American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

I read American Born Chinese last summer and shared it with a friend who is Japanese/Korean American.  (Yes, I know the difference, but if you read the book you will understand that is the point.)  He helped me understand the folk tale references in the book.  We also had discussions about prejudice, privilege, and misunderstandings about the different cultures that live in the U. S.

Gene Luen Yang begins with what appears to be three stories.  By the end of the book he has woven them into one.  This book is deceptively simple, but it stretched my brain.  I can see younger students reading it at one comprehension level and older students reading it at another.

(Note: the only reason I don't recommend it as a read aloud is because it is a graphic novel.)

 


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