Bibliographic Information

Yang, G. L. (2006). American born chinese. New York, NY: First Second.

ISBN: 0312384483

 

Plot Summary

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is a graphic novel divided in to three storylines. The three storylines follow the Monkey King, Jin, and Danny and Chin-Kee. The first story follows the Monkey King who wishes to be a God. However, the Gods will not allow him to become one of them, because he is a monkey. The second storyline is about Jin Wang, a Chinese-American boy from San Francisco’s Chinatown.  Jin Wang and his family move away to a town with no Chinese-Americans and limited cultural diversity. He feels like an outsider and is teased for being Chinese. The third story is about blond-haired Danny, who is embarrassed by his outspoken Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee. Chin-Kee dresses, acts and speaks differently from Danny and his friends. Yang brings together all three stories of identity in a fun and unique way, while covering the more serious topics of self/cultural acceptance and stereotypes.

 

Critical Evaluation

At first the three stories about the Monkey King, Jin, and Danny and Chin-Kee seemed separate. However, the story creatively weaved together these three separate storylines about race, identity, and self-acceptance into one.  All three characters seek acceptance from society and lack self-acceptance because they don’t have it. The Monkey King for example isolated himself from everyone and didn’t want to be a monkey anymore, because the Gods looked down on him. His character represented how a lack of societal acceptance can affect someone. Yang also drew his characters as over generalized stereotypes of the Asian race and culture. He did this purposely with characters like Chin-Kee, Danny’s cousin. Chin-Kee was drawn with buckteeth and a long pony-tale, and talked differently. He was more than a comedic character that embarrassed Danny at school. Chin-Kee was a form of visual literacy for readers. He represented past and present stereotypes about race and culture in the U.S. While text supported the over all story, Yang used visual literacy to primarily drive the story forward through sequential art panels. There were incredibly sad and intense scenes throughout the story that had no words. Yang drew his characters in a way that created a sense of emotion and feeling for readers. Some panels had the character sitting alone or standing alone deep in thought. While the story at times seemed comedic, these silent moments found in the images represented so much more. The characters were trying to imitate societal expectations, but were struggling internally to find that. This was a beautifully written and illustrated story about race, identity, cultural-acceptance, and self-acceptance

 

Reader’s Annotation

I am a Chinese-American. I am Chinese. I am American. Where do I fit in?

 

Author Information

The following information was taken from the author’s website, http://geneyang.com/.

 

“Hi! I’m Gene Luen Yang. Thanks for visiting my site! I began making comics and graphic novels in the fifth grade. In 2006, my book American Born Chinese was published by First Second Books.  It became the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association’s Printz Award. It also won an Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album – New.

 

In 2013, First Second Books released Boxers & Saints, my two-volume graphic novel about the Boxer Rebellion.  Boxers & Saints was nominated for a National Book Award and won the L.A. Times Book Prize. I’ve done a number of other comics, including Dark Horse Comics’ continuation of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender and DC Comics’ Superman!

 

In addition cartooning, I teach creative writing through Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. I teach alongside amazing authors like Anne Ursu, Gary Schmidt, Laura Ruby, Matt De La Pena, and more.

 

In January 2016, the Library of Congress, Every Child A Reader, and the Children’s Book Council appointed me the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.”

 

Genre

Fictional Graphic Novel, Coming of Age, Classic

 

Curriculum Ties

This could be used in a lesson on immigration and/ or cultural stereotypes.

 

Booktalking Ideas

• Have you ever felt out of place like the characters in the book?

• How do the characters share similar stories?

 

Reading Level/ Interest Age

Grades 7-12

 

Challenge Issues

Racial Stereotyping

 

Challenge Issue Resources (for usage in a challenge situation)

• Active Listening

• Explanation of why it was chosen for the collection (Rational)

• Awards

• Reader Advisory Reviews (Students, Parents, Educators)

• Positive and Negative Reviews

• National Council of Teachers “Right to Read”

• ALA Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials

• ALA Bill of Rights on Intellectual Freedom

• Library Selection Policy & Library District Reconsideration Form 

 

Why I choose it

I choose it because it was a required reading for INFO 265-10. I had also wanted to read this for some time, because it has received numerous awards and recognitions in the past year.