Fake Chinese Sounds

by Jing Jing Tsong

A middle-grade graphic novel about a Taiwanese American girl navigating identity, bullying, and the messy process of learning to be comfortable in her skin.

Between homework, studying, and Chinese school, Měi Yīng’s summer is shaping up to be a boring one. Her only bright spots are practice with her soccer team, the Divas, and the time spent with her năi nai, who is visiting from Taiwan. Although Měi Yīng’s Mandarin isn’t the best and Năi Nai doesn’t speak English, they find other ways to connect, like cooking guōtiē together and doing tai chi in the mornings.

By the end of the summer, Měi Yīng is sad to see Năi Nai go—she’s the com­plete opposite of Měi Yīng serious professor mother—but excited to start fifth grade. Until new kid Sid starts making her the butt of racist jokes. Her best friend, Kirra, says to ignore him, but does everyone else’s silence about the harassment mean they’re also ignoring Sid . . . or her? As Sid’s bullying fuels Měi Yīng's feelings of invisibility, she must learn to reclaim her identity and her voice.

Perfect for fans of American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor, Measur­ing Up by Lily LaMotte, and The New Kid by Jerry Craft.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Comics, Family, Childrens

208 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 2024

About the author

Jing Jing Tsong is a mom, musician, and surfer whose grown-up job is drawing pictures. Her technique, which layers color and texture, is influenced by her experiences working in traditional stone lithography and monoprints. Her debut picture book, A Bucket of Blessings, written by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal, was a New York Times bestseller.Jing Jing's graphic novel for middle-grade readers, Fake Chinese Sounds arrives on bookshelves in April of 2024.

Jing Jing and her husband Mike Austin (also a designer turned illustrator) live on an island in Washington state. Visit her at JingJingTsong.com.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fake Chinese Sounds has been on my radar since it's release; however, it took me a little while to be able to get to it. I didn't read the synopsis, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but Jing Jing Song did a wonderful job capturing the experiences of a young Taiwanese American girl.

What Worked: The storytelling was phenomenal. Not only are readers exposed to the experiences of Měi Yīng as she begins fifth grade, but they are also exposed to the development of a beautiful relationship between Měi Yīng and her Năi Nai. When I began reading the book and realized that their interactions were only going to encompass a fraction of the story, I was worried about how it would fit into the context of the rest of the story; however, Tsong did a wonderful job tying in what Měi Yīng learns from her Năi Nai into the relationship dynamics that are displayed between the classmates. Měi Yīng is also a force to be reckoned with. I appreciated that Tsong captured the various stages of her growth and development. By the end, she was confident and able to stand up for herself against those who were cruel to her.

What Didn't Work: The artwork was different from what I'm used to. It's not that I didn't like it, but it took a while for me to become adjusted to it. However, by the end of the book it definitely felt as though it was the perfect match for the story.

Overall, this was a good middle grade graphic novel. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more by Tsong.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a minute to warm up to the illustration style, but I did like this story about a Taiwanese American fifth grader navigating her relationships with her mother, grandmother and best friend while dealing with racism and bullying.

[Christine Lucia Asha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely story. I was a little taken aback with the semi color scheme and characters over english captions. The story was truly entrancing.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this book and read that Mei Ying's grandmother was coming to visit from Taiwan and Mei Ying didn't speak much Chinese and her grandmother didn't speak English, I thought it was going to be just another book about the two generations failing to understand each other, but eventually coming to a happy ending. Because there are plenty of those stories.
So, I was very happily surprised to see that Jing Jing Tsong chose NOT to use this trope for her story. Instead Mei Ying instantly hits it off with her grandmother and is open to learning cooking and tai chi. Mei Ying is a tough cookie and she tackles challenges in her life thoughtfully for the most part. And when she screws up, she owns her mistakes. The story twists and turns and continues busting stereotypes in a way that should appeal to many young readers. Also, it is one of those books that will make you hungry.
The format is great and will appeal to even the most reluctant readers, so that is a big plus.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. There are kids out there who are really going to appreciate it!

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great slice-of-life middle grade graphic novel about a Taiwanese American 5th grade, Měi Yīng. In the first half, it's the summer before 5th grade, and Měi Yīng's Năi Nai has come to visit for the first time. Despite the language differences, the two bond. In the second half, Năi Nai has returned to Taiwan and Měi Yīng experiences bullying at the start of 5th grade. Throughout both parts lots of racist microagressions are presented. There's also soccer, and Měi Yīng attends Mandarin Chinese school.

It's a bit slow for a middle grade, but I really enjoyed it.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

A wonderful coming-of-age graphic novel that I read in one sitting.

The book follows a Taiwanese-American girl as she navigates fifth grade, relationships with loved ones, identity and finding her voice. It also did a great job of highlighting important issues such as bullying racism in its many forms, be it ignorance or microaggressions or casual racism.

A lot is covered here but I found it all to be very well-balanced with good pacing and sufficient depth. The artwork was unique and effectively conveyed just how overwhelmed the protagonist felt at times. I also loved the representation and Chinese delicacies. Yum!

Highly recommend this!

👩🏻 cherreading mood: Lazy Sunday at a cafayyyy.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mei Ying is trying to learn Mandarin, so that she can talk with her grandmother, who doesn't speak very much English. Her grandmother is coming to visit, and her best friend, Kirra, from soccer wants to go to the fair, and do all these things, and doesn’t understand why Mei Ying can’t do them too.

At first Mei Ying doesn’t understand her grandmother, but then she starts learning all sorts of things from her, such as how to make a dish the right way.

But then, Mei Ying starts noticing people making racist comments when her grandmother is speaking in Mandarin. And when she goes to get clothes for school, she starts noticing microaggressions. It isn’t clear if she never noticed them before, or if she is just more aware.
And then when she starts middle school, Sid and his buddies start openly mocking her, and Kirra doesn’t stand up for her. No one stands up for her, so she has to stand up for herself, and finally lashes out.

I really enjoyed this book, because we get the perspective of the abused, and later of the abuser. We learn why Sid does what he did, and we see how Mei Ying handles both him and her best friend. There is only so much microaggression one can take. (as well as the overt kind).
I think this apparel to all children who have been bullies, for their food, for their looks, for their culture.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 30th of April 2024.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published April 30, 2024.

In the summer before fifth grade Taiwanese American Mei Ying spends time with her visiting grandmother and then, when school starts, faces a racist bully.

Good, age appropriate graphic novel dealing with Taiwanese culture, female friendships, single parent families and bullying.

[Jen Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel is about a fifth grade Taiwanese girl who deals with and is confronted with bullying due to diversity. She must find a way to overcome her feelings, standup for herself, and develop diverse friendships. This was very heartwarming and informative. However, the story with the graphics was difficult to follow at times. In addition, I didn’t care for the style of artwork as much. But overall, a very endearing story.

[Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I mostly enjoyed this debut graphic novel about a young girl named Mei Ying who is trying to navigate her identity and confronting racism for the first time. The pacing of the graphic novel was inconsistent. The first half was quite slow and the second half where the micro aggressions started felt too rushed. The ending didn’t feel earned either. I wasn’t a fan of the artwork and it sometimes made the text hard to read.

[Mai H.]

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Kokila

[Diana Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slice of life middle grade graphic novel

[Shana Bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️illustration style was not my favorite and I wouldn’t say it grew on me but I forgot how much I disliked it as I read

[BoomBoom (bhumi) · Rating 4 out of 5]

yall should read this

[John Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[D.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Joy Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A frank and kid-approachable coming of age story addressing the topics of racism, self-identity, and cultural transmission.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this graphic novel. It was spot on with so many things and the artwork and colors added a ton to the story.

[Dolores · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Mei Ying's grandmother comes to visit from Taiwan, communication is a bit challenging. In spite of weekly Chinese school, Mei Ying's Mandarin is a bit spotty and Nai Nai doesn't speak much English. But, the two bond over cooking and Tai chi and the visit makes Mei Ying and her mother even closer too. She is on top of the world at the end of the summer, excited about her new school, starting fifth grade, and her beloved soccer team, the Divas. But, everything goes wrong. There is a new student, Sid who makes fun of Mei Ying's Chinese heritage. Everyone tells her to ignore him, but Mei Ying feels every slice of his racist "jokes" far too painfully to ignore. Will she find the courage to stand up to her bully? And, how will she ever forgive the classmates and friends who just stood by and watched? Sometimes the art was a bit busy and muddled, but a great story. I especially loved the dynamic between the three women of the Lin family, and the quiet way all the little microaggressions were depicted.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite books last year was Roz Chast's autobiographical graphic novel, Can We Please Talk About Something More Pleasant. This book reminds me a bit of that one in it's graphic style and autobiographical roots. Like Chast's book, Jing Jing Tsong's Fake Chinese Sounds is one that deserves to be read again and again - not only because of the topic but because each page is a feast for the eyes - and should be savored.

In my initial reading, I had a little trouble following along through the first few pages as the story and characters were developing and didn't realize that when the conversation bubbles were shaded yellow the character wasn't speaking English. I didn't notice all the detail and nuance of the artwork that is apparent when you slow down and really look at each page. As the story developed, it was easier to follow along. I also really enjoyed the "diary" style pages that help inform the reader of what is going on outside the graphic bubbles.

Part 1: DID YOU EAT YET? | Illustrated primarily in black, white & yellow
This middle grade graphic novel begins with "Spark" (Mei Ying) a Taiwanese-American soon-to-be fifth grader playing soccer and preparing for her grandmother Nai Nai's visit from Tawain. Nai Nai doesn't speak much English and Spark doesn't speak Tawainese or very much Mandarin despite her Sunday afternoons at Chinese School. (Spark would rather be playing soccer with her best friend Kirra than going to Chinese School!) Instead they connect through cooking together (and singing the recipes), tai chi and dance.

Part 2: FAKE CHINESE SOUNDS | Illustrated primarily in black, white, gray and red
Spark decides she would like to use her given name Mei Ying for school this year and while she's looking forward to school, she is aware of thoughtless comments by her teacher ("I love working with Chinese students. You are all such hard workers".) and mean comments by the new boy, Sid. In fact, Sid seems to go out of his way to tease Mei Ying about her name, her lunch, what it smells like, what a know-it-all she is, etc. At first Mei Ying tries to ignore Sid but eventually she sees RED and lets him have it!

The color in Part 2 is brilliant as the use of red and yellow helps the reader SEE the emotions that Mei Ying is feeling. It's clear that what she is feeling as a result of being bullied is also spilling over into her other friendships, too.

Part 3: A LITTLE BIT OF HEART | Illustrated primarily in black, white and orange but with many more colors added into the illustrations
In Part 3, Mei Ying and her mom cook together to prepare dim xin for Mei Ying's International Week presentation at school where each student presents something from their own heritage. International Week allows all the students to see how different they all are but also how similar they are. I did like that Mei Ying, Sid and the other students gained more understanding for each other.

Overall, I think this is an imporant book for middle grade kids to read both on their own and with their parents and I loved the nuanced illustrations, diary bits and emotional colors. The illustrations especially reminded me of cartoons I drew as a middle schooler, which was a brilliant detail that helped return me to my 10 year old self. I plan to give this book to a few middle schoolers in my life.

[Jaclyn Hillis]

Part 1 — Did You Eat Yet?

This is a very important question, and I love how it’s basically a show of endearment.

Měi Yīng’s grandmother, Năi Nai, is visiting from Taiwan. Although Měi Yīng’s Mandarin isn’t the best and Năi Nai doesn’t speak English, they find other ways to connect, like cooking guōtiē together and doing tai chi in the mornings. It was really sweet to see them bond.

Part 2 — Fake Chinese Sounds

Měi Yīng is excited to start fifth grade, but she starts getting bullied by the new kid Sid. Her best friend, Kirra, says to ignore him, but Měi Yīng doesn’t think that will put a stop to his racist jokes. This starts to affect her attention in class, her friendship, as well as soccer, where she was once the Spark of the team.

Part 3 — A Little Bit of Heart

I love that her school does International Week, where each student brings in food or shares something with the class about their family’s heritage. Měi Yīng, with her mother’s help and Năi Nai’s recipe, makes diǎn xin (dim sum) for the class. I loved how this was a special way to get to know everyone, and embrace everyone’s differences too. We also get to understand Sid a little more, and see his side to the decisions he made.

Overall, I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The story touches on very important and relevant themes, and I found myself rooting for the main character. The key message is how to stand up for yourself, while also showing an adolescent learning to be confortable in her own skin.

The art style wasn’t my favorite, but I think it fit the story really well. I really appreciated how each section had its own color scheme. Part 1 was yellow, part 2 was red, then part 3 was orange. I’d like to think that part 3 is where the two other parts of Měi Yīng’s story — her family and Taiwanese heritage, and her soccer and school life — merged, hence the creation of a new color. The random watercolor pages, with the butterflies, were my favorite because of how vibrant and colorful they were.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to get a little bit of a mixed bag, but for middle graders who can't resist a slice of life school story in graphic novels furn(a la Reina Telgemeier, Svetlana Chmakova, Hope Larsen, Jerry Craft, etc.) it may be worth a try. It's got a dab of friend drama, intergenerational bonding, cultural differences, and more.

Mei loves her life. She's doing well and is well-liked on her soccer team. Her grandmother is visiting, and although there's a language barrier, they've found some common ground. And yet, she still finds herself dealing with a few schoolmates who taunt her about her Taiwanese heritage and culture. Mei is not about to let the haters win, but how can she solve this?

The subplot with the grandmother is really wonderful, and I found it refreshing to see a healthy intergenerational relationship play out without some form of trauma or deep conflict. The friend issues rang very true to life for middle grade and it was great to see Mei rise above and triumph over the boys who had been causing her problems.

Unfortunately for me, I was just not a huge fan of the art and it kept pulling me out of the story and connecting with the characters. The characters have a sketchy, flattened appearance and aren't distinguished from each other as much as they could be. In scenes where Mei is going through a lot of inner conflict/turmoil the drawings have an amplified, genetic quality. It's a good emotional match for the target age and the character but kind of sensory overload as a reader.

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle

After a summer spent studying for Chinese school, playing soccer, and bonding with her grandmother visiting from Taiwan, Měi Yīng is excited to start fifth grade. But then she becomes the target of new kid Sid's racist jokes. Should she ignore him like everyone suggests or stand up to his ignorance?

Great themes of intergenerational connections, family expectations, forgiveness, the importance of communication, and holding others accountable.

Měi Yīng deals with so much in this graphic novel. From the pressure of her mother's expectations to feeling unsupported by her friends to being told she's too sensitive in response to racism. Tsong nicely balances all of these topics so they don't feel rushed or overwhelming.

A nice representation of the weight of microaggressions, overt racism, and bullying and the power of silence when someone is mistreated. Tsong nicely illustrates how ignorant comments, whatever their intention, impact others.

Great family dynamics. I love that Měi Yīng and Năi Nai were able to connect with each other through various activities and learn from one another. And the arc of Měi Yīng's relationship with her mother was fantastic.

Wonderfully constructed. Beautiful messages about cultural identity, using your voice, and owning up to your mistakes.

[Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book caught my eye from the get-go. It stuck out from the rest of the books, glaring at me, demanding to be read. So I did what had to be done.

I've always struggled to balance the feeling of wanting to fit in with the Western world with the feeling of staying connected with my culture, and this book represented that feeling perfectly. The main character (Mei Ying/Spark) goes through a lot of changes and growth throughout the book, and I felt myself resonating with her as the book progressed. It's a really sweet book. It's tender, and genuine, and ANGRY. It was really interesting, as the Chinese text is always written in CAPITALS with a yellow background, as if it's being loud and obnoxious. I love the touch of how the language is presented in this book, and the use of colours that really emphasise how Mei Ying is feeling. There are many characters who talk both Chinese and English, interspersed amongst each other, for times when you can't find that word in English but you know it in Chinese or vice versa. Felt like a little inside joke or reference whenever those came up. Very apt to my own experiences growing up as an Asian-Australian. My dad calls it "Chinglish".

All in all, a fantastic read, highly recommend. It made me feel things (yeah I cried a bit), and what more can you ask from a book?

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this was like reading American Born Chinese, but—despite the title—a little less heavy on the internalised racism. (Or the external racism, actually.) I like this better, though, since the ending is quite a bit more positive than ABC was.

The things I don't like:
- that quirk of drawing dialogue balloon tails going directly to a character's mouth... distracting
- the incorrect Japanese (I get that they're Taiwanese speaking Mandarin, but still)
- several completely blank pages at the end from how books are laid out
- ...they have cats and I don't :(

Recommended for young readers dealing with racism in particular. It even has a lesson from Being Bullied, where a bully often acts that way to cover up the bully's own insecurity or shyness. Yes, that seems hard to believe, but it happens!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

FAKE CHINESE SOUNDS introduces readers to Mei Ying, a Taiwanese American girl who loves soccer and hanging with her best friend. During the summer before fifth grade, Mei Ying’s grandmother comes to visit from Taiwan for the first time. While there is a language barrier between the two, they find ways to connect and bond, including cooking and practicing tai chi together. This leads Mei Ying to a much deeper understanding of her heritage and an increased awareness of the microaggressions she experiences. Her discomfort persists, especially when school starts, and she is the target of bullying by another student.

I especially liked the relationship between Mei Ying and her grandmother. The growth that Mei Ying experiences from their relationship serves as the catalyst for the story’s resolution. Themes of family, community, and culture make this graphic novel an engaging and heartfelt read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC to read and review.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mei Ling excels at soccer and struggles to learn Mandarin, but she thinks she has a good friend in Kirra. Me Ling relishes her grandmother's visit over the summer and comes to a deeper appreciation of her heritage.

And then school starts. Fifth grade begins middle school and Mei Ling becomes the target of racist teasing. She is hurt by the bullying, but is further embittered when no one else stands up for her. Ultimately she stands up for herself and learns that the worst bully was struggling with his own situation. While she understands, she does not forgive the bully right away and it also takes some time before she trusts her friends again, none of whom actively stood up for her. I appreciated the more complex take on bullying, that incorporated the idea that adults are also frequently ill-equipped to handle these kinds of situations.

While the family and friendship and school struggles are commonly written about, this tackles them in new ways with more nuance than we sometimes see.

[Abigail Pankau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mei Ying is trying to find balance as an Asian American kid. She loves soccer practice, but doesn’t like doing homework for Chinese school. This summer, she’s worried about her grandmother visiting from Taiwan as Mei Ying is still learning Mandarin. But Mei Ying and her Nai Nai are able to connect through cooking and tai chi. Then when school starts in the fall, she starts to get bullied by a new kid who makes fun of her food and use fake Chinese sounds. While her other classmates say to just ignore it, she doesn’t feel like she can. So she must find a way to stand up for herself and her heritage. Her school’s International Week might be just what she needs to shine.

An excellent mid-grade graphic novel about being an Asian-American kid and dealing with bullying and racism. There’s also the usual middle school drama of friendships and family. I really liked the art style as well; very emotional, rather than realistic.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A MG graphic novel about identity and learning her heritage.
🇹🇼
Mei Ying has a busy summer planned from soccer practice to Chinese school, but when her nai nai comes to visit for the first time, the two are stuck in a language barrier. Nai Nai doesn’t speak English and Mei Ying’s Mandarin isn’t great, but the two end up connecting through cooking, dancing and tai chi. The end of the summer brings Nai Nai back home and Mei Ying starting school with a bully calling her racial slurs. As she grows into who she wants to, she reclaims her voice.
🇹🇼
This GN will tug at your heartstrings! It’s perfect for fans of American Born Chinese, New Kid and Measuring Up. @jingjingtsong brings her authentic voice to the story and the reader will connect with it. This one is out now!

CW: bullying, racism, racial slurs

The story felt like it was in two parts. The artwork was not my favorite.

[Jenna Stensland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! It was a great window into the main character's culture and the challenges of navigating growing up. We watch her navigate a bully, work through tough moments with friends, learn more about her culture, and experience her sharing that with others. There are also wonderful intergenerational connections and role models throughout the book. I think the look at different aspects of racism and microagressions was well done and it gave me an opportunity to talk through those with my own child. We got to see the impact on the main character and the impact it had when others were silent. The story also features repair between the protagonist's friends and ultimately the bully. This is a great story and I highly recommend it.