Journey to the West is a traditional (and very famous story) about monk traveling to India to retrieve Buddhist scriptures.

I was wondering if the story told as "legend" was what Chinese really believed, because it so closely resembled the Christian belief. I don't have any idea, and don't know anyone I could ask, but I was very struck by the similarities.

I enjoyed the story, but felt it could have gone a lot deeper. I love the graphic novel genre, so don't think it would have been that hard. The illustrations were terrific, I was just left wanting a LOT more.

*sorry I didn't see your thread:S

Though this book could go under the Graphic Novel section, I felt it is a better fit here because the idea of cultural acceptance and the feeling of being "other" is crucial to this story. This is my sales pitch:
Gene Luen Yang blends three stories (that of the famous chinese Monkey god from Journey to the West; the story of Jin Wang, an American boy born of Chinese immigrants; and Chin-Kee, a walking stereotype) into one humorous and thought-provoking story told in graphic novel form that reads like a self-effacing diary. His characters are funny and charming, and the three separate threads combine at the end to make them something greater than the sum of their parts.
American Born Chinese is easily a one-sitting read, though much more time may be spent poring over the illustrations, which capture the moods perfectly.
Despite mild and rare cursing, this book can easily be shared with younger readers.
Yang manages to deal with serious subjects with a light hand, respecting them without getting bogged down in didacticism or the pointing of fingers. His writing is fun, witty and playful, and his book charming.

This is my overall feel:
Excellent.