Book Review: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Published September 5, 2006

Started October 18, 2017

Finished October 19, 2017

240 pages

Genre: Realistic Fiction and Graphic Novel

Summary

Jin Wang starts at a new school where he's the only Chinese-American student. When a boy from Taiwan joins his class, Jin doesn't want to be associated with an FOB like him. Jin just wants to be an all-American boy, because he's in love with an all-American girl. Danny is an all-American boy: great at basketball, popular with the girls. But his obnoxious Chinese cousin Chin-Kee's annual visit is such a disaster that it ruins Danny's reputation at school, leaving him with no choice but to transfer somewhere he can start all over again. The Monkey King has lived for thousands of years and mastered the arts of kung fu and the heavenly disciplines. He's ready to join the ranks of the immortal gods in heaven. But there's no place in heaven for a monkey. Each of these characters cannot help himself alone, but how can they possibly help each other? They're going to have to find a way―if they want fix the disasters their lives have become.

American Born Chinese is a 2006 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature, the winner of the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New, an Eisner Award nominee for Best Coloring, a 2007 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, and a New York Times bestseller. -Amazon

My Rating

I gave this book four stars. I like books that make me think, and this one definitely did at the end. I am still processing the whole story and how the three stories tied together in the end. I like how Yang was upfront with the stereotypes and racism felt by the characters. This is a good book to show people the struggles others face in America and how some struggle with identity and feeling like they belong.

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