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Everything you could possibly want to know about the novel American Born Chinese is located on this website. Learn about the author / illustrator and the growing popularity and use of graphic novels in the classroom. Gets overviews of important sections and characters by referencing the background information and themes pages on the website. If you're a teacher, student, or want to learn some of the ins and outs of leading a discussion on this book, check out sections like the thematic unit, resource, and discussion question sections with information created and assembled by myself from many different sources.
Most of this information is can be found in many convenient locations on the website as well as in PDF form. (NOTE: The PDFs will appear barely readable when they are first opened. Download the PDF to your computer and it will look as it should.)
Most of this information is can be found in many convenient locations on the website as well as in PDF form. (NOTE: The PDFs will appear barely readable when they are first opened. Download the PDF to your computer and it will look as it should.)
Book summary / back of book
THREE VERY DIFFERENT CHARACTERS,
ONE SIMPLE GOAL:
TO FIT IN.
Jin Wang starts a new school here he's the only Chinese-American student. When a boy from Taiwan joins his class, Jin doesn't want to be associated with an FOB like him. Jin just wants to be an all-American boy, because he's in love with an all-American girl. Danny is an all-American boy: great at basketball, popular with girls. But his obnoxious Chinese cousin Chin-Kee's annual visit is such a disaster that it ruins Danny's reputation at school, leaving him with no chose but to transfer somewhere he can start over again. The Monkey King has lived for thousands of years and masted the arts of Kung Fu and the heavenly disciplines. He's ready to join the ranks of the immortal gods in heaven. But there's no place in heaven for a monkey. Each of these characters cannot help himself alone, but how can they possibly help each other? They're going to have to find a way--if they want to fix the disasters their lives have become.
book trailerThe author (Gene Luen Yang) and other graphic novelists, librarians, and readers talk about their experiences in readjng or in Yang's case, creating the book.
The book is largely autobiographical and Yang states that developing this book was a way for him to work-out the personal issues he has as a Chinese American. ASK YOURSELF: In what ways to you think you may relate to the struggles or themes in this book? Which characters do you find yourself identifying most with? |
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works cited
"American Born Chinese." America.gov. 22 August 2011. 12 June 2013. <http://www.youtube.com
/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=erL93NZOl1Q>. YouTube video.
"Enjoy!" in Chinese. Orbit Chinese. 12 June 2013. <http://www.orbitchinese.com/symbols/phrases/enjoy>. JPEG file.
"Hannah" in Chinese. About.com. 12 June 2013. <http://chineseculture.about.com/library/name/female
/na_hannah.htm>. JPEG file.
McKinney, Hannah. "Hannah cartoon." 2013. 12 June 2013. JPEG file.
McKinney, Hannah. "That's me!" 2013. 12 June 2013. JPEG file.
Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. 2006. First Second, 2006.
Yang, Gene Luen. "American Born Chinese book cover." 2006. Gene Luen Yang official website. 12 June 2013.
<http://geneyang.com/american-born-chinese>. JPEG file.
Yang, Gene Luen. "Panel of The Monkey King." 2006. Google Books. 12 June 2013. <http://books.google.com
/books?id=nihoSwMJLGMC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false>. JPEG file.
/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=erL93NZOl1Q>. YouTube video.
"Enjoy!" in Chinese. Orbit Chinese. 12 June 2013. <http://www.orbitchinese.com/symbols/phrases/enjoy>. JPEG file.
"Hannah" in Chinese. About.com. 12 June 2013. <http://chineseculture.about.com/library/name/female
/na_hannah.htm>. JPEG file.
McKinney, Hannah. "Hannah cartoon." 2013. 12 June 2013. JPEG file.
McKinney, Hannah. "That's me!" 2013. 12 June 2013. JPEG file.
Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. 2006. First Second, 2006.
Yang, Gene Luen. "American Born Chinese book cover." 2006. Gene Luen Yang official website. 12 June 2013.
<http://geneyang.com/american-born-chinese>. JPEG file.
Yang, Gene Luen. "Panel of The Monkey King." 2006. Google Books. 12 June 2013. <http://books.google.com
/books?id=nihoSwMJLGMC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false>. JPEG file.