American Born Chinese

I used to write book reviews more often, but gave up that pursuit in favor of having more time to read  more books.  However, I have recently been inspired by Carrie Carter's plethora of book reviews and thought that it is a worthy endeavor to be able to think critically and analyze the books one reads--to offer up more critique than, "It was a worthy read."

In the past month, I've read three books by Gene Luen Yang--The Boxers & Saints series, and American Born Chinese--which was the first graphic novel to receive the Printz Award (for Young Adult Literature).  

I have never read many graphic novels (besides the occasional Love Hina manga in high school) but I'm beginning to really understand and appreciate it as a genre.  A common mantra in the library world is everything is reading so long as it is reading, and you should never make a patron feel bad about what they're reading.  Besides enjoying graphic novels on the "good librarian" level, I'm really beginning to enjoy them as an art form and genre--like many forms of art, some stories are best told in certain ways, whether that is through a piece of pottery, poem, or graphic novel. 

American Born Chinese follows three stories that don't seem to have much to do with each other until the graphic novel progresses.  Without giving anything away--the ending was amazing.  All of the ends of each of the three stories were intricately woven together to form a lovely conclusion full of hope and acceptance.  Here are the three threads, in brief: 

1. The first thread is about the Monkey King--ruler of the Flower-Fruit Mountain.  This story reads like a story of old--for the Monkey King is an ancient Chinese god--though not the most respected.  Having just been kicked out of a godly dinner party for smelling like ape and not wearing shoes, the Monkey King spends years mastering ancient disciplines and skills to gain greater respect.  With his new power comes much pride--so much, that he thinks he is more clever than the creator.  His pride leads to his downfall, as the creator god traps him under a mountain of stone.  For five hundred years his pride keeps him there--until an unlikely monk crosses his path. 

2. The second thread follows Jin Wang--a Chinese-American who recently moved to suburban-America from San Francisco's Chinatown.  Jin's story follows that of many teenagers--dealing with  bullies, making friends, falling in love... yet all of his experiences are tinted with the fact that he is Chinese--from the bully's insults to the friends he gravitates toward.  After having a successful--though slightly awkward--first date with his dream girl, he's confronted the next day by her cool guy-friend who "politely" asks Jin to not ask her out again.  "We're almost in high school.  She has to start paying attention to who she hangs out with."  Meaning, not the awkward Asian kid. 

3.  The last and most humorous thread follows the story of Danny--your average white guy bro--awesome basketball skills, perfect blonde hair... awkward Chinese cousin (?).  Danny has switched schools a couple times, but it seems like every time he's achieving popularity, his cousin Chin-Kee comes to town.  Chin-Kee is THE stereotype and he is well on his way to embarrassing Danny out of yet another school.  Buck teeth, traditional clothing, with dialogue like, "Such pletty Amellican girl wiff bountiful Amellican bosom!  Must bind feet and bear Chin-Kee's children!"  Knowing that this book won the Printz, and knowing that respectable Asian-Americans I knew loved this book, I felt like there had to be something more to this blatant racism.  Which, there is.

This story is funny, addicting, and thoughtful.  It's a story that has stuck with me.  But no spoilers!  Find out what happens to each of our three heroes and how their stories weave together in the quite compelling American Born Chinese.