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American Born Chinese

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 19,389 ratings · 2,795 reviews

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 per...more

Paperback, 233 pages

Published September 5th 2006 by First Second

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Nov 26, 2010 karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: and-so-this-is-grad-school, dbr

this book is the perfect antidote to the "graphic novels aren't real books" crowd's poison. it takes full advantage of the medium (lgm with the local boy scout troops), and just runs with it. this story could not have been told as well or as broadly using a more traditional narrative structure. and at the end, there is a perfect collapse - the three storylines streamline so perfectly into one message about cultural acclimatization and race-shame. and why it is bad. but not in a preachy way. it i...more

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Apr 14, 2008 Jessica Abarquez rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: misc

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Reference information:
Title: American Born Chinese
Author: Gene Luen Yang
Publisher: First Second Year: 2006
# of pages: 233 Genre: Graphic Novel
Reading level: 6th grade Interest level: 15 yrs old
Potential hot lava: some racist language, some violence

General response/reaction:
I was surprised at how quickly I finished this graphic novel. This book was so easy to read (probably because it was a graphic novel). When I read the inside flap for the plot of the book, I was surprised to read that there w...more

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Feb 23, 2008 Terry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cdcs-young-adult

This took all of about an hour to read and was totally worth it. Three stories of quiet power unfurl--the Monkey King, who undertakes a quest for dominance after a slight by the gods; Jin Wang, the title character and one of a handful of Asian students at his elementary school, trying to maneuver through bullies, love, and American culture; and Danny, a white teenager, and his Chinese cousin, Chin-kee, the embodiment of the racist Chinese stereotype. All three stories intersect in the climax, wi...more

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Dec 08, 2007 Dolly Ou rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Gene Luen Yang does a good job telling his story about his life (or not his own maybe) as a Chinese American. I was very excited to read this book becasue first it was a graphic novel and second his story sort of connects with me since I am a Chinese American myself.
Yang chooses an interesting title, "American Born Chinese". Its not one of those clever, thought provoking titles, but it is a rare one that you don't come across often. I sort of anticipated on what this story will be about, but w...more Gene Luen Yang does a good job telling his story about his life (or not his own maybe) as a Chinese American. I was very excited to read this book becasue first it was a graphic novel and second his story sort of connects with me since I am a Chinese American myself.
Yang chooses an interesting title, "American Born Chinese". Its not one of those clever, thought provoking titles, but it is a rare one that you don't come across often. I sort of anticipated on what this story will be about, but what I didn't expect was the form of the story. Basically there are three story lines: a story about an American Born Chinese who moves to a new area and goes to a school as the only asian kid, a popular chinese myth called "Monkey King", and a story about a chinese kid who has all these negative chinese stereotypes and ruins Danny's life. There is no chronological order to these stories. Yang goes back and forth with all three stories, but in the end eveything ties together.
One thing that I really like about this book is that everything is in color, unlike the other graphic novels that are black and white. The color adds more life into the stories which constantly reminds me that I am reading a biography (or autobiography). The writing is easy to understand but the main point of the book is the meaning it is trying to convey. It is always hard to live in two cultures at the same time, something like living two lives. In this book Yang mainly focused on the struggles of being a Chinese American, but I believe all minority groups experience the same thing. People who refuse to accept others and differences always make it harder for immigrants and maybe this book can change some minds.
I especially like this book because I went through the same stuggles Yang did. Identity checks, negative chinese stereotypes, isolation, things like that I felt before for being in the skin I am in, but that tells me more about the world and gets me into the real world faster. I appreciate that finally there is a chinese voice out there that feels and thinks like me. We need more of these kind of books to share the pain and tell others they're not alone, especially in the chinese community.
This book has won the Michael L. Printz Award and is a national book award finalist. (less)

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Nov 21, 2007 Seth Hahne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

It's funny that the most notable thing I can tell you about this book is that it's in colour.

That might not strike you as odd, but really, for the type of story Yang tells, the comics industry has almost universally awarded such stories a black and white printing. If not autobiographical, American Born Chinese is the kind of story that might very well be.

Examining the difficulty with which a child born in one country from parents of another country, the author explores the kind of dissatisfactio...more

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Jan 24, 2009 Kandace rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: asian-american

Three interweaved stories culminate into a surprising and thought provoking climax in Gene Luen Yang’s “American Born Chinese.” This colorful graphic novel blends the tales of a Monkey King (an old Chinese fable), Jin Wang (a young Chinese American boy fighting a negative stereotype) and Chin-Kee (the literal stereotype Jin is trying to admonish). Yang cleverly explores the socially sensitive issues of self acceptance through their tales. The alternating accounts of transformation are animated i...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Kevin Xu rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book mixes three different stories to combine as one overall book about how it is like being the An Chinese American boy. All story are mixed together so all one sees is the bites and parts until the end. The first story is the famous Chinese Fable, Journey to the West, but just with the Monkey King trying to teach morals. Then the second story, where the main character Jin Wang is introduced at age 9 as his family moves. It details his life from childhood until the end of middle school wit...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Lyn (The Heartless) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, graphic-novels, teen-lit, printz-gold

Let's start this review with a confession: Everything I know about the Monkey King comes from watching DragonBall Z (one of the only three animes that I actually enjoy).

American Born Chinese uses the maturing field of graphic novels to address friendship, racism, and self awareness. Three disconnected stories highlight three completely separate elements of the Chinese culture: Mythology, the present and the stereotypical view.
The Monkey King, or Journey into the West is a critical story in the...more

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Oct 27, 2011 The Flooze rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned, graphic_novel, lit-fiction, fantasy, vanquished_2011, ya_teen

The last book I read ended with the fierce hope that all of us might break free of the prisons of our own making, allowing us to embrace the beauty of the world with open hearts and minds. Interestingly, American Born Chinese expresses a very similar theme - though it does make the message more personal.

Consisting of three distinct stories, Yang’s graphic novel focuses most strongly on the acceptance of self. The main characters of these tales have identity issues galore. Jin, Danny, and the Mo...more The last book I read ended with the fierce hope that all of us might break free of the prisons of our own making, allowing us to embrace the beauty of the world with open hearts and minds. Interestingly, American Born Chinese expresses a very similar theme - though it does make the message more personal.

Consisting of three distinct stories, Yang’s graphic novel focuses most strongly on the acceptance of self. The main characters of these tales have identity issues galore. Jin, Danny, and the Monkey King yearn to transform themselves into what they perceive as a more revered state. For Jin and Danny that means disassociating from their heritage, rejecting and resenting anything that singles them out as “Other.” The Monkey King also wishes to detach himself from his true form, longing instead to be an immortal deity who’s allowed to play in the realms of the higher powers. In each case, the character’s dissatisfaction with his lot causes him to behave in cruel and selfish ways.

Yang’s stories and characters will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt out-of-place and out-of-synch with his surroundings - children of immigrants especially. Reconciling cultural traditions with American mores presents a challenge, one often found too daunting. In an effort to blend in with the crowd, they often reject vast portions of their essential selves. Jin, Danny, and the Monkey King clearly fall into this category.

As you can imagine, all this inner turmoil doesn’t bear positive results. Yang’s characters have far to fall and hard lessons to learn before they can find their way towards self-acceptance. But they do find it. A final twist reveals the interconnectedness of all things, with the implication that we are who we’re intended to be and it’s damaging to ignore that.

There are many humorous moments in American Born Chinese: I chuckled aloud at some of the teenage antics, and the Monkey King’s hubris results in ludicrous decrees and unbalanced behaviour. On the whole though it’s a rather serious story and I think that’s a good thing. It brings up issues of culture, race, and stereotyping in a forthright manner, hopefully designed to encourage children to consider and discuss their own experiences. Jin and his friends contend with heaps of ignorance (even from teachers), while the Monkey King is laughed at by his would-be peers. Danny, though a bit of a golden boy himself, has a cousin who embodies every bad Chinese stereotype - right down to having a lovely lunch of fried cat gizzards. The latter is horrific in its hyperbole, but Yang does nothing without a specific purpose. I might suggest that parents read this before their child does, if only to prepare for the dialogue American Born Chinese should inspire.

(There are also several references to a God of All Things - an omnipotent, omnipresent creator whose teachings can be summed up as Be True to Yourself and Others. Filtered through the lessons of my RC upbringing, he seemed a bit Christian in tone. However, his message is one expressed across all faiths so I don’t think this will present a conflict for other philosophies(view spoiler).)

Yang’s work is entertaining and engaging, offering thought-provoking slices of life. It’s a good example to offer those who haven’t yet bought into the notion that graphic novels can be so much more than pictures on a page. If told through another medium, American Born Chinese might not have the same impact. The story might also serve as a launching point for more reluctant readers, since it echoes the sentiments of many books on children’s required-reading lists.

I can see why American Born Chinese won a host of awards the year of its release; it’s certainly deserving of notice, and I plan to check out Yang’s other works sooner rather than later.
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Oct 16, 2008 Chad rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Chad by: Kerri Harris

Shelves: for-the-children, graphic-novels

I think, to my middle school English teaching colleagues, I portray myself as hating anything that is written primarily for adolescents rather than for adults. In practice, this is basically true. Most of what I've read with the "Young Adult" label is adequately written but thematically obvious, and kids who get excited about such works are the kinds who are then able to brag that they read a great book, but without having to do any of the heavy intellectual lifting that is required from reading...more I think, to my middle school English teaching colleagues, I portray myself as hating anything that is written primarily for adolescents rather than for adults. In practice, this is basically true. Most of what I've read with the "Young Adult" label is adequately written but thematically obvious, and kids who get excited about such works are the kinds who are then able to brag that they read a great book, but without having to do any of the heavy intellectual lifting that is required from reading a REAL book. And I don't mean to imply that teens and pre-teens should only read really difficult stuff [I personally enjoyed "Great Expectations" the first time I was asked to read it back in the SIXTH GRADE (!!), but even I think that's a bit much for the average middle schooler], but I do think books should challenge students to some degree. Not just toy with their world views ("Wow, I never knew that about the holocaust/civil war/that other culture!"), but actually make them do some of the work to find the meaning in the text.

So again, in practice, my hatred for "Young Adult" literature is very tangible. But in principal, I love stumbling upon works that are geared toward adolescents without being cookie-cutter coming-of-age tales or melodramatic glimpses into the lives of token representatives from other cultures.

Which brings me to Gene Yang's graphic novel, "American Born Chinese", which does a really good job of balancing on the fine line between challenging and accesible.

A colleague of mine dropped this off in my room recently (probably in response to my giving her a copy of "Good-Bye, Chunky Rice"), and in a few sittings, I was able to read its quick 233 pages. It begins as three seemingly disparate stories whose only connections seem to be their roots in Chinese culture. The first thread follows the legend of The Monkey King; the second follows Jin, a Chinese-American boy trying to assimilate into an American school; the third follows an American boy, Danny, who is visited by his laughingly offensive Chinese-stereotype cousin, Chin-kee.

The three stories eventually tie together in a satisfying way, and the astute young reader can draw from them some interesting lessons not only about the life of a Chinese-American boy in American society, but also about what it means to accept and deny your own personal heritage.

It is very simple and straight-forward, but not obvious, and this makes for a fun and engaging read. Combined with Gene Yang's clean and cartoony illustrations, I can say that this is definitely worth the time of a 'young adult' looking for a quick yet stimulating read.(less)

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May 13, 2013 Hailee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

Hailee Christman
Yang, G. L., & Pien, L. (2006). American born Chinese. New York: First Second.
Multicultural/Graphic Novel
Selection Process: Reviewed in Booklist, September 1, 2006, retrieved from Booklistonline.com
Awards: Printz Honor, 2007

Vivid and bright colors make up for the truncated graphics on the page spreads of this wonderful addition to young adult graphic novels. American Born Chinese tells the three stories, interspersed with each other and each demarcated with an icon of the mai...more

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Nov 29, 2008 Mahrya rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Ages 10-14

Shelves: juvenilia

Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese, First Second, 233 pages. Graphic Novel.

Description: This book tells three concurrent stories. In one, the Monkey King is punished for acting as though he is better than the gods and mortals around him. In the other two stories, Chinese American boys try to adjust to live in a mostly white high school.

Review: American Born Chinese, does a wonderful job of exploring the depths of what people can lose when they try too hard to assimilate. When Jin Wang is r...more

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Mar 14, 2009 Karrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: award-winning-books, coming-of-age, middle-school-books, humorous, reluctant-readers, young-adult-high-school

Veronica and Archie is about as graphic as I used to get when I was a kid. I just wasn't into comics, and the graphic novel genre has fallen into the comic category for me. One of the biggest problems I have with cartoons and graphic novels is that the text is not linear and my eyes don't know where to go next. Do you read the bubble at the top and then the one connected to it at the bottom, or do you read the supposed reply and then go back to the bottom of the bubble? Some pages have lots of...more Veronica and Archie is about as graphic as I used to get when I was a kid. I just wasn't into comics, and the graphic novel genre has fallen into the comic category for me. One of the biggest problems I have with cartoons and graphic novels is that the text is not linear and my eyes don't know where to go next. Do you read the bubble at the top and then the one connected to it at the bottom, or do you read the supposed reply and then go back to the bottom of the bubble? Some pages have lots of different places the eye can go, and this really overwhelms me.
When I got my hands on American Born Chinese, it was with trepidation and....okay, I admit it -- fear -- that I was going to have to read this and be able make sense of it. The first chapter did absolutely nothing to squash my dislike for graphic novels. The Monkey King was creepy and too weird for me, and the story didn't make sense to me. It took me only a couple of pages, however, to figure out that all the small boxes were in a big box and everything read from right to left and then up and down. By the time I finished the first chapter about the freaky little Monkey King, I was, surprisingly, into the rhythm of the book.
For me, the real story was the one about Jin Wang and all his frailties. I was immediately taken with Jin as a little boy, and he continued to endear himself to me as the book went on. His attempts at friendship with various kids who were less than decent made me feel as if I was back in grade school, trying desperately to find my way through the maze of social traps. When Jin finally meets Wei-Chen Sun and he dishes out meanness as it had been dished to him, I realized I was totally invested in the story because I quietly moaned, "Oh no....." to myself.
As Jin turns into Danny, and he makes attempts at being white and assimilate into American culture, he is visited by a cousin who reminds him every minute of every day where he comes from. Danny's cousin proves to be more than embarrassing but also reveals his true self and Danny scrambles to keep up with the lesson of being true to oneself.
This coming-of-age story is fun to read -- and, yes, easy to read. The characters are developed extremely well, and the reader is able to feel the gamut of emotions that accompany adolescence, no matter how far away it is from us. The facial expressions on all the characters -- including the Monkey King -- convey so much about how they feel, that the reader can't help but get caught up. As I read American Born Chinese and got into the story, I laughed out loud in numerous places in the book, and found it to be hilariously funny at certain points (foaming soap).
This was my first graphic novel, and I loved it. I was able to figure out the text, and even noticed things that I'm sure seasoned graphic novel readers just instinctively know, like the parenthesis around the text when the characters are talking -- I think -- in their native language. I also noticed that the bubble around the dialogue is staggered like this _ _ _ _, and I think it indicates a whisper. At least that's what I think those marks mean. I have a feeling there's a whole new language for me to figure out.
American Born Chinese won the Michael L. Prinz Award in 2007. The Prinz Award is based on literary merit, which is very interesting since literary to me means the writing, text and words. Given that American Born Chinese is primarily pictures supported by the text. The text is wonderful and flows, but it wouldn't stand alone with the pictures, so I find it curious that this book won an award based solely on the merits of its literary value. Nonetheless, I am grateful to Gene Luen Yang for making this an easy book to read because he has given me the nerve to pick up Rapunzel's Revenge and take a bash at that!(less)

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Aug 05, 2010 Sunny Stone rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: summer-reading

Love this book!!! Great drawing and great designed plot. I enjoyed Yang's adaptation of the "pilgrimage to the west," and think he's wise to connect three seem-like irelevant stories with each other, which was a great suprise to see in the end.
I took an Asian American study class last summer,from which I realized it's never been easy for an Asian American to grow up in the United States. He or she may more or less subject to confusion by their looks. However, I learned it as an absolute bysta...more

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Feb 20, 2010 Ch_jank-caporale rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-c-literature

I confess, I am not a big reader of graphic novels. I am a fan, though, and have used them for many, many years in my classroom. I recognize their importance, especially to otherwise reluctant readers, but I'm old-school when it comes to craving words to generate pictures in my mind while I'm reading.
That said, American Born Chinese was easy to read and I liked the merging of traditional Chinese folk tale with contemporary story-line. After all, the morals of traditional folktales relate to how...more I confess, I am not a big reader of graphic novels. I am a fan, though, and have used them for many, many years in my classroom. I recognize their importance, especially to otherwise reluctant readers, but I'm old-school when it comes to craving words to generate pictures in my mind while I'm reading.
That said, American Born Chinese was easy to read and I liked the merging of traditional Chinese folk tale with contemporary story-line. After all, the morals of traditional folktales relate to how humans should behave regardless of the specific culture they derive from. In this book, a monkey king wants to be a deity. He trains himself in all the disciplines of his culture but wants to forget that he is a monkey. Jin Wang, an American-born Chinese, wants to be Danny, a blond haired, Caucasian who is an athlete and attractive to white girls. He is embarrassed by his Taiwanese best friend who dates a Japanese girl from their class, and his cousin, Chin-Kee, who epitomizes all the negative Chinese stereotypes. While Jin suffers from the isolation of being different and teasing from ignorant white classmates- "I chink it's getting nippy out here...I'm getting gook bumps" -the worst hurt is caused from his own self-hatred and the pain he causes his friends by rejecting their ethnic identities.
If, like me, you prefer more traditional literature and want to explore a similar topic, I should mention another book I've used with high school students. It's called "Donald Duk" and is written by Frank Chin. Donald Duk is a twelve-year-old from a well-to-do Chinese family. He is suffering from an identity crisis and is ashamed of his Chinese ancestry, his father’s occupation as a restaurant owner, and his name, resembling that of a cartoon character. His father, King Duk, treats him affectionately and humorously, recognizing his desire to give up everything Chinese to be fully American. His father even jokes that he must have taken a little white boy home from the hospital. It is poignant, very humorous, and provides a fun read.
I think the message is important, specifically for us in how it relates to multi-cultural literature. When students feel like outsiders, when their value is not recognized by their peers, and when they have no role models to identify with, we shouldn't be surprised that they experience hostility- either towards themselves or toward others. Shamefully, it is often directed at those least responsible for causing the isolation to begin with- the members of the mainstream, the people with the power to accept them.(less)

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Jan 25, 2012 L12_LaurieLaning rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: multicultural, mc-literature

This book was none like I've ever read before. As each page was turned, I didn't know if I'd be laughing or offended. Very edgy! The main themes included sexual overtones, gender bias, prejudice and violence. Could I recommend it? It was a quick read, but reader beware of these very strong themes. The Monkey King, Jin Wang and Danny come together at the end where the reader realizes that Yang has shown the same theme through these three characters. This text if selectively chosen for my age rang...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Jason added it

Shelves: read-2011

What is most striking about this book is how it is unafraid to point the finger of blame at its protagonist. Within this book, the main character is attacked by flat-out racists, is patronized by well-meaning teachers who further encourage these stereotypes and has to deal with a number of problems with his heritage. What is most striking however, is that his downfall has nothing to do with race, except that he is consumed with this question.

This is what elevates this short graphic novel so well...more

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Jun 11, 2008 Lilian rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Synopsis: Three interrelated stories form the structure of this graphic novel. In the first, Jin Wang, a Chinese-American boy, struggles with issues of identity, popularity, conformity, friendship, and infatuation. He struggles with the problem of trying to impress a girl and to be accepted by his white classmates while also maintaining a friendship with his Chinese immigrant friend, Wei-Chen. The second story is adapted from Journey to the West, though modified from its Buddhist origin to fit m...more Synopsis: Three interrelated stories form the structure of this graphic novel. In the first, Jin Wang, a Chinese-American boy, struggles with issues of identity, popularity, conformity, friendship, and infatuation. He struggles with the problem of trying to impress a girl and to be accepted by his white classmates while also maintaining a friendship with his Chinese immigrant friend, Wei-Chen. The second story is adapted from Journey to the West, though modified from its Buddhist origin to fit more closely with Yang’s Christian worldview. In it, the mythical Monkey King, Sun Wukong, attempts to set himself above the various denizens of Heaven and must serve a humble monk to find his true place in the world. Finally, in the third story, Danny, a popular white high school student finds his reputation utterly destroyed by the arrival of his mysterious cousin, Chin-Kee, who somehow embodies every negative stereotype of Chinese people. Many secret identities are revealed in the book’s sudden climax: “Danny” is really Jin, who has denied his heritage to the point of seeing himself as someone else; Wei-Chen, whom Jin alienated in middle school, is actually the son of the Monkey King, sent to learn about humanity; and Chin-Kee is the Monkey King himself, who has come to confront Jin with his own fears. By the end, Jin has come to accept himself in some way, made amends with Wei-Chen, and banished Chin-Kee for good.

Reaction: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I completely related to the stories, all of them. When I was younger I was like Jin in a lot of ways. I was pretty much the only Chinese person in my classes, and have never lived around a Chinese community. I never felt like I didn’t belong with my friends, but I do remember being ashamed when my parents would talk to me in front of them. I also remember being angry a lot because my parents would not let me do things my friends could do, like having sleepovers. I am also a big fan of Journey to the West and really enjoyed Gene Yang’s version of the characters. I remember watching the TVB (Hong Kong TV) Journey to the West series with my grandmother. She would sit and tell me all the stories that she knew about the Monkey King. Recently I found out that the TVB Company released Journey to the West on DVDs; I bought them and to this day I still watch them. The only thing I disliked about the comic was Chin-Kee’s character. He embodies everything I hate about kids. I never understood why kids were so mean to one another. Were they so insecure with themselves that they had to make fun of others to make themselves feel better? I don’t know but I have heard every single one of the jokes that were in the novel. I thought it was kind of sad that Jin was so insecure with himself that he had to imagine himself as a white person. I have never been that insecure about my heritage. I know, and I’ll admit, that I have been ashamed of my heritage growing up; I am also sure I have, at one point or another, wished I were white. Today, I can honestly say I am happy to be who I am; good thing it didn’t take five hundred years for me to figure out.
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Apr 14, 2008 Jennifer Carafa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The three characters described above are all apart of different stories, but in the end they all become related.
The story of Jin Wang is about a Chinese American kid trying to fit into the popular culture of America. He has a crush of a girl and we see him becoming brave enough to talk to her. Jin Wang begins to wish he was someone else and his wish come true…
The story of The Monkey King is about a King who was beloved by all of his subject. He was very happy and felt very content until he wen...more

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Apr 25, 2008 Katy McCracken rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: misc

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Reference information:
Title American Born Chinese
Author Gene Luen Yang
Publisher First Second
Year 2006
# of pages 233
Genre Fiction, Graphic Novel
Reading level 13 and up
Interest level 13 and up
Potential hot lava: Suggested sex fantasy, bathroom humor, one character gets stabbed by a spear (a little blood), negative stereotypes, cartoon-ish Kung-Fu violence, racial comments, teen smoking, mild cussing.

General response/reaction: I was excited about having a graphic novel to read for a required t...more

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Dec 19, 2007 Leanna rated it 3 of 5 stars

I’ve been hearing about Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel American Born Chinese for months. The book won the Printz Award, was a National Book Award finalist, and was chosen the best book of the year by Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, etcetera, etcetera. This book has amazing credentials.

Considering all the buzz, all the acclaim, my expectations were so high that perhaps I could not help but be disappointed. The book is good, but is really great?

This is only the...more

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Dec 15, 2007 Vincent rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel

I am always hesitant to pick up books that even hint at talking about the "Asian American experience." They are pretty much cookie cutter without any innovation. Take one self-deprecating Asian male (always male) + one female (race not required) + one Caucasian male (of any ethnicity) and mix.

Happily, American Born Chinese does not vilify anyone. Instead it cleverly and humorously introduces several real world Asian life styles (that of an American Born Chinese male, a new immigrant Chinese mal...more

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Oct 30, 2007 Renee Alberts rated it 4 of 5 stars

A graphic novel that’s earning awards and critical acclaim visits the theme of self-acceptance through three stories that intertwine in a surprising twist. Irresistible clean line drawings with vivid colors tell the tales of the Monkey King of Chinese fable, Jin Wang, a Chinese-American student in a new school, and Chin-Kee, the archetype of Chinese stereotypes whose antics embarrass his cousin Danny.

Typical adolescent trials compose the plot; friendship, teasing, self-consciousness, and infatu...more

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Jul 07, 2007 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read_summer_07, buymebuymebuyme

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is definitely a worth-while read.

The story line is really eye-opening to the issues of current-day assimilation, which are told through the eyes of the narrator Jing Jang. Carefully interwoven into Jing Jang's story are two other stories/fables that connect with Jing Jang's near the end of the novel.

The themes of race, culture, stereotyping, family, identity, and, in a sense, history are at the forefront and intelligently dealt with in a funny and, at the...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Ramsey Rodriguez rated it 5 of 5 stars

I liked the book.It was a really good book that makes you pay attention to the context clues. Then there was alot of suspense as well. I would probably recommend this book to a friend. Overall i liked the book because it was funny,suspenseful,weird,and alot of other stuff. I really liked that the book was a graphic novel. If it wasn't a graphic novel it would probably be really hard to understand because they hide a lot of context clues in the pictures.i would give this book five stars

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Oct 26, 2007 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Three separate stories that come together, surprisingly, near the end make up this graphic novel that vivifies the internal struggle to accept one's self, when one's schoolmates, family, and kingdom marginalize difference.

American Born Chinese, in its theme and in its too hopeful ending, puts me in mind of Lucy Grealy's Autobiography of a Face, even though Grealy's book is a memoir and this one is not. I could see teaching these two together.

As an artist, Gene Luen Yang keeps his pictures in ser...more

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May 26, 2007 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: New converts to graphic novels

Shelves: asian, award-winners, coming-of-age, graphic-novels, outsiders, page-turners, race-in-america, ya-fic

I know this is shallow, but one of the things I like about graphic novels is that they're such fast reads. It was extremely satisfying to complete Yang's funny, engaging, and wise tale in under an hour - which included lingering over the simple, colorful artwork.

Yang weaves together three distinct stories that generate deft insights into racial identity, adolescent anguish, and the folly of hubris. Although I found each storyline interesting, my favorite was the legend of the Monkey King, whose...more

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Jul 15, 2007 Patricia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: guys-reads, graphic-novels

I think I read this book in a record 1.25 hours. That probably has something to do with it being a graphic novel. But this is more than your run of the mill GN--- it gives readers an inside look at what it's like to grow up Chinese in the US. The main character, Jin, has to grapple with being Chinese and his struggles at school. The contemporary story mixed with the story about the monkey king is affecting. Author Gene Luen Yang infuses a delicate touch of humor into the plot and in our over-PC...more

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Aug 07, 2007 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphicnovels

A pretty decent graphic novel, geared more toward the young adult crowd. Apparently it's won a few awards, but my copy is a first edition so it doesn't list them, and I can't remember them off the top of my head.

My biggest complaint was that it seemed a little bit shallow. The theme, of course, is accepting yourself and your heritage, and it runs through all 3 of the stories and ties together nicely, but I just didn't feel like I got enough of their struggle with their heritage. Yes, some of th...more

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Jan 21, 2010 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: printz-award, ya, graphic-novels, own, multicultural, highly-recommended

What can I say about American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang which has not already been said? I suppose if you haven't read this Printz-winning graphic novel, I could try and sum it up for you. Basically there are three stories which interweave. There's Jin Wang who is the new kid at a school where he's the only Chinese-American student. There's the story of the Monkey King. And then there is the story of Danny, a high school kid who is plagued by his cousin Chin-Kee. Eventually the stories inte...more

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About Gene Luen Yang

Gene Yang began drawing comic books in the fifth grade. In 1997, he received the Xeric Grant, a prestigious comics industry grant, for Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks, his first comics work as an adult. He has since written and drawn a number of titles, including Duncan's Kingdom (with art by Derek Kirk Kim) and The Rosary Comic Book. American Born Chinese received National Book Award.

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Quotes from American Born Chinese

“It's easy to become anything you wish . . . so long as you're willing to forfeit your soul.” — 24 people liked it

“Wait."
"So what am I supposed to do now?"

"You know, Jin, I would have saved myself from five hundred years' imprisonment beneath a mountain of rock had I only realized how good it is to be a monkey."

(222-223)” — 9 people liked it

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