American Born Chinese (2006) Gene Luen Yang (Author)
Award Winner
This tale of stereotypes, ethnicity, racism, identity, and an adolescent's struggle towards self-acceptance is presented in graphic novel format by writer and illustrator Gene Luen Yang. When Jin Wang and his parents move from San Francisco's Chinatown to the suburbs, Jin is suddenly in the minority and does not make friends. His struggles as an outcast and his unhappiness with himself are interwoven with two other tales about identity. In one tale, the Monkey King from Chinese folklore strives to become a god. In the other, popular, all-American Danny is humiliated when his foolish Chinese cousin Chin-Kee enrolls in his high school. While Jin would like to shed his cultural roots to fit in, Chin-Kee is an exaggeration of the same Chinese stereotypes that Jin must overcome. While each tale develops separately, they come together at the story's conclusion.
MAIN CHARACTERS :
Jin Wang, Student, Wei-Chen, Student, Danny, Student, Amelia Harris, Student, Chin-Kee, Cousin (of Danny), Monkey King, Mythical Creature
SETTING(S) :
San Francisco, California, North America, Southwest, United States, West
SUBJECT :
Adolescence, Asian Americans, Chinese Americans, Comic strips, Comic books, Identity, Racism, Schools, Self love
TIME PERIOD :
Indeterminate Past AD, 21st century AD
Gale Document Number: GALE|M1300140729
Gale Database: What Do I Read Next?, 2010
SOURCE CITATION : "American Born Chinese." 2010. Books & Authors Gale. Gale Internal User. 2 Sep 2010 <http://books.wiseto.com/bna/start.do?p=BNA&u=gale>
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