AMERICAN BORN CHINESE by Gene Luen Yang

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Yang, Gene Luen. 2006. American Born Chinese. St. Louis: Turtleback Books. ISBN 9781417754496

American Born Chinese is a groundbreaking graphic novel made up of three different storylines. The first part revolves around Jin Wang who is the son of Chinese immigrants. Jin's family moves to a new neighborhood where he is the only Chinese American student in his school. He desperately wants to fit it, but is constantly picked on and bullied by the other students. The second part depicts an old Chinese folktale about a very powerful and well liked monkey king who aspires to be a “Great Sage, Equal of Heaven.” The monkey king is eventually told that he will never be happy if he cannot accept himself for what he is. The third part centers on Danny and his cousin Chin-kee. Danny is a very popular, well liked student at his school. While his cousin Chin-kee embodies the characteristics of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype. When Chin-kee comes to visit every year, Danny feels embarrassed and ashamed of his heritage and feels as though his cousin is ruining his life. At the end of the graphic novel, all three of these storylines are cleverly intertwined.

This work clearly belongs in the young adult genre and would appeal to high school aged readers. It has all of the elements of teen literature including the themes of acceptance, romance, and searching for identity, all with an optimistic ending. VOYA summarizes, "this graphic novel could be especially cathartic for teens and adults of Asian descent, but people of any ethnicity would find themselves reflected in the universal themes of self-acceptance, peer pressure, and racial tensions." The format of the graphic novel is visually clean, simple, and interesting. Publishers Weekly explains, "true to its origin as a Web comic, this story's clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive." The emotions of the characters are very clearly conveyed in the illustrations, more effectively than they would be in a traditional novel. 

American Born Chinese is the first graphic novel to win the Michael L. Printz Honor Award in 2007 along with a National Book Award nomination in 2006.

This book can be successfully used as a supplement to classroom discussions about identity, assimilation, and stereotypes about the Asian experience or other cultures in general. 

Books in Print. TWU Library. Accessed December 14, 2013 http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2125/

THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak

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Zusak, Markus. 2006. The Book Thief. New York: Random House Children’s Books. ISBN: 9780375931000

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, is a haunting work of historical fiction set during the years of the Holocaust. The story of the titular character, a 10 year old orphaned girl, is narrated from the point of view of Death. The story progresses as Death goes about his business claiming lives in Nazi Germany, personified like an observant operative. Young Liesel Meminger faces the depressing circumstances of her father’s abandonment, her brother’s death, her mother’s disappearance, and forced foster care with a poor German family. The only bright spot in her life is a book which she has stolen and yearns to read. Her gentle and gracious foster father teaches her to read and write fueling her desire to steal more books from Nazi book-burnings and elsewhere. Other friendships include her neighborhood buddy Rudy and Max, the Jewish hideaway in the basement. 


The novel is set in 1939 in a small working class town outside of Munich where Liesel’s life is defined by nightmares and bombing raids. Zusak successfully paints believable and accurate scenes of the horrors of the time. Through his clever style of narration, the theme of struggling to survive in the face of Death is all too literal. As with all works regarding World War II, the underlying theme of hate and tolerance is evident. Since the story unfolds through the detached words of Death, it manages to speak about human tragedy in a sometimes light and mocking tone of voice. School Library Journal proclaims, "Death is not a sentimental storyteller, but he does attend to an array of satisfying details...". Most importantly, the realistic story of the Hubermann family gives readers a glimpse of the conflicts of average people living during a dangerous time in history. SLJ agrees, "Zusak explores behind-the-lines life in World War II Germany, showing the day-to-day heroism of ordinary people." 

The Book Thief was awarded the Michael L. Printz Honor in 2007.

Extensions for this book could include a study of other young adult World War II novels such as Number the Stars by Lois Lowry or The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. 

Books in Print. TWU Library. Accessed December 3, 2013 http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2125/

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman

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Gaiman, Neil. 2010. The Graveyard Book. Illus. by Dave McKean. St Louis: Turtleback Books. ISBN 9780606148832


Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book is a delightful work of supernatural fiction for young adults. In the story, a baby survives the grisly murder of his entire family and is raised by the ghosts of the graveyard. Adopted by a couple Mr.  & Mrs. Owens, the child is named Nobody Owens and thrives under the care of Silas who takes care of his basic needs. The series of chapters read like short glimpses into the life of young Bod as he comes to terms with growing up in a graveyard. The paranormal coming of age story also follows Bod’s very human desire to exact revenge on the killer Jack for the deaths of his parents and sister. 


The cast of characters in the novel are at once believable and relatable making the jump between the worlds of the living and dead all the more plausible. Ghosts, ghouls, vampires, and witches all play a role in Bod’s upbringing, making his childhood journey a fantastical one. The challenges and desires of the protagonist are in tune with the struggles of a normal child of that age. Library Journal succinctly says, “Imagine Kipling’s The Jungle Book set among a forest of graves.” While seemingly set in a modern day graveyard in the English countryside, the story could have easily occur during an earlier era. In the same manner, the book fits well in the genre of a modern day fantasy, one which upholds the sweeping universal themes of good versus evil and fate versus free will. All of this is deftly done by the author’s writing style which blends elements of suspense, magic, and humor. Booklist notes, “there is plenty of darkness, but the novel's ultimate message is strong and life affirming.” Gaiman creates a unique world which is simultaneously charming and childlike as well as mysterious and macabre.

The Graveyard Book is the winner of the Newbery Award.


Readers of The Graveyard Book can connect Bod's adventures with the tale of Mowgli in The Jungle Book, noting the strong allusions to similar moral lessons found in Rudyard Kipling's classic fable. 

Books in Print. TWU Library. Accessed December 2, 2013 http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2125/