REVIEWS+

American Born Chinese

by Gene Luen Yang

Square Fish. 2008. 240p. ISBN 9780312384487. pap. $9.99.

COPY ISBN

Jin Wang is the only Asian American boy in his new school; Danny is a young man deeply embarrassed by his visiting Chinese cousin, portrayed deliberately by the author as an ethnic cliché; and the Monkey King, a figure from Chinese lore, is desperate to be treated like a god. This humorous, insightful story relates how three characters overcome hurdles to find satisfaction within themselves. A wonderful take on the coming-of-age genre and the challenges of assimilation. (LJ 3/15/07)

Reviewed by Peter Thornell , Jun 01, 2014

Comment Policy:

Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.