AMERICAN BORN CHINESE: Gene Luen Yang:A graphic novel is a type of comic book, usually with a lengthy and complex storyline similar to those of novels, and often aimed at mature audiences. (So says www.wikipedia.org)
WoW. Who knew graphic novels were actually the new school of comic books? I was apprehensive, but this book blew me away. My uninformed perception was that graphic novels were a combination of the best in illustration with a mediocre plot thrown in to make them…something more than a children’s picture book. My bad. Super cool graphics?--Check. Simple plot?--Negative. American Born Chinese was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first graphic novel to win the American Library Association's Printz Award.
The adventures of the Monkey King, Jing Wang, Wei-Chin, and crazy cousin Chin-Kee are sure to capture your attention. The three separate plots of the novel explore the difficulties of being Chinese-American in a society where stereotypes abound. Being a teenager is hard in any country, and being ‘different’ can kill your social life--especially when your accent, appearance, and relatives differ so drastically from the ‘norm’. The temptation to give in to peer-pressure and blend with the cool crowd is nearly irresistible. Adhering to ancient cultural traditions seems unappealing when trying to navigate the hallways of high school, or rule a mountain of monkeys. And the question is…accept it or reject it?
The novel is full of a “should I really be laughing at this?” style of humor that the Politically Correct Police would be sure to censor. Yet, simultaneously Yang draws a mesmerizing tale while teaching some extraordinary values. And when the intricate plot lines magically intertwine in the last pages, the beauty of the tale is overwhelming. Deep enough for a college thesis and light enough for a young teen, the novel is a masterpiece of ingenuity.
DLA
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