Review: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

In American Born Chinese three tales are woven together, contributing to one overarching theme. Unlike a traditional short story collection, in which a story can be read at random, Yang’s short story cycle works best when the tales are read chronologically. Each story builds on the last story’s theme or lesson. Yang uses three characters to explore the construction of identity.

Opening the cycle is the Chinese folktale of The Monkey King. Yang’s adaptation of this “journey to the west” myth is hilarious and surprising. The Monkey King works hard mastering Kung Fu and wants to be recognized as an equal among other deities. Alas, his superiors are not impressed and The Monkey King undergoes many trials before realizing who he is and who he wants to be. The second story introduces Jin Wang, the son of Chinese immigrants, living in California and combating stereotypes as he tries to fit in, make friends and woo an all-American girl at high school. Chin-Kee visits his cousin Danny every year. Danny is horrified to be seen with Chin-Kee who exhibits extremely stereotypical Chinese behaviors.

Adaptation is a major theme connecting each story. The characters realize they must adapt to the culture already established. Each character struggles to adapt while deciding whether or not to embrace his own cultural heritage. Eventually, they take control of their identity but not before making a few mistakes. The text explores what it means to be a nation of immigrants and how the American identity is continuously forged. The three tales are linked in a surprising way which is slowly revealed.

When reading a short story the reader must look for information left off the page. Similarly, graphic novel readers must interpret the narrative when the full story is not supplied in text. In other words, you can’t skip over the pictures without losing significant parts of the narrative. This is true of American Born Chinese. The words and pictures complement each other. American Born Chinese leans heavily on its comic roots. Yang uses onomatopoeia with words like “SMACK” and “WHUMP” creating a fun sensorial reading experience.

Yang manages to bring humor and tenderness to a serious subject. While the format is sure to draw reluctant readers I would not hesitate to hand American Born Chinese to any teen reader. It has a little something for everyone.  Yang speaks about A.B.C. in the video found below!

Publisher: First Second, 2006     Pages: 233   
Rating: 4 Stars     Source: IC Public Library
This text counts towards the POC Reading Challenge!

Review: Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

For teenagers like Brande’s characters, the competing messages of faith and science and the desire to express themselves in a perceived hostile environment is confusing and scary. I loved how Mena turned to blogging as way to express her beliefs, a place where she could think out loud and include others in respectful discussion. There were a number of totally unbelievable characters including the pastor and the teenager who falls down on the floor praying for people. The characters did not need to be so over the top to get the plot moving.  Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature is the first audiobook I’ve completed. Kaili Vernoff’s voice was perfect for teenagers with her ability to reach those high, fretful notes teenagers are found of. Her subtle distinctions between characters made the text easy to follow. The book is written from Mena’s perspective as though she’s writing in a journal. I had the chance to see the print version and the audio is not missing anything. After the story, Brande interviews Kennth R. Miller, a biology professor at Brown University who argues that a belief in evolution is compatible with a belief in God.  I’ll definitely try an audiobook again in the future. It was a long listen and I could have read the book much quicker. But I did get some house chores done while listening so that’s a plus!

Summary: "Your best friend hates you. The guy you liked hates you. Your entire group of friends hates you. All because you did the right thing. Welcome to life for Mena, whose year is starting off in the worst way possible. She's been kicked out of her church group and no one will talk to her—not even her own parents. No one except for Casey, her supersmart lab partner in science class, who's pretty funny for the most brilliant guy on earth. And when Ms. Shepherd begins the unit on evolution, school becomes more dramatic than Mena could ever imagine . . . and her own life is about to evolve in some amazing and unexpected ways.

Publisher: Listening Library, 2007     Duration: 6 hours 25 minutes     Pages in print: 272
Narrator: Kaili Vernoff     Director: David Raplin
Rainting: 3.5 Stars     Source: IC Plublic Library  

Review: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson's books act as beacons. They alerts readers to the existence of hard places. In Wintergirls, Anderson tells the story of one nearly dashed to pieces by loss and emotional burdens. The lyrical prose reflects Lia’s decent into the depths of anorexia and the self-hatred and despair that accompanies her inability to control her life, to stop bad things from happening and to stop her pain.

The text is not a magnet. It never made me want to be near or experience Lia’s self-inflicted wounds but only to better understand the disorder. Lia’s eating disorder is severe and she does more than resist food. She also cuts and self medicates. And she is not the only person her actions hurt. Her family is wounded as well. The truths about anorexia are ugly. It was hard for me to read the book because Lia’s depression is deep and her emaciated body revolting to behold if only in text.

Yet, beacons are necessary. If no one tells us about the danger, if no one tells others who are caught in life’s storms that they are not alone, what a tragedy that would be. Yes, we need beacons like Wintergirls.  Visit Laurie Halse Anderson's website here.
 
Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 2009     Pages: 288
Rating: 3.5 Stars     Source: Purchased

Review: Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

Attention Jane Austen fans: this is a book for you! Even if you haven’t read any Austen novels you can still enjoy this story. But if you have any experience with Austen’s novels you will see elements of then throughout Polly Shulman’s Enthusiasm. I had fun identifying plot elements from Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion (the three Austen novels I’ve read). But there are allusions to all of them. The characters, Ashleigh and Julie, reference Austen’s heroines and try, sometimes successfully and other times not successfully, to imitate them. I enjoyed this novel so I’m having a hard to telling what it was that was so great. You see, this book might be called a feel-good novel. It doesn’t push the envelope and is a sweet story with a happy ending. But I liked it! Yes, it was a tad predictable (at least for me). But that did not keep me from enjoying the story at all. Julie and Ashleigh’s relationship was my favorite part. They seemed like a couple average girls. They are having their first serious crushes and dealing with boys for the first time. They’re not sure how exactly to act. What do you do when a boy obviously likes you but you don’t like him? You don’t want to be mean. How do you show a boy that you do like him? Without feeling like an idiot? The girls are

Summary: Julie’s best friend, Ashleigh, is an enthusiast. Julie never knows what new obsession will catch Ashleigh’s fancy, but she does know she’s likely to be drawn into the madness. Ashleigh’s latest craze is Julie’s own passion, Pride and Prejudice. But Ashleigh can’t just appreciate it as a great read; she insists on emulating the novel’s heroines, in speech, dress, and the most important element of all—finding True Love. And so Julie finds herself with Ashleigh, dressed in vintage frocks, sneaking into a dance at the local all-boys prep school, where they discover some likely candidates. The problem with Ashleigh’s craze this time, however, is that there is only one Mr. Darcy. So when the girls get a part in the boys’ school musical, what follows is naturally equal parts comedy and romance, as a series of misinterpreted—and missed—signals, dating mishaps, and awkward incidents make Julie wonder if she has the heart for True Love.

at a tender and vulnerable age. They know it and try to be good to each other. Not all girls are “mean girls” who harbour jealousies and constantly criticize. Julie and Ashleigh are regular teens with regular issues - school, boys, parents. And I liked them for it. 

Publisher: Speak, 2006     Pages: 208
Rating: 4 Stars     Source: Amazon Storefront

Review: The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

Forgive me if this post seems a little…phony. Apparently, since I’m an adult it can’t be helped. Or so says Holden Caulfield, teenage wise guy extraordinaire. Did you ever wish as a child that you would never grow up? I know I did. I thought life was as close to perfect as it was going to get and any change could only be bad.

Holden is experiencing this fear of change, too, but on a grander scale. He’s lost his little brother to cancer, a friend has committed suicide and he’s failing school. He is growing up and can’t put adulthood off much longer. Life is sucking. This is where we find Holden when the book opens.

While Holden thinks that nobody understands him countless readers have identified with him throughout the book’s life. The first time I read The Cather in the Rye I disliked it. It was hard for me to feel sorry for a spoiled rich boy who can’t seem to think of anyone but himself. On my second read, I was surprised to find how funny and perceptive Holden is. Granted, his views are tainted with teenage angst and attitude. But much of what Holden perceives as “phony” does warrant criticism. The problem is, Holden has trouble seeing his own phoniness.

The Cather in the Rye brings mortality to the present. Death is always in the future tense (especially for teens) - I will die...in a distant future so far I never need to think about it. However, death is always around us and cares not for time frames. The good news is death tends to leave life in it’s wake. When  you’re grieving, though, the circle-of-life kind of theorizing doesn’t help much. For many survivors who have lost loved ones, life can feel phony.

What Holden experiences is far from phony. Perhaps Holden is not typical, but certainly his experiences with friends, teachers, parents, sexuality and death have an undercurrent of truth which reflect many reader’s feelings.

Publisher: Little, Brown, 2001    Pages: 277
Rating: 3.5 Stars     Source: IC Public Library

Review: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

The premise of this book didn’t grab me but I’ve heard so much about Stargirl I decided to read it and now, it’s one of my favorite reads this year. A quirky girl shows up at high school, playing a ukulele and wearing crazy outfits. Leo, the narrator, falls for her. But when the school turns on Stargirl, Leo must decide how important being part of the group is to him.

This story is great! At first I was skeptical (because of the buzz) and slowly made my way through the first few pages thinking it was a cute story. But the writing was awesome and turned what was just cute into relevant and riveting. I wish more YA authors could learn to write well, truly well, because it makes such a huge difference.

Spinelli creates very real characters. I loved Stargirl and Leo! From the independent spirit to the pack follower, the miss populars to the loners, Leo and Stargirl experience a range of statuses and emotions that any teenager can identify with at some point.

Once I got into the story (it didn’t take long) I could not put it down. I was rooting for Stargirl. I didn’t want to see her sacrifice herself to fit in with the crowd. I was often upset with Leo for pressuring Stargirl to do so. But I could totally understand where Leo was coming from. It’s not easy to stand out sometimes. And it’s not always easy to stand with a friend who is a target. I loved the Ocotillo dance scene! It was probably my favorite part. I liked the ending and think it felt natural.

For such a short novel this story packs a punch. It’s funny and cute while addressing a very real issue for teens – pack behavior vs. independence and the cost of each. I highly recommend this book for teens or anyone looking for a fun summer read.
Publisher: Knopf, 2000     Pages: 186     Age Recommendation: 12 and up
Rating: 5 Stars     Source: garage sale (I can’t believe someone got rid of this book)

Smile by Raina Telgemeier: Another Great Graphic Novel

I am usually a read-one-book-at-a-time type of reader. But I could not resist that cover. It begs to be picked up. I ended up reading the book straight through.

When twelve year old Raina loses her two front teeth – her permanent teeth – it seems like the end of the world. Through years of braces, headgear, retainers, middle school and high school Raina learns who her true friends are and how to be happy with herself.
I’ve yet to read a graphic novel I haven’t liked. And Smile by Raina Telgemeier is no exception. It has such an uplifting message for young girls and is an enjoyable read. Telgemeier is not only a great writer but a great artist. The pictures are all in color and do a nice job of capturing the emotion of each moment. There were some funny moments when I chuckled and some tender ones when I teared up. From experiencing your first crush to worrying about pimples, there’s something in this book for every girl. In a time of life when girls feel pressured to mature quickly, I appreciated how Smile portrays an innocent who’s happy to be that way. Raina realizes she doesn’t have to follow her friends into makeup and kissing if she’s not ready. As you likely noticed, the character and author’s name are the same. That’s because this is a true story which makes it even better!
Publisher: Scholastic, 2010     Pages: 218
Rating: 5 Stars     Recommended Age: 10 and up     Source: IC Public Library

The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To by D.C. Pierson

If you never had to sleep just think of all the things you could do. If you didn’t get tired but could stay up all night to do whatever you wanted, what would you do? Oh the possibilities. Think of all those things you’ve wanted to do but didn’t because you were just too exhausted. Well, 15 year old Eric Lederer has lived one consecutive day, never sleeping, always conscious, for as long as he can remember. But someone dangerously mysterious comes looking for him.

Pierson’s novel is hilarious. I laughed. My husband laughed at the quotes I read him. Written from Darren’s perspective (Eric’s best friend) the novel captures the daily lives of two nerdy, sci-fi loving teenagers. I enjoyed Darren’s reactions to Eric’s secret ranging from disbelief to awe. This novel felt really present to me. Pierson is able to capture suburban culture very well perhaps, I think, because he is such a young writer. It’s like he speaks my language (culturally speaking). The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep explores all the aspects of an average young adults’ life as well as some unusual ones. I could relate to the Red Bull chugging, video-game playing, suburban existence of these kids. Ultimately, I think Pierson’s novel is a coming of age story about friendship.

This is a very 21st-century novel. The text is graphic at least twice about sex. The language is very colorful. And drugs are involved in their attempts to test Eric’s sleepless limits. I’ll have to say that I am usually pretty turned off by these elements. And the text would have been great without the raciness because there is a good story to tell. But Pierson is a great writer and doesn’t use language and sex in a merely gratuitous way. It feels like a natural part of these boys’ lives, like what many teenagers do and witness, as they stumble along the growing up cycle. Although considered a cross-marked title (an adult book that appeals to teens), I found it in the adult section. So, I don’t recommend it for very young teens as the content may make them feel uncomfortable.

My favorite part of this book (besides the humor) is the creative story-line. This kid really never sleeps and it leads to a whole lot of wild and bizarre adventures across the Arizona desert. My least favorite part was the ending. It wasn’t bad just not what I wanted/expected. It reminds me of the end of an X-files episode where Agent Scully effectively debunks the abnormal happening but Agent Moulder finds the wiggle room to still believe. That’s an inadequate analogy but the best I can do without spoiling anything!

Publisher: Vintage Books, 2010     Pages: 227
Rating: 3.5 Stars     Source: IC Public Library