Chris Bancells

Yang, G.L. (2006) American Born Chinese. New York: First Second.

Multicultural

Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature; National Book Award Finalist

Graphic Novel

Selection tools consulted: School Library Journal, WorldCat


Review:

This is everything a graphic novel should be. The story is creative, deceptively complex, and complete. Moreover, the text and images work symbiotically, as Yang weaves together three seemingly disparate narrative lines. The mythical Monkey King, a kung fu master and ruler of Flower-Fruit Mountain, seeks entry into the upper echelons of heaven. When he is denied, the Monkey King begins to change himself in order to become accepted and acknowledged by the other deities. Jin Wang, ostensibly the title character, is the only son of successful and traditional Chinese immigrants. As his story opens, the nine year-old Jin's family has just moved from San Francisco's Chinatown to an unnamed suburban community. He is the only student of Chinese descent, and Jin's expected alienation is articulated in an efficient, believable way. And then there is Chin-Kee. The embodiment of every racist, anti-Chinese stereotype, Chin-Kee is the inexplicable cousin of the very Anglo-looking Danny. Chin-Kee visits his American cousin every year, causing so much embarrassment that Danny has transferred schools three times by his junior year in high school. As the book progresses, the focus shifts from one story to another, their thematic similarities becoming increasingly obvious. Within two chapters, Yang deftly unites the plots in an unexpected, but satisfying, way. The conclusion requires a willingness to accept certain fantastic elements of Chinese origin, but at that point in the book, the characters have been so thoroughly developed that most readers will be willing to make that leap. In addition to the interconnectedness of his characters, Yang also blends elements of Christianity into the Chinese-inspired mythos. This mixing of cultures, searching for a cohesive social identity amidst the East-West disparity, is central to the story Yang as so brilliantly illustrated. Highly recommended, especially for readers who are hazy on the definition of a graphic novel.
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American Born Chinese weaves together three distinct but interconnected storylines that explore themes of cultural identity and self-acceptance. The first storyline follows Jin Wang, a Chinese-American boy navigating the challenges of fitting in at a predominantly white school. The second storyline features the mythical Monkey King, a legendary figure from Chinese folklore, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and transformation. The third storyline introduces Danny, a popular American teenager who struggles with his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee, and the embarrassment he brings. As these narratives converge, the characters grapple with issues of identity, stereotypes, and the complexities of belonging in a multicultural society. This book would be suitable in a middle school classroom to facilitate discussions about cultural diversity, stereotypes, and the immigrant experience.

This book would be good for advance students. This book is "American Born Chinese" by Gene Luen Yang and published in 2000. This book is about a boy named Jin Wang and he is Chinese, but doesn't want to be because he is in love with an American girl and society has told him that he does not belong with her. There is also the Monkey King who has lived for thousands of years and ends up being defeated. This book goes through the journey of these two characters and the struggles they go through to become undefeated and to get the girl. This book would be good for advanced readers who are not into chapter books or have trouble reading longer books. It also has good culture in it and normalizes being a different culture than those around you and shows kids how to be confident in their culture instead of assimilating to those around them.

This graphic novel gives us a glimpse into someone who may look different from his classmates on the outside, but longs to just fit in. It’s a painful place to be, especially as a kid. Anyone who has felt like they had to hide some part of themselves in order to avoid bullying, will find a kindred spirit here. It’s a chance to step into someone else’s shoes for a moment and hopefully gain some empathy for someone who might be different from you. ( )

2.75

Quite a few people I've spoken to about non-superhero graphic novels have recommended this to me, but this just didn't hit home with me like it has with other people. It was an interesting read that twines together three separate stories into one. The first story is based on a Chinese folktale; the second on a young Chinese-American schoolboy; and the last on an American teen whose cousin "Chin-kee" comes to visit from China. The weaving together of the stories was unique, but felt very absurd and almost childlike. I get the point Yang was trying to make but don't think the meshing of stories was overall successful. The story wrapped up very quickly and felt unfinished. The art style was solid although a little bland.
I think this could be a great read for some people, but probably not for everyone. I would still recommend this to certain people, especially if you're looking for some diverse authors or a unique little story!
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