Genre: Graphic Novel
Honors: ALA Best Book for Young Adults, Michael Printz Award/Honor Book, YALSA Top Ten
Review: American Born Chinese is a full-color graphic novel that includes three separate stories that, in the end, blend into one powerful and thought-provoking conclusion. There is the ancient tale of the Monkey King, involving a monkey that will do anything to be powerful and important and be anything more than just a monkey. Next Jin Wang, a shy adolescent Chinese boy is introduced. Jin Wang grew up in San Francisco where he had many friends that were like him, now he lives in suburbia where there are very few Chinese students and he is ostracized. Lastly, there is Chin-Kee, a manifestation of Chinese stereotypes come to life. Chin-Kee comes to visit his cousin and embarrasses him in front of all of his classmates with his stereotypical accent and ridiculous antics. Readers will enjoy this clever and magnificently done piece of artistic literature.
Opinion: This was unlike any other graphic novel I have read. I enjoyed how the Chinese stereotypes were confronted in several different situations and that the final lesson in all three tales is the need to love oneself.
Ideas: Have students create their own Ancient story that addresses a social issue.
Review: American Born Chinese is a full-color graphic novel that includes three separate stories that, in the end, blend into one powerful and thought-provoking conclusion. There is the ancient tale of the Monkey King, involving a monkey that will do anything to be powerful and important and be anything more than just a monkey. Next Jin Wang, a shy adolescent Chinese boy is introduced. Jin Wang grew up in San Francisco where he had many friends that were like him, now he lives in suburbia where there are very few Chinese students and he is ostracized. Lastly, there is Chin-Kee, a manifestation of Chinese stereotypes come to life. Chin-Kee comes to visit his cousin and embarrasses him in front of all of his classmates with his stereotypical accent and ridiculous antics. Readers will enjoy this clever and magnificently done piece of artistic literature.
Opinion: This was unlike any other graphic novel I have read. I enjoyed how the Chinese stereotypes were confronted in several different situations and that the final lesson in all three tales is the need to love oneself.
Ideas: Have students create their own Ancient story that addresses a social issue.
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