I am a reading tutor and had to read this book for a multicultural literature class. What a treat! Not only does this book offer multiple story lines that come together for great classroom discussions, but the illustrations are beautiful. Parents should read this too!

Here's how this book came to be in my hands: I attended teacher training, was given a list of 50 "great" young adult titles, and decided that my reluctant readers would be attracted to the graphic novel format. I gurgled a bit when I saw the retail price, but decided that between the Amazon discount and the fact that this book could very well get my kids reading, I made the decision to choke up the change.

I am so glad I did.

The book came in the mail today, and I pulled it out and tossed it at my mom while telling her she had to read it. She complied readily, out of curiosity I think. I wondered at her when I heard occasional chuckles, but I knew I was on to something special when, teary-eyed, she put the book down and sat musing for some time.

I snatched it up from her and let my toddler run amok as I held my two-month-old in my arms and devoured the book over the next 45 minutes. It was worth the ensuing chaos by aforementioned toddler! Three seemingly unrelated story lines are artfully told and then bound together with wisdom, humor and skill. The difficult topics of racism, growing up, identity, power, and belonging are addressed with the greatest sensitivity and impact. The story gets deeper and larger, yet it narrows to a precision point at the end that leaves the reader quite a bit of meat to chew on afterward. The characters are wonderfully portrayed, and the art is truly communicative and inspiring.

I realized as my mom was reclaiming the book that I couldn't take this copy up to school--I would have to purchase a second copy so I could keep this one. I can guarantee that this book will get stolen off my shelves before next May, and it will be worth it. If one of my students truly 'gets' it, I'll buy a copy every year for the express purpose of having it taken.

It's that good.

This graphic novel connects stories in interesting ways and a lot of fun to read. Actually, so good that a student walked off with it by accident!

Funny and smart.
Teenage High School drama intermingled with ancient chinese legends.
Very well done.

My son loves graphic novels. This book had excellent reviews. So, I purchased two copies, one for my American born half-Chinese son, and one for myself. I must say that this book perpetuates old-fashioned Asian stereotypes. As a former middle school teacher, I would never recommend this for readers younger than college age who will not be influenced by the racist stereotypes. This is one of the worst graphic novels I've evern seen.

This excellent coming-of-age-ethnicity story is a powerful example of the role of graphic novels. Its lighthearted moments - and powerful dramatic times - are all strengthened by the illustrations. The images flow into the story, and help make the experience identifiable for all people.

It was awesome.

I like American Born Chinese because of the his positive attitude and point of view of racism and very funny.

American Born Chinese is easily one of the best graphic novels I've read this year. It's a wonderful story for people of all ages that hits home for anyone who's ever struggled with trying to be themselves while trying to find their place in the world.

My 7th graders love this book. It's visually appealing and hugely popular with my students who are of Asian descent. Even reluctant readers fight over this book!

This book is difficult to rate with a single rating because it's "3-1/2" stories: The stories are about the Monkey King of Chinese folklore; American-born Chinese Jin Wang; All-American Danny and his purposefully stereotyped Chinese cousin Chin-Kee; and a "half-story" that ties the three stories together.

From the standpoint of the illustrations' style and creativity, I would give the book 5-stars.

The story of the Monkey King is very cute. At its core, it follows the traditional tales, but the author also ties in Christian themes. Personally, I liked this spin and give the Monkey King story 5-stars. But for a reader unfamiliar with the Monkey King tales and expecting to learn about him, I'd suggest 3-stars for the same reason I gave it 5-stars.

Jin Wang's story is what you'd expect based on the book's title: Jin Wang is an American-born Chinese who has to deal with teasing and discrimination at his American school. These were familiar situations I also experienced, so it echoed with me on a personal level. I give his story 4-stars.

I found Danny & Chin-Kee's story both ridiculous and painful to read, which, paradoxically, is what the author intended. It should be considered as satire or social commentary; but nonetheless, I still found it distasteful, despite my understanding of its purpose. I give it only 2-stars.

The "half-story" that ties the first three together is well-done and creatively written; I would give it 4-stars on its own, as much as one can separate it from the others.

As you can see, Danny's story is the only thing I didn't like about the book, and if one were to average my scores, the book would be higher than 3-stars. But the stories are intertwined and must be considered together as a whole: Danny's story was so ridiculous/distasteful (yet essential to the overarching story), it brings my overall score to 3-stars.

Finalist for the National Book Award and 2007 Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award for Young Adult literature, AMERICAN BORN CHINESE is one of the most acclaimed graphic novels to hit the shelves. Three seemingly different stories weave together at the end for a satisfying finish.

STORY #1 - The Monkey King of Flower Fruit Mountain attends a party but is refused entrance because he isn't wearing shoes. This rejection spurs a quest for identity and power that leads to martial arts, battles with the creator of the universe, and a very long curse.

STORY #2 - Chinese American boy Jin Wang has moved to a new school and wants to fit in. The friends he makes and the girl he pursues help solidify the feeling he has that he is different and might never assimilate. He and the new boy Wei Chen Sun bond over Jin's Transformer toy, highlighting the proverb that "it's easy to become anything you wish, so long as you're willing to forfeit your soul."

STORY #3 - Danny's cousin Chin-Kee comes to stay with him and attends his school for a couple of weeks. The conflict he brings is one of the funniest parts of the novel. Answering all the questions in class, peeing in friends' drinks, eating dead cats for lunch, and speaking with the stereotypical accent are just the beginning.

A modern fable of greed, pride, and belonging, AMERICAN BORN CHINESE is worth the quick read. While I'm not convinced it deserved honors above THE BOOK THIEF or THE ASTONISHING LIFE OF OCTAVIAN NOTHING: TRAITOR TO A NATION, the award does give credence to graphic novels as a valid literary genre. It's a solid book, an enjoying read, and a welcomed addition to the young adult literature.

--- Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens