Module 8--Graphic Novels and Censorship Issues

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is a graphic novel with three tales that are interwoven. The first tale is a of the Monkey King which comes from a familiar Chinese fable. The second tale is of Jin, a Taiwanese born émigré. The third tale is of Danny and unexpected origin. All three are uncomfortable with who they are. The mixings of their stories provide a good life lesson.

I am not one to read graphic novels, but after getting over the influx of visual information, I began to appreciate the genre more. This cultural story provides a look at stereotypes that can open up a discussion between students. The illustrations and colors of the book make the story come alive.

Review: As alienated kids go, Jin Wang is fairly run-of-the-mill: he eats lunch by himself in a corner of the schoolyard, gets picked on by bullies and jocks and develops a sweat-inducing crush on a pretty classmate. And, oh, yes, his parents are from Taiwan. This much-anticipated, affecting story about growing up different is more than just the story of a Chinese-American childhood; it's a fable for every kid born into a body and a life they wished they could escape. The fable is filtered through some very specific cultural icons: the much-beloved Monkey King, a figure familiar to Chinese kids the world over, and a buck-toothed amalgamation of racist stereotypes named Chin-Kee. Jin's hopes and humiliations might be mirrored in Chin-Kee's destructive glee or the Monkey King's struggle to come to terms with himself, but each character's expressions and actions are always perfectly familiar. True to its origin as a Web comic, this story's clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive. Even when Yang slips in an occasional Chinese ideogram or myth, the sentiments he's depicting need no translation. 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. (Sept.) --Staff (Reviewed June 12, 2006) (Publishers Weekly, vol 253, issue 24, p36)

American Born Chinese can be used in a variety of ways. Research on Chinese cultural and immigration to the United States, Chinese fables, and even anime’ could be done in the library and enhanced by this book. Character education could also be taught with this book. Getting comfortable with who you are is one typical topic for teens. Because of some of the language and stereotypical themes, I would use this book with middle school and higher.