American+Born+Chinese+by+Gene+Luen+Yang

=By Gene Luen Yang=

Did you ever wonder what a young boy, Monkey King, and the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype have in common? Well to find out you will have to read American Born Chinese. This book is about what a boy goes through growing up. It is created in a way that will get a boys attention and keep it, but it also is a "typical" chinese fable, with gods, universal travel and a moral.

When Jin Wang was a young boy growing up in San Fransisco, he dreamed of being a transformer when he grew up, "A robot in disguise! Like this one! He changes into a truck...see? More than meets the eye!" (p. 28). As he gets older, he looses interest in transformers and other toys and begins taking interest in a young girl. However, he faces challenges of racism and discovering himself.

Long before, the ancient Monkey King of Flower-Fruit Mountain dreamed of becoming one of the gods. He mastered "the four major disciplines of invulnerability" (p.51) in order to bully his way in to becoming a god. He found himself battling with other gods in order to prove his worth. Even challenging the god of all, Tze-Yo-Tzuh.

Danny is a cool kid just trying to get a date. Then his crazy cousin Chin-Kee comes to visit him from China. He explains to a friend that "every year around this time, I finally start getting the hang of things, you know? I've made some friends, gotten a handle on my schoolwork, even started talking to some of the ladies, I finally start coming into my own. Then he comes along for one of his visits...follows me to school, talking his stupid talk and eating his stupid food. Embarrassing the crap out of me" (p. 127). Danny can not stand his cousin's stereotypical Chinese behavior.

These three tales are woven together into a creative coming of age story. Ultimately, Jin Wang is faced with what it means to be an American born Chinese. It is a humorous and action-packed tale, but it also deals with stereotypes, friendship, prejudice and finding one's own identity. "To find your true identity...that is the highest of all freedoms" (p. 149) but will Jin Wang truly understand?



Gene Luen Yang
Gene Yang began his career as a graphic novelist when he started drawing comic books in the fifth grade. He has since written and drawn a number of graphic novels including //Duncan’s Kingdom// and //The Rosary Comic Book//. In 1997, he received the Xeric Grant, a prestigious comics industry grant, for //Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks//, his first comics work as an adult. He was named a finalist for a National Book Award for //American Born// //Chinese// in 2006. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and children and teaches at a Roman Catholic high school.

[|Michael L. Printz Award] [|National Book Award Finalist] Amazon.com Best Graphic Novel—Comic of the Year [|American Library Association] Best Book for Young Adults, Top Ten List Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Booklist Editor's Choice Book Booklist Top Ten Graphic Novel for Youth NPR Holiday Pick NYPL Book for the Teen Age Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year Publisher's Weekly Comics Week Best Comic of the Year San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year School Library Journal Best Book of the Year YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens, Top Ten List [|Library Media] Editor's Choice for 2007 [|Eisner Awards] 2007 Nominee - Best Graphic Album — New [|Eisner Awards] 2007 Nominee - Best Coloring to Lark Pien [|The Reuben Award] for Best Comic Book [|The Chinese American Librarians Association] 2006/2007 Best Book Award (according to [|www.firstsecondbooks.com])
 * Awards for //American Born Chinese//**

//Gordon and the King of the Geeks Loyola Chin and the San Peligran Order The Rosary Comic Book The Motherless One// = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = == = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
 * More books by award winning author Gene Luen Yang**

= = = = = = = = = = = = =External Links= [|Gene Yang's tribute to the Monkey King] [|"Comics and other stuff by Gene Yang"] [|Online exerpt from American Born Chinese] [|Read About Comics]

[|Gene Yang's Blog and other fun stuff] [|Info about Gene Yang and contact opportunities] [|An online interview with Gene Yang] [|National Book Foundation Biography on Gene Yang]
 * More about the author:**

[|Lesson Plan for Chinese Born American] [|Information about comics in education] [|Math teaching unit using comics by Gene Yang]
 * For Teachers:**



Created By: JoAnne, Salina, Brittany, and Terri