American Born Chinese

This is one of the first graphic novels I have read, and I enjoyed it. It was very interesting to follow the characters and plot through pictures as well as through text. I feel sure there is a place for graphic novels in the classroom. Some students will find a more accessible connection, and may find it easier to follow the story, as they follow the story visually as well as through the words. The story itself was great for showing the struggle of characters who are different from others or are new to a culture. There were also some great points for dealing with prejudice, shame, and the difficulty of making friends. I am one of those readers who rarely looks ahead and is often happily surprised by twists in story lines, so I was really pleased at the way the three story lines combined at the end. I can't help compare it to the Sherman Alexie story we just read, and American Born Chinese comes up a bit short there. But truly, comparing the works is unfair and this book has a place with possibly different students. Also, the themes are important and bare repeating in different ways. I will be looking at other graphic novels with the idea of including them in my classroom library.