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Many thanks to NetGalley & to Timber Press for this e-ARC!

Holler is a documentary of how grassroots activism can start with just one person. It’s also a good historical record of the Mountain Valley Pipeline and how it is not only affecting our environment but the people of Appalachia.

The beginning details the history of the MVP over the last 10 years. The impact is shown in interviews with people who had a passion for their home and used their own skills and knowledge to try and protect it.

The biggest takeaway from this book for me was sometimes it just takes one person to stand up and say no.

It show us that grassroots causes are still an important part of activism today.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an ARC of this book.

All opinions are my own

#Holler #DenaliSaiNalmalapu #NetGalley #Activism #Appalacia #QuickRead #History #GraphicNovel

I appreciate this. I like the message and what it says about the close knit communities of Appalachia. I enjoyed learning about folks who are active in the resistance of the MVP. This is inspiring and will definitely inspire folks to join the resistance. Thank you for the arc NetGalley.

Holler is an important nonfiction read about six influential people in the Mountain Valley Pipeline Resistance. The timeline at the beginning of the story is maybe even more helpful than the activist bios.

I liked using the book to learn about this historical event, but I don't think it has wide appeal for students.

This was a simple but to the point kind of graham novel that I found inspiring. I especially loved Paula’s interview/story.
My only two qualms are:
1: There are some grammatical errors that hopefully get fixed before publication.
2: It felt a bit rushed.

Thank you Netgalley and Timber Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Timber Press, and Denali Sai Nalamalapu for providing the free e-ARC. The thoughts and review expressed here are entirely my own.

The story follows six frontline resisters of the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Appalachia, spanning from 2014 to 2024. We are introduced to each individual and gain insight into their struggles against corporate interests, racism, and classism, all while fighting for their love of the land, mountains, waters, and community. The narrative highlights how the government often favors big money during the climate crisis and illustrates how grassroots resistance can inspire hope for future generations.

This book is a quick read that initiates a deeper exploration into the necessity of ongoing grassroots movements to hold our government accountable. The fight is long and filled with setbacks, but it endures.

The simple format of each interview contains so much pertinent information regarding the pipeline, our government and those in control. It also encourages grass roots efforts to affect change with regard to our lands and communities. A great read.

I see other people in their reviews going, "This is environmentalism 101! So basic!" Friends, do you know how many people I've spoken to in the last two months who have maintained willful ignorance about our impact on the planet? Or how many people see that the world is burning and go, "Too bad, we've already lost" after taking LITERALLY. NO. ACTION!?

So, yeah, this book is fairly simple in its execution, but I think it's a mistake to act as though we're past the point where we need direct stories like this one to mobilize and inform people. Too many of us are complacent, which is why things like this keep happening. I think many people who feel like they already know this story are Democrats, and yet, as Nalamalapu reminds us, Biden and other democratic leaders are not coming to save us.

The book itself has the feel of a zine, and focuses more on the people who have tried to stop the construction of the MVP than the project itself. It seems like the primary goal of the book is to suggest ways for people to get involved, and to show that resistance takes multiple forms. Yes to books with concrete examples of resistance. Please and thank you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. <3

I’m glad to have read this brief (< 1 hour read) graphic novel, as I feel like I know a lot more about something I wasn’t aware of previously. I think that’s probably the purpose of writing a collection like this, so Nalamalapu definitely achieved her goal of spreading awareness about MVP 👍 I think the only thing detracting from the book overall is the author’s little summaries at the end of each chapter; the activists’ words speak powerfully for themselves without addition.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review 💕

Holler offers a diverse cross-section of rural perspectives that come together to begin, endure and continue the resistance against the Mountain Valley Pipeline that spans approximately 300 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia.

The timeline at the beginning of the book gives context for the proposal, key areas of the movement to oppose the construction, and the different forces that challenge the continued push for constructing the pipeline.

The subsequent chapters highlight different people who unite to illuminate the harmful impacts of such a pipeline. Featuring ordinary people with different skill sets and backgrounds is a delightful way to illustrate that movements are indeed composed of multiple ordinary human beings taking action over a common purpose. Although their stories differ, the style and color palette are consistent threads that weave throughout the book.

The last chapter breaks through the fourth wall and ask us, the readers, what we can do given our skills and situational contexts. This is a powerful way to wrap up the book, especially since the pipeline is still getting traction towards completion despite evidence of hazards due to the pipeline's existence.

Overall, this was an illuminating read that is the culmination of over a decade of collective action. If you are newly aware of this movement, this book is a great primer for you to be brought up to speed. If you are already aware of this movement, this book encapsulates the struggle in an accessible and concise manner. Definitely a recommended read!

As noted in the description, this book is an invitation for readers to take a peek into the world of environmental activism and learn from the experiences of those fighting the MVP in Appalachia. Not an in-depth exploration of the Mountain Valley Pipeline or environmental activism at large. The book is fast-paced and stays surface-level, but is a good start for those interested in the topic.

Denali Sai Nalamalapu’s Holler is exactly the book I needed right now—it’s raw, powerful, and unapologetically urgent. In a time when the current administration and the state of the world can feel overwhelming, this collection revitalized my spirit and reminded me why we have to keep fighting for justice, for each other, and for our planet. Nalamalapu’s words are both a rallying cry and a balm, blending fierce activism with tender hope, and their ability to balance despair with determination is nothing short of inspiring. This book is a reminder that art is resistance, that our voices matter, and that we’re not alone in this fight. If you need a spark to keep going, Holler will light that fire in you.

Denali Sai Nalamalapu's Holler is a graphic depiction of interviews she had with people connected to Appalachia who fought against the Mountain Valley Pipeline. In sharing the perspectives of 6 people from different backgrounds, she shows how individuals stood up against a giant and powerful force to try to protect their home and land. This is a timely story as we'll be seeing more of these types of fights over land and natural resources in the near future. 3.5/5 rounded up to 4/5 because while the language and content of Holler was fairly simple, this would be a good graphic novel for younger students and one that can bring about interesting conversations.

Many thanks to Timber Press and NetGalley for the e-arc!

I enjoyed this look at the different backgrounds and methods of several protestors of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Through their stories, you are shown a number of ways small acts of resistance can make a difference against seemingly insurmountable odds. Even if the end result is not what you desire, you don’t give up hope. You transfer it and find new ways to act, rebel and persist.

Thank you to Timber Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

A nice reflection on the importance of climate justice and being involved but could have stood to be longer. We don't really get a clear image on what the people highlighted actually did or the impact other than that they were involved and had personal reasons. It especially feels as if the people focused on at the end got much less story time to share their experiences than the people at the beginning of the book.