Book Review - AMERICAN BORN CHINESE - TWU LS 5603 assignment

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Yang, Gene Luen.  2006.  AMERICAN BORN CHINESE.  Coloring by Lark Pien.  New York: First Second.  ISBN:  9781596431522

PLOT SUMMARY

This has three different story-lines that come together and connect at the end of the novel.  The first is about the Chinese fable Monkey King, who wants to become a god in human form.  The second concerns Chinese-American Jin Wang, who wants to become Caucasian.  The third is how Chin-Kee, a negative Chinese stereo-type, continues to plague his cousin’s, Danny, life.  The plot for all three stories revolves around not liking who you (or your family) are; wanting to change into someone else.  The characters do not like their ethnicity; they all feel inferior as themselves.  The story culminates with these three characters finding out how their lives are inter-twined and how to live the life they were born into.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This graphic novel is eye-appealing; from the front yellow cover with only half a face showing throughout the pages that are colorful, yet subtle.  The graphics are clear and crisp, with several different styles of panels per page that keep the scenes from becoming monotonous. 

This realistic fiction story can take place in any child’s life, in any school, in any city, in any country.  It is a universal coming-of-age theme, working through and accepting who you are, no matter what your race, color, religion, or ethnicity is.

AWARDS

2007 Michael L. Printz Award Winner
2007 Eisner Award Winner Best Graphic Album – New
2006 National Book Award Nominee
American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults
YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens
NPR Holiday Pick
Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award
Harvey Award
Reuben Award Winner
Booklist Editors' Choice
Booklist Top 10 Graphic Novel for Youth
Library Media Editor's Choice
Publisher's Weekly Comics Week Best Comic of the Year
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books of the Year
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year

REVIEWS

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “it's a fable for every kid born into a body and a life they wished they could escape….fable is filtered through some very specific cultural icons…each character's expressions and actions are always perfectly familiar…this story's clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive…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.”

EDUCATIIONAL LEADERSHIP:  “weaves together a coming-of-age narrative, Eastern mythology, and a sitcom-style story of contemporary teen life.”

NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW:  “Yang makes growing up Chinese in California seem positively terrifying…seems to use Chin-Kee to express his deepest fears of how others perceive Asian-Americans…reminding us that the image of a Chinese student filling out all the SAT bubbles correctly can be as damaging as one eating ''flied cat gizzards.''
            “blends Chinese and American cultures in inventive, unexpected ways. Structurally, its interwoven stories form a trilogy -- a familiar Western construction -- but the tale of the Monkey King is dominated by groups of four….a cursed number in Chinese numerology….in the book's most clever ethnic synthesis, he turns four to his favor, becoming one of four emissaries to the West who replace the wise men in their pilgrimage to see Jesus.
            “also functions well as a comic book…art blends the clean lines of anime with a bold American palette…Yang has created that rare article: a youthful tale with something new to say about American youth.”

MELUS:  “mature in artistic design and visually engaging.  Yet what makes it especially appealing to both young and mature readers is its narrative depth…the three separate tales are cleverly woven together in a dramatic climax, highlighting the work's focus on ethnic self-acceptance and empowerment…Yang uses the idea of transformation to give the novel thematic and structural unity…The legendary trickster figure [Monkey King] has been repeatedly re-imagined by Chinese American writers as a source of cultural strength, a symbol of subversion and resistance, and a metaphor for cross-cultural and interracial negotiation…[transforming] provides an illuminating parallel to Jin Wang's/Danny's coming-coming-of-age narrative…The blatant racial stereotype that Chin-Kee stands for has long denied Asians a place in American culture…[yet Chin-Kee] emerges as the epitome of transformation and subversion…Yang's reinvention of such a figure is an effective way to dispel the century-old image of the "Heathen Chinese."

LIBRARY JOURNAL:  “the three stories suddenly merge,…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.”

AMAZON.COM:  “The artwork, rendered in a chromatically cool palette, is crisp and clear, with clean white space around center panels that sharply focuses the reader's attention in on Yang's achingly familiar characters.”

LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION:  “It’s a nice combination of a fable and contemporary stories to convey the wonderful lesson of accepting one’s culture and identity with pride…has engaging art, and at times, funny dialogue.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  “lt's tough to talk about today's most serious issues (such as racial prejudice, self-acceptance, and spirituality) without seeming sanctimonious or sappy. But graphic artist Gene Yang deftly sidesteps that quicksand in this zippy, heartfelt tale of what it means to grow up Asian American.”

BOOKLIST:  “with vibrant colors and visual panache…each of the [three] characters is flawed but familiar…stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects – shame, racism, and friendship – receive thoughtful, powerful examination…Yang helps the humor shine by using his art to exaggerate or contradict the words, creating a synthesis that marks an accomplished graphic storyteller.”

VOYA:  “This graphic novel first appeared as a long running web comic on http://www.moderntales.com, where it enjoyed an enthusiastic following. The artwork is clean and distinctive, with varying panel styles and inking that is visually appealing . . . This graphic novel could be especially cathartic for teens and adults of Asian descent, but people of any ethnicity would find themselves reflected in the universal themes of self-acceptance, peer pressure, and racial tensions.”

CONNECTIONS

Books to Read

Varon, Sara.  ROBOT DREAMS.  ISBN:  1596431083
Abadzis, Nick.  LAIKA.  ISBN:  1596431016
Tan, Shaun.  THE ARRIVAL.  ISBN:  0439895294
Tamaki, Mariko.  SKIM.  ISBN:  088899964X
Kim, Derek Kirk.  GOOD AS LILY.  ISBN:  140121381

Used as a resource in:
Knowles, Elizabeth and Martha Smith. 2007. UNDERSTANDING DIVERSITY THROUGH NOVELS AND PICTURE BOOKS. ISBN:  9781591584407

Lessons

Teaching history:http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=firstsecond&id=3737

Gene Luen Yang lesson plans:http://www.webenglishteacher.com/yang.html

English/Social Studies: http://www.getgraphic.org/GG_Kits/American%20Born%20Chinese/ABC%20Lesson%20Plan%20Stereotype.pdf

ELL US History II- Reconstruction to the Present – Grade 11 and 12 (Students in these classes are limited English proficiency. They have minimal background in US History. In addition, language is as an important component in the class as content knowledge. ): http://www.gse.uml.edu/rtah/docs/Morgensterndrivenout.doc

Telling stories:  http://www.kennedy-center.org/education/pwtv/studyguides/GeneYang.pdf

History lesson:  http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/teachers/abcLesson.html

Factoring with Mr. Yang & Mosley the Alien: Webcomics Lessons for Algebra Students: http://www.humblecomics.com/factoring/

YA lesson plans: http://yareviews.wikispaces.com/American+Born+Chinese+by+Gene+Luen+Yang