|
| American Born Chinese | 
| Author: Gene Luen Yang
Publisher: First Second
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $13.38
You Save: $6.57 (33%)
New (5) from $13.38
Avg. Customer Rating:  52 reviews
Sales Rank: 46252
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 240
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 6.4 x 1.2
ISBN: 1596433736
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5973
EAN: 9781596433731
ASIN: 1596433736
Publication Date: October 30, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New American book. Shipped within the US in 4-7 days (expedited) or about 10-14 days (standard). Standard can occasionally be slower so we advise using expedited if quicker delivery is important!
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
Indie graphic novelist Gene Yang's intelligent and emotionally challenging American Born Chinese is made up of three individual plotlines: the determined efforts of the Chinese folk hero Monkey King to shed his humble roots and be revered as a god; the struggles faced by Jin Wang, a lonely Asian American middle school student who would do anything to fit in with his white classmates; and the sitcom plight of Danny, an All-American teen so shamed by his Chinese cousin Chin-Kee (a purposefully painful ethnic stereotype) that he is forced to change schools. Each story works well on its own, but Yang engineers a clever convergence of these parallel tales into a powerful climax that destroys the hateful stereotype of Chin-Kee, while leaving both Jin Wang and the Monkey King satisfied and happy to be who they are. Yang skillfully weaves these affecting, often humorous stories together to create a masterful commentary about race, identity, and self-acceptance that has earned him a spot as a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People. 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. There isn't an adolescent alive who won't be able to relate to Jin's wish to be someone other than who he is, and his gradual realization that there is no better feeling than being comfortable in your own skin.--Jennifer Hubert
Product Description
A tour-de-force by rising indy comics star Gene Yang, American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, a personification of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny’s life with his yearly visits. Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable. American Born Chinese is an amazing ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 47 more reviews...
 Prize winning graphic novel October 4, 2008
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is the first graphic novel I've read. I read it for the Book Awards Challenge II. It won the Michael L. Printz Award in 2007 and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. It is the first graphic novel recognized by the National Book Foundation. American Born Chinese starts out by telling three stories. The wonderful illustrations were colored by Lark Pien.
* The first is the story of The Monkey King. He wanted to rule, but he didn't want to be a monkey.
* The second story is about Jin Wang, a young boy who was born in America to parents who immigrated from China. Jin Wang never feels like he fits in with the American students he goes to school with.
* The third story is about Danny, an All-American boy who is embarrassed when his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee comes for his annual visit.
The stories don't tie together until the end of the book. The book is about learning to live with and accept who you are. It was a very quick read. I think this book would really appeal to young males. While this was a fun, fast read, I don't think I'll be picking up another graphic novel anytime soon. I appreciate how much work went into the drawings, but they just weren't enough to justify the price in my mind.
 Moral of the Story: Be a Monkey September 20, 2008
Some people mentioned it is offensive to Christians. Ha, I didn't even catch that because I'm not religious. Some say it's racist. I disagree. The book merely points out some of the things the main character experiences while he is in school which is racism! However, I really expected a lot more from this book. You see the main character suffering from racism, low self-esteem given the racism, and some other things, but those cannot be the only problems an American Born Chinese would face. How about home relationships with parents and relatives? So much emphasis is on his school life, there is nothing about home and relatives. The main message is just be yourself which is nice, but does that really require over 200 pages to say this? This is a quick read given it's a graphic novel and the pages are very small, not your average 8-1/2 x 11. I finished this in like an hour. The artwork is really simple, clean-cut drawings. Nothing spectacular and very mediocre. Writing, well there is not that much writing. So given lack of story, lack of good writing, lack of quality artwork, I really can't recommend this book.
 Sheer brilliance...don't let the graphic novel format deter you! August 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
When I first heard mention of this book, I had no idea what it was. I was just intrigued by the title, being an American Born Chinese myself. It was already checked out at the library, so I was on the wait list. When my turn came up at the Library to borrow this book, I saw it was in a graphic novel style, and wasn't quite sure what to make of it (it's not a genre I would typically chose to read).
This book is sheer brilliance. There are three different stories that seem to be completely separate, but are woven together masterfully at the end. Also, you do not need to be Chinese, Asian or any distinct ethnicity to read and appreciate this book (though it may hit closer to home for some of us who actually grew up as American Born Chinese to Immigrant Parents). Ultimate, the moral of the story is timeless and applies to everyone, and that is to accept who you are, THE WAY YOU WERE CREATED. Ultimately, you will be happier being yourself than trying to be someone else. It's an oft-repeated theme in many forms, but the way it was brought together in this book was poignant and ultimately uplifting, but not overbearing or sledgehammer-like as done in some stories.
Also, this is classified as a young-adult literature. Of course young adults will appreciate this, but it's not exclusively for young adults, though the main characters in two of the story threads are High School age, so the young adult readers should relate well to the teenage angst pictured by the characters. This book is appropriate for all ages, and it's a quick read. I enjoyed it enough that I plan to purchase this book for my personal collection, and make sure my children have a chance to read it when they're older!
Gene Luen Yang's book shows multiple strokes of brilliance! This book is well deserving to be a recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature from The American Library Association as well as a National Book Award Finalist.
Even if you're not normally a reader of graphic novels, Ethnic-centered stories or even young adult literature, I recommend American Born Chinese! It was a great read with a universal message appropriate for all.
Quality graphic novel that is keeps you reading! August 5, 2008
I am a reading tutor and had to read this book for a multicultural literature class. What a treat! Not only does this book offer multiple story lines that come together for great classroom discussions, but the illustrations are beautiful. Parents should read this too!
Oh. My. Gosh. June 24, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Here's how this book came to be in my hands: I attended teacher training, was given a list of 50 "great" young adult titles, and decided that my reluctant readers would be attracted to the graphic novel format. I gurgled a bit when I saw the retail price, but decided that between the Amazon discount and the fact that this book could very well get my kids reading, I made the decision to choke up the change.
I am so glad I did.
The book came in the mail today, and I pulled it out and tossed it at my mom while telling her she had to read it. She complied readily, out of curiosity I think. I wondered at her when I heard occasional chuckles, but I knew I was on to something special when, teary-eyed, she put the book down and sat musing for some time.
I snatched it up from her and let my toddler run amok as I held my two-month-old in my arms and devoured the book over the next 45 minutes. It was worth the ensuing chaos by aforementioned toddler! Three seemingly unrelated story lines are artfully told and then bound together with wisdom, humor and skill. The difficult topics of racism, growing up, identity, power, and belonging are addressed with the greatest sensitivity and impact. The story gets deeper and larger, yet it narrows to a precision point at the end that leaves the reader quite a bit of meat to chew on afterward. The characters are wonderfully portrayed, and the art is truly communicative and inspiring.
I realized as my mom was reclaiming the book that I couldn't take this copy up to school--I would have to purchase a second copy so I could keep this one. I can guarantee that this book will get stolen off my shelves before next May, and it will be worth it. If one of my students truly 'gets' it, I'll buy a copy every year for the express purpose of having it taken.
It's that good.
|
|
|
Wildlife, nature and the Environment
Sponsored Links
Learn how to get your own Amazon Book shop | |
