American Born Chinese
is an award-winning graphic novel about Chinese and Chinese-Americans that recognizes the difficulties of being part of a culture that is often misunderstood or stereotyped. The novel follows the stories of three seemingly unrelated characters: the Chinese Monkey King, one of the most beloved characters in Chinese folk stories; Jin Wang, a young Chinese-American boy whose family moves from Chinatown in San Francisco to a mid-western town where is an anomaly; and Danny, a nondescript teenager who has to endure the yearly visit of his inappropriate Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee. Each of the three stories deals with the difficulty of being an "outsider".This book is laugh out loud funny at times. The teachers in Jin Wang's new school quickly spread their own stereotypes about Chinese people and culture when they hilarious mangle Chinese-American students' names and claim they all came directly from China. Chin-Kee (say his name really fast) is a completely over-the-top representation of all the negative stereotypes about Chinese people, from his fractured accent to his choice of food to his knowing all the answers in Danny's various classes. While some of the stereotyping in this book might be considered offensive, it successfully highlights the experiences of Chinese-Americans, offering both a mirror and a window into what it's like to want to belong.
For an interview with Gene Yang go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYCZqt5WSOM
2006, NY: First Second Books
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