American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is the first graphic novel to win the Printz Award - the American Library Association's Young Adult Literature Award.

This look at stereotypes and learning to be who you are meant to be is a powerful and beautiful novel.
Parallelling the stories of a monkey king and Jin Wang, a young Chinese American boy in San Fransisco, Yang examines the ability to love yourself as you are versus the stereotypes thrown at you. Interwoven with these two stories is a third, the story of Danny, an American boy whose Chinese cousin visits each year in the US. Danny is greatly embarrassed by this cousin who resembles all of the stereotypes about Chinese people.

Beautifully illustrated by Lark Pien, American Born Chinese is a must read for everyone. This novel, along with Maus and Fun Home, have led me to the discovery that I actually enjoy graphic novels.

Yang, Gene Luen. (2006). American Born Chinese. New York: First Second.