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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/21274769?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a> rating: 4 of 5 stars<br/>Title: American Born Chinese <br/>Author: Yang Gene Luen <br/>Publisher:First Second Books <br/>Year:2006 <br/># of pages-240 <br/>Genre: Graphic Novel <br/>Interest Level: ages 11 and up <br/>Potential Hot Lava: <br/>stereotypes <br/> <br/>General Response: <br/>I liked this book even though I didn't think I would. It was a fast and easy read and the pictures really enhanced each story. <br/> <br/>Subjects, Themes,and Big Ideas: <br/>finding you own identity, friendship, knowing your roots <br/> <br/>Characters: <br/>Monkey King-king of the fruit mountain <br/>Jin Wang- Chinese American who has just moved <br/>Danny-popular boy is high school tormented by cousin <br/>Chin-Kee-tormenting cousin from China <br/>Wei Chin Sun- Jin's friend <br/> <br/>Summary: <br/>The first tale is about the Monkey King who goes to a celestial dinner party, but is denied entrance because he is a monkey and does not wear shoes. <br/> <br/>The second story then begins with a Chinese American boy, Jin Wang, who has moved to a new home. An old woman tells him he can be anything he wants, if he is willing to forfeit his soul. Jin told her he wanted to be a Transformer. When he goes to school, the teacher mispronounces his name, boys pick on him, and rumors arise that he is betrothed to a Japanese girl named Suzy Nakamura. Two months later, a new student from Taiwan arrives, named Wei Chen Sun. At first Jin wants to beat him up, but later the two become friends, bonding over Wei Chen's Transformer toy. <br/> <br/>The third story is about a white boy named Danny, and his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee. Danny is having a study date with a friend, Melanie. When he is about to ask her out, his parents announce that his cousin, Chin-Kee, has come for his annual visit. Chin-Kee insults Melanie, and causes her to leave in a huff. <br/> <br/>The first tale about the Monkey King then resumes. He has decreed that all his subjects wear shoes, then locks himself in his chamber to learn the twelve disciplines of kung fu, when he is summoned to the underwater kingdom to be executed. He goes around causing havoc, until Tze-Yo-Tzuh, his creator stops him. As a result, the Monkey King flees, carving his name into five pillars of gold at the end of his trip, as well as relieving himself on one of the pillars. Afterwards, he again meets his creator, who shows him his fingers, which were in reality the five pillars of gold. Tze-Yo-Tzuh then buries the Monkey King in a mountain of rubble. (This is a famous Chinese historical tale.) <br/> <br/>The second tale resumes at this point. In the 7th grade, Jin begins to notice a classmate of his, Amelia Harris, and develops a crush on her. Later on, Wei Chen and Suzy start to date. One day, Wei Chen and Amelia get trapped in a supply closet and Jin comes to their rescue, asking Amelia out, who eagerly accepts. <br/> <br/>The third tale resumes. Chin-Kee answers every question the teachers ask, pees in Danny's friend's drink, and even brings a dead cat for lunch. <br/> <br/>Many chapters later, it turns out, Chin-Kee is really the Monkey King. Wei-chen is actually the Monkey King's son, and Danny is really Jin Wang. Later, Jin goes to a bakery in Oakland, CA and meets Wei Chen; the two resolve their differences and become friends once more. <br/> <br/>Strengths- <br/>good graphics <br/>interesting story line <br/>surprize ending <br/>good messages <br/> <br/>Drawbacks- <br/>the end was a little confusing at first, but then when I went back and read it again it all made sense <br/> <br/>Teaching Ideas: <br/> <br/>Have student design a comic book with one of their writings <br/> <br/>Have students choose favorite story and tell why <br/> <br/>Have students write a different ending <br/> <br/>Have students choose one character they relate to the most and explain why <br/><br/><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/873651?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>