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Copy/paste the text below into your blog. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/118944.American_Born_Chinese?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="American Born Chinese" border="0" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/photo.goodreads.com/books/1171765431m/118944.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/118944.American_Born_Chinese?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">American Born Chinese</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/68959.Gene_Luen_Yang">Gene Luen Yang</a><br/><br/> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/20795561?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a> English 425 Submitter’s name: Sara Davis <br/>Book Bank Book Bank subject: American Born Chinese <br/> <br/>Reference information: <br/>Title American Born Chinese <br/>Author Gene Luen Yang <br/>Publisher :01 First Second Year 2006 <br/># of pages 232 Genre Graphic Novel <br/>Reading level 6 Interest level <br/>Potential hot lava: mild violence, some language <br/> <br/> <br/>General response/reaction: <br/>I really liked the message this book seemed to convey. I believe it is a great book for a reluctant reader that chooses not to read. I also think it would be a good book for an older student who has difficulty reading. Like I said I did like the message behind the book. However, I think it was extremely hard to follow the three stories going on in the book. Several times I was lost throughout the stories, and had no idea what was going on. I do think it would be a good novel to use in the classroom with adolescents. <br/>Subjects, Themes, and Big Ideas: <br/>Self-worth, acceptance, self-esteem, identity, racism, friendship, culture, family <br/>Characters: <br/>Monkey-King: that wants to really fit in, but at the same time he wanted immortality, he completes all these tasks to become immortal, he loses himself in the process and gets punished by being buried under rocks <br/>Jin Wang- an American boy, he has very few friends, he is very shy, and has a crush on a girl in school, he reluctantly makes friends with a boy from Taiwan <br/>Danny- has changed high school several times, finally finds a place where he is comfortable, makes the basketball team, becomes comfortable with girls also which makes him happy, but when his cousin comes to visit it ruins everything for him <br/>Chin-Kee- Danny’s crazy cousin who comes in for a visit, makes life less than happy for his cousin Danny, but it turns out he wasn’t really just his cousin <br/>Plot summary: <br/>1st story- The monkey king wants badly to be accepted, and wants immortality. He is a master at kung fu, and masters many other areas in order to become immortal. He challenges the Creator, but makes the Creator mad because of his lack of respect. His punishment is to be buried a mountain rocks. <br/> <br/>2nd story- Jin Wang a Chinese American who does not really feel that he fits in anywhere in his school. He is unhappy with himself and has low self esteem. Wishes he could become some else, and ends up getting his wish transforming into someone else. <br/> <br/>3rd story- Danny is an American boy who has transferred school three times. Each transfer because of his cousin Chin-Kee visiting and ruining everything for him. Danny confronts Chin-Kee and Chin-Kee leaves. <br/> <br/>The stories are all a bit confusing right up until the end. When you find out that the Monkey King’s son is actually the boy from Taiwan that wanted to be friends with Jin Wang, but they got into an argument. When they get into an argument the Monkey King’s son decides he wants to be a human by himself and no help from others. Jin changes into Danny and lives his life in a different way. When Danny and Chin-Kee have their confrontation he reveals that he is the Monkey King. The Monkey King tells Danny to accept that he is Jin Wang, and explains everything to him. In the end the Monkey King returns to visit Jin to remind him of who he really is. <br/>Strengths (including reviews and awards): <br/>Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of the Year <br/>School Library Journal Best Book of the Year <br/>Booklist Editors’ Choice Book <br/>San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year <br/>Drawbacks or other cautions: <br/>Reading this graphic novel is difficult to follow <br/>Teaching ideas: <br/>Predictions <br/>Journal writing <br/>Unit on self worth/esteem <br/>Unit on Taiwan <br/> <br/><br/><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/858343?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>