Module 5 - American Born Chinese

Summary
American Born Chinese is actually three tales in one. First is the story of the Monkey King and his quest to be accepted as a powerful celestial being.  The Monkey King faces many challenges on his quest, including being stuck under a mountain of rocks for centuries. Second is the story of Jin Wang, a Chinese-American who seeks to fit in with his American classmates. He gains and looses a best friend as a result of some of the poor choices that he makes.  Third is the tale of Danny, a white American boy who is ashamed of Chin-Kee, his Chinese cousin. Everytime Danny's cousin has come to stay with him, Danny changes schools because he is so ashamed of Chin-Kee.  As the stories of each are told, they slowly meld into one story.

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

My Impression
While I enjoyed this book, it did not live up to my expectations. As an award-winning graphic novel, I expected to be blown away by it, but I was not. I found the story line to be rushed, as the end seemed to be too sudden.  I find that it did not contain as much depth as I had hoped. I went into reading it hoping that it would make a good piece to use in my classroom, but I did not think it so once I finished it. Perhaps, as an avid reader of manga and graphic novels, my expectations were skewed. I think that the story line would have been better served had it been split into two volumes. Then, I think that we could have learned more about Jin Wang, who seemed to be a fairly flat, one-dimensional character.  I did like the inclusion of the over the top, racially stereotyped character of Chin-Kee in that he provided a bit of comic relief as well as acting a character foil to the sterotypical all-American boy that "Danny" sought to be.  He was the represntation of how Danny was thought others would see him if he embraced his culture, and I found that interesting.

To Read or Not to Read:  If you have some spare time and enjoy graphic novels, pick this one up.  It is worth a read.

Professional Reviews
Library Journal
"A National Book Award finalist and ALA's Printz Award winner, this fable stars the mythological Monkey King, realistic youngster Jin Wang of Taiwanese parentage, and TV sitcom teen Danny. All three are dogged by an unwanted identity and humiliated by others' prejudice. The Monkey King trains to be a god but is unceremoniously bounced out of heaven and urged by "he who is" (the great god) to be what he is: a monkey. Jin tries to be accepted and romance a fellow student but gets picked on by classmates. Danny does well with friends until Chinese cousin Chin-Kee, a bitingly funny bundle of racist stereotypes, makes his annual visit and behaves so offensively that Danny must change schools. Finally, the three stories suddenly merge, to center on Jin coming to terms with his minority experience and moving beyond his own fear and hostility. Coalescence comes almost too quickly, but the trivision approach and treatment are unique and moving. The art is simple, colorful, and both attractive and effective. Some potty humor; recommended for teen and adult collections." - Martha Cornog
Cornog, M. (2007, October 15).  [Review of the book American born Chinese, by G. Yang].  Library Journal, 132(5), 54.  Retrieved from http://lj.libraryjournal.com.

Publishers Weekly

"As alienated kids go, Jin Wang is fairly run-of-the-mill: he eats lunch by himself in a corner of the schoolyard, gets picked on by bullies and jocks and develops a sweat-inducing crush on a pretty classmate. And, oh, yes, his parents are from Taiwan. This much-anticipated, affecting story about growing up different is more than just the story of a Chinese-American childhood; it's a fable for every kid born into a body and a life they wished they could escape. The fable is filtered through some very specific cultural icons: the much-beloved Monkey King, a figure familiar to Chinese kids the world over, and a bucktoothed amalgamation of racist stereotypes named Chin-Kee. Jin's hopes and humiliations might be mirrored in Chin-Kee's destructive glee or the Monkey King's struggle to come to terms with himself, but each character's expressions and actions are always perfectly familiar. True to its origin as a Web comic, this story's clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive. Even when Yang slips in an occasional Chinese ideogram or myth, the sentiments he's depicting need no translation. Yang accomplishes the remarkable feat of practicing what he preaches with this book: accept who you are and you'll already have reached out to others."

[Review of the book American born Chinese, by G. Yang]. (2006, June 12). Publishers Weekly, 253(24), 36-37. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/home/index.html.

Library Uses

• The library could host a small cultural fair and provide information about various enthicities that populate the city in which the library is located.
• The library could hose a graphic novel contest.  Patrons could create short graphic novels about a myth, legend or tale associated with their culture.

Image Retrieved from:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/american-born-chinese-gene-luen-yang/1100351546?ean=9780312384487