The document is a graphic novel titled "American Born Chinese" by Gene Yang. It contains three intertwining stories: one about a Chinese-American student named Jin Wang trying to fit in at a new school, one about the Monkey King from Chinese folklore, and one about a Chinese cousin named Chin-Kee who is a negative stereotype that embarrasses his cousin Danny. These stories come together with an unexpected twist at the end of the graphic novel.

1. BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 9999 06264 228 3
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2. us $19.95 /CAN $21.95
All Jin Wang wants is to fit in.
When his family moves to a new
neighborhood, he suddenly finds
J that he's the only Chinese-American
student at his school. Jocks and bullies pick on
him constantly, and he has hardly any firiends.
Then, to make matters worse, he falls in love
with an ail-American girl. .
,
4
orn to rule over all the monkeys in
the world, the story of the Monkey
King is one of the oldest and
greatest Chinese fables. Adored by
his subjects, master of the arts of kung-fu, he is
the most powerful monkey on earth. But the
Monkey King doesn't want to be a monkey. He
wants to be hailed as a god. .
^#^ hin-Kee is the ultimate negative
W W Chinese stereotype, and he's ruining
H , his cousin Danny's life. Danny's a
iJk^^J basketball player, a popular kid at
school, but every year Chin-Kee comes to visit,
and every year Danny has to transfer to a new
school to escape the shame. This year, though,
things quickly go from bad to worse. .
These three apparently unrelated tales come
together with an unexpected twist, in a modern
fable that is hilarious, poignant, and action-
packed. American Born Chinese is an amazing
ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax
and confirms what a growing number of readers
already know: Gene Yang is a major talent.
0906

4. Digitized by the Internet Arciiive
in 2012
littp://arcliive.org/details/americanborncliinOOgene

5. I
I
Tint ^ftend
NEW YORK & LONDON

6. To Ma,
for her stories of the Monkey King
And Ba,
for his stories of Ah-Tong, the Taiwanese village boy

11. SOON fiFTBR, HE PURGED FLOWe^-FRUTT
ffOJNTAlN OF THE Tf66R- SPlRfT THAT H/V
HAUNTED IT FOf^ CENTURIES,
_4 HEESTA8i,ISHEDHISWN600M/VviD
MONKEYS ff^Om THE FOUR COf^BPS
Of THE WORLD FL0CK6D TO HIM.

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msr-tJice-usHTNiNS
=h rf
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p ^
oisciPt-mernRee.
Hew6N£i senses
11

14. 12

15. B^^lsP^a
s^ PWROON/y^65IR,BUT ^
/VI6HT you STBP THIS WAX M
^^ FOR A AAOMENT?
^^^
i
@L^^ OH, I'M ^^^^^^^^^
13

16. H

17. THE /V^ONKEY KI/VJ(3
WAS THOROUGHLY
emsARRASseo.
H£ WAS SO E/VaARRA5SeO, IN
fact; THAT HE ALMOST LEFT
WITHOUT SAYIN6 A WORD.
15

18. BUT ON SaCONO THOUGKr,
HE DBOOED THAT PERHAPS
SA/IN6 Of^ WORD WOULD
IVAi<B Him FEEL BETTER.
16

19. 17

20. 18

21. 19

22. 20

25. MY MOTHER ONCB TOLD mS
AN OLD CHINESE Ffif^ABLB.
< EVERY DAY WHEN THE SON FLfiifBO, HB
PRETENDED TO BUY AND SELL STICKS
HE FOUND ON THE STREET, HAG6LIN6
OVER FP.CBS WITH HIS FRIENDS. >
< THE MOTHER
DECIDED
TO IVa/B. >
< THEY SETTLED INTO A HOUSE NEXT TO
A C6A6T6Ry. NOW WHEN THE SON
PLAYED HE BOflNBO INCENSE STICKS AND
SANG S0N6S TO OBfiD ANCESTORS. >
< THE MOTHER
DECIDED TO
MOVE A6AIN. >
23

26. < SHE FOUND A HOfVB ACROSS THE
ROAD fRON A t/NfVeRS fTy. THE SON
NOW SPENT ALL HIS FREE-TIME READING
BOO<S A30)T MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE,
AND HISTORY. >
"H SHE FINISHED THE STORY AS WE PULLED
UP TO OUR NEW HO[)Sa.
2'i

27. MY PfiRBNTS /^RIVED IN PA^€RICA AT
THE SAME AIRPORT WITHIN A WEEK OF
BACH OTHER.
I FOR TUITION MONEY, /I
MOTHER WORKED AT /
1 CANNERY.
!lPif^"^^M
JR* ^ ^^H
^
<^^ r^ (i ^1z;^^
MY FATHER ^^M
S0LDWI6S ^H
DOOR-TO- B^H
DOOR. wm^
-3
EVENTUALLY, MY FATHER BBCAmB AN ENGINEER
AND MY MOTHER A LIBRARIAN. JUST BEFORE
I WAS BORN, THEY MOVED INTO AN APARTMENT
NEAR SAN FRANCISCO CHmPTTOWN. WE STAYED
THERE FOR NINE YEARS.
25

28. r r
THERE WAS A GROUP Of BOiS AROUND MY A6E
THAT IWJED IN THE SAME COWPlBt.
THEy CAME OVER OH SATURDAY MORNINGS TO
WATCH CPRIOOHS. (OUR APARTMENT BEIN6 OH
THE TOP FLOOR, HAD THE BEST RECBPTON.)
(
AFTERWARDS, WE WOULD STA6E EPIC BATTLES
THAT LEFT OUR TOYS SMELLING LIKE SPIT
9—Vxr^M
^jy
if^%4@^
P
/^^^''^^M^/ /i^ )
^Ai^^^Aii^V/V^J^ iX
^
^ ^"^^">>^:^^^tJtf^T /^
moKl^m ^1
26

29. n ui III
EVERY SUNDAY mOTHER USED TO VISIT THE CHINESE HERBALIST JUST fiflOUNO
THE CORNER FOR HER ALLERGIES. SHE WOULD ALWAYS TAKE ME AL0N6.
27

30. /TW /^<OH,I >y
/P^<i^^^^ /WOULDN'T 36
a^ r^^^) / SO SURE ABOUT
W'^V
1 THAT. I'M 60IN6 |
) I TO LET you IN ON 1
.^t w^ VAS6CR67; LITTLE/
^^BL it-c
^_^>^^^
FRIEND: > /
^«S
"""^ ^
28

31. 29

32. ON THE mORNIN6 /AFTER WE ARRIVED, WITH THE SCENT OF OUR OLP HOME
STILL LINC3ERIN6 IN DM CLOTHES, I WAS SENT OFF TO IYP,S. BREEDER'S THIRD
6RADE AT /VWYFLOWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
30

33. W^^ NOW Be
^K Nrc6, Timmr!
> JIN DOESN'T JKKm
r
I^DOTHATI^^IIIII
r / IN FACT. ^^^B
/ JIN'S FAMILY ^H
f PROBABLY WB
STOPPBD THAT bI
1
—^
'
—
S0RT0FTHIN6
i.
AS SOON AS THEY f|||
h CAME TO THE t/k
P G !3mV UNITED JH
sH ik STATES! j^H
^X^^^XmI^^^^^IH
—rO~w<vI IHS^^^^^^^^H
*^ W/'^'^^ ^^^I^^^^^^^^^H
^^^^^kh ^ i9^R^H^^H
^:::^^^lJ> f^^^^H
m
q WHEN THE CLASS FINALLY f6[)9JED OUT
THAT WE WEREN'T RELATED, RUMORS
BBGf^ TO CIRCULATE THAT SUZY AND I
WERE ARRANGED TO BB /VARRIED OH HER
^ THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY.
J"
WE AVOIDED EACH OTHER
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
—
r
31

34. i^^aS^Sy^^ jI^'^
Tt'/, fA—^^S^SttT
^
^^-1^ -1 -^^-Hiy^^ul
32

35. 33

36. ABOUT THREE MONTHS LATER,
: /WADE /Vy FIRST FRIEND AT
^ mAYFLOWER ELEMENTARY:
P6T6R GARB/NSKY HE WAS A
FIFTH 6PWDER.
rr^^ ^c^w^
3*/

37. <^
' AND "ters 86 jews." we usually
H/3D TO STEAL AN ITEM OR TWO FROM
/VWS. GARBINSKY'S DRESSER DRAWER
FOR THIS GA/WE.
LLY I
ER
JUST BEFORE WINTER BR6AK DURING MY FIFTH 6RADE YEAR
(PETER WAS IN SIXTH), PETER TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO
1/ISIT HIS FATHER IN PENNSYLVANIA "THE FmGGW OOVeW-
mENT FINALLY CAME TO ITS FRIGGIN' SENSES/ HE SAID
HH
W WHEN WINTER BREAK WAS OVER,
PETER NEVER CAME BACK.
35

38. 36

39. 37

40. f. . . EH . /N
V WHOr V ^^ V.
>^3' ^
W^
(^ 4
jl
A^/ 1 , ^y
^ '^
n
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/ y'L^dTx ^JS^^.^"^
MArrtKX /
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38

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/w
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y^vS:?
^mA / ^p^lj^
/<what
that? > 1 [robot. >J
J/ ^O^^Sy—
Jt^^^^^^-w
// ^y-(^ y^ / < my ^v
J / FATHER GAVE
^0 >" / IT TO /VE JUST
J BEFORE I LEFT 1
C> y4r:::i. as a good-bye /
PRESENT > /
39

42. HO

45. m
H2

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11

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5I6H, ^;--
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49. lU
^^--^
f DANNY, >i
f
f WHO'S COUSIN V C
cHiN-Keer' y N ^
/^nJ
(J^~^
V
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^m. 'F^ i <^^ ^^^^^^
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51. m
19

52. tm
/ CONFUCIUS SAY, ^
'
—
.
X ^ /
1
/J'7Vj^M'/Vi/''/ijfc/"/il/
50

53. 51

54. M
I?2^2;SEHi<a2;g^i^a;Sr5i^2;grs^^
52

57. I //
THE MORNING AFTER THE DINNER RARTV THE
MONKEY KIN6 ISSUED A DECREE THROUGHOUT
ALL OF FLOWER-FRUIT MOUNTAIN:
Att moNKeys mUST
W6PR SHOES.
55

58. HE Are AND
D«ANK
NOTHING.
56

59. AFTBR FORTY DAYS, HE ACHeVEO THE FOUR
/mJOR OfSaPUNBS of INVULNBRf^BILiry.
' ./-
/OISCIPUNB ONa:
rORRB x^^
BlM
/oisciPUNarwo .
iNvuLNeRABictry
rococo /
57

60. ^ QISCIPCINe POUR: ^
„ SHfiPeSHIFT
p
58

61. ^ / YOUR / 5IRe/
^v^ / mAJESTY / ON THE
LOOKS f FIR5TNI6HT OF
m DfFF6R6NT YOUR SeCLUSON,
. soive- 1 THE WINDS
w) vri^
CARRIED THIS ]
i DOWN FROm 1
V /i^ ll
fM
V^
y|
-rl
/^ NEW^
I HAIRCUT? i
^>^
^^keyKing
59

62. m.M^
^K^^kmC,
/ yummy ^
I BANANA! J
60

63. 61

64. I."^*^t
%
^ /VY APOLOGIES ^
FOR NOT SENDING
sofveoNe to fisv^sr
you IN PERSON, BUT
FRANKLY NONE OF THE
6005 WANTED TO 60
ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR
js,^^ MOUNTAIN. ^
-v^fviOTHING^^
7 PBP^SONAL' WE ^
( JUST ^BN'T
k PARTICULARLY FOND ,
0FFLBf^S^y^
f1
r
i^
^
)
V^NOW LET'S
( GET THIS OVER ^
gj AND DONE WITH, j
^kSHALL wery
1
* /i
^y^ITi
WjP"
%.
C (
62

65. 63

66. Sf

67. 1 . . , VAAW, CfiRE'TAKER Of THE UNDERWORLD . . . 1
^^^Ht^^^fl
n
TTT
. . . AND TH6 JAD6 Erf^PBROR, RULER OF
THE CELESTIALS.
65

68. 66

69. SOON /AFTER, THE 60D5, THE eOOOBSSBS, THE DEMONS, ^^t^ THE SPIRITS GATHERED BEFORE
THE UON, THE OX, THE HUtf^AN, AND THE efl6t6, E/VIS5/V?IES OF T26-yO-T2.(;H.'
A-^ ^
,^P . /WEWILL ^3^
{ REL/V YOUR ^ /JTCJa
/ V REOUEST^^^^^^^ ^
fZ/ (^^^^hV
J/m^^^^^m W
// "^
T^ [(o^Jm^^ TI^^Bmnv^^A^
i^|SE55fx^
iHiir
67

70. 63

71. 69

72. 70

73. 71

74. 1 HE aew PAST THE PLANETS AND THE 5T/V^5. H
•
• •
•
'M,p
— ^m
^^^— fl^^^^^^
V^^J^tmwMm Jl^>^S^^^Z ^A
^^^
.m^^^ •
HE FLEW THROUGH THE BOUNDARIES
B HE FLEW PAST THE ED6ES Of THE UNfV6RS6.
. W. ^" ^
^_
fc
.^^P A Ik<=^
.. ^''^^4ir
H^^^F ^ K
L
72

75. THBRB, AT THE END Of ALL THAT
15, THE 6REAT SAGE CAME UPON
FIVePIUARSOFGOtD.
T
^
73

76. NEVSP. ONE TO MISS OUT ON A
CHANCE FOR RECOGNITION, THE
6REAT S/A6E CARVED HIS NAME
INTO ONE Of THE PILLARS,
IH

77. THEN HE RELIEVED HIMSELF.
(IT HAD BEEN AN AWFULLY
L0N6 TRIP.)
75

78. I
r
76

79. 77

81. 79

82. EVEN
ATTHECND
OFAttTHAT
fS, my HAND
15 THERE,
HOLome you
FAST,
IT WAS I WHO
FORMED yOUR IN/MOST
BEING, I WHO KNIT you
T0(3ETHER IN THE W0IVB OF
THAT ROCK. I IYADe iOU WITH
AW6 AND WONDER, FOR
WONDERFUL ARE Att
OF /Vy WORKS,
80

83. 81

84. 32

85. Pi "r^" .
83

86. rO-.^^ /^
/^ K.
TZ6-yO-TZUH BURIED THE /V0NK6y KIN6
sj _) /~. c UNDER A mOUNTAIN OF ROCK AND SET
^V'^^x V*^ ^^v-v A SEAL OVER Hl/V TO PREVENT HIM fRON
m
EXERCISING Km6-f).
THE l^O^KB'f KIN6 STAYED THERE
i ^-
^^L^Kv^
FOR FIVE HOHORBO YEARS.
_e"
-^^ QC^
i^^S^^MaAa A
1
r /W^
^^
%
Y_T_X
X:^m—
1>^ ^v_^y^N,/-i^5^^^^-^^^ '-^
^•jpPv (""y V^_/"^^^^^^^^
V "-'^^T^^
"^ . -
.
- .
^ _..
8f

89. EVEN THOUGH WE'D SEEN IN SCHOOL TOGETHER
SINCE THE THIRD GRADE, I NEl^ER NOTICED
A/VELIA HARRIS UNTIL ONE HUMID AFTERNOON
.
IN MR. KIRK'S SEVENTH GRADE ENGLISH CLASS.
1 1 CD
/ffl
1^ ^ p
V' 5
m
>TtvAT 0^3^!^^
37

90. %
38

91. I PONOERBO THESE THIN65 BY MySELF FOR A
FULL MONTH BEFORE TELLIN6 WEI-CHEN.
89

92. 90

93. PIif^^^^r NOW, FOR ^^^^H
^^^^^ THBOUPADONOF ^^M
^^m THEIR VISIT Cimi55«A ^^1
f
^V AND CO/VF/V^y WILL ^H
^B NFFP TWO STUDENT ^H
J^H DUTIES WILL INCLUDE ^H
^^^ STAYIN^/Vn-ER ^H
^^^ SCHOOL TO FEED ^M
^^^^L THEM AND CH>AN6E ^^H
j^^^^^THEIR WATER^^^H
^^^f^ THERE WILL, ^^^B
JH OF COURSE, BE EXTRA ^H
Jx'^m CREDIT INVOLVED. ANy ^H
y-^^^^^^L VOLUNTEERS?" ^^^k
WHAT FOR,
/ A/VELlAr' you CAN
PET /Vy LIZARD ANY
91

94. 92

95. IgkjtJ
^ ^ ;
^ ^G^ /ggj^^^==^^^^ /ru
fi.
0^4^ '
#) j^i^^
^}-vi(>^«^^ ._>tW 'i^
1^^^1^
l^^nl^
d'^ ^L^ssSSB^'HH
93

96. 9"/

97. 95

98. 96

99. 97

100. 9'8

101. 99

102. /where /
-( /V?E THE PINKY W
THEY SHOULD
BE IN THERE. DID you V^
CHECK BEHIND TH/AT IT
BI6 BOX OF BUN5EN ZL^
. BURNERSf y^:^
'ykii
o
^
w^ HIHIH^ ^^^^^^H
m kJh
/5EE^
( HERE THEY )
V ARB.y
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f
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pw]
1
fffffffl fefil
ITffffT!
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1
[ nr u ^=
terllPi uUMIta^
100

103. ^ YOU'RE^7 YE5.JINI5 B
PRETTY 1
mYVERY V^
600D B6ST FRIEND. K.
FRIEN05 I OWE JIN /
WITH HIM,
J
.VERY fWCH.y
J
AREN'T i ^> .«_-_^^^^^£
Kj^ iOu^A
W^i^f
Ofe*
vrW^^WHAT DO YOU
J
/J
tM^V«AN^
101

104. BUT MY FIRST DAY IN
SCHOOL HERB I MEET JIN
FROfV THEN I KNOW EVERY-
THtN6'5 OKAY. HE TREAT /VE LIKE
A LITTLE BROTHER, SHOW ME HOW
THIN6S WORK IN A/VERICA. HE HELP
WITH /VY ENGLISH. HE TEACH ME
HIP ENGLISH PHRASE LIKE 't?ONT
HAVE A COW, MAN" AND "WORD
OF YOUR-" NO, NO
"WORDTOyOUR
/y^0TH6R." HA HA. HE TAKE ME
TO Mc DONALD'S AND BUY fm FRENCH
FRES. r THINK SOMETIMES MY ACCENT
EMBAP^RASS HIM, BUT JIN STILL WILLING
TO BE MY FRIEND. IN ACTUALITY,
FOR A LONG, LONG TIME MY
ONLY FRIEND IS HIM.
102

105. I I
r WAITED FOR WEI-CHEN fOf^ ALMOST
AN HOUR BBfORB FI6URIN6 IT OUT.
IT TOOK me ANOTHER FIFTEEN MINUTES
TO CONJNCe MR. /W: 6R0UL TO OPBN THE
aOLoey Room for me.
103

106. 1 I OPENED THE SUPPLY CLOSET 1
1 AS QUICKLV AS I COULD. |
^^H
^^^^^^H
r
EVERYTHING AFTER THAT,
FOR SO/VE REASON, WAS
A BLUR.
T
I RE/V£/VBER WEI-CHEN WHISPERING
SO/VETHING IN /VY EAR.
,.'-—-.
/ A6AINISA ^ /''"^fcX-^
I CHANCE FOR iOOR ^
(
0l.w1S^
• LIFETIME! Ji
>J^^^^^^ - *> ''li^^ ^^^^BA
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107. 105

108. 106

111. 109

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113. I
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114. 1
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CO
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eu
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/THE NINAA
[ TH6PINTA, ]
AND THE' /
<
rVft/^i /
r'
Ik^j> J . .<^
( ^
plJlh
( Jh-^ —
[J t^H 9!
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^^HV 15 CONNECTED WSU 1
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112

115. -Zo7
,2-3,32
KTAMTTf
Vc.?/3
^f EN E5TA
f HISTORIA, £
1 PERRO DE
i
A
ik^M F"
^
ESPA^AH ^^"
:;
hiAKwvm^
113

116. IH

117. Z' V
HEY, PROPS ON mAKINC3
THE LEOEND/V^Y OLIPHANT ]
HI6H VARSITY BASKETBALL /
^^ TEA^^, KID' >^ / ]-
'd V y
^COWc. OH^
NON. WE BOTH V^ /
KiMEW IT WAS
U/}^
i^J
INEVITABLE, i
vH i^^H
k^y ^^^ 1
1^^^
te^i'
^
/^ WELL, BEING AS HOW
^ YOURE A TRANSFER FROPA
HUQHSS ACAD6A^y, IP SAY IT WAS
AN'YTHIN6 BUT INEVITABLE. WHAT
WERE YOU SCRUBS CALLED
A6AIN^ THE "WATER LILIES.^'
IVE GOT A JU/VF-
SHOT THAT'LL MAKE
YOU CRY LIKE A
LITTLE SISSY GIRL
HA^HA^HAwHAwHA^HAZHAYHAlHA
115

118. Ul
^^ ^^^%l
Hi£
1 ^=^
->^
^^^^1%^^^^
^'f/^^Srp^
^^^jL,
116

119. 117

120. Ul
118

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119

122. 120

123. lU
121

124. 122

125. n|^H
m^ WHATEVER^^^^^H
Pl^iiH^l^l
123

126. u
m

127. m
us

128. W^- 5I6H. '.'i^^^^^^H
^^^1
^^" EVERY YEAR "^^^^^^^^H
1^ AROUND THIS Tl/V^£. ^^^^^^^^^^H
V I FINALLY START 1 ^^^^^^^^^^^H
m eerjiNG the hang
'
^^^^^^^^^^^1
OF THINGS, YOU ^^pHB^^^I
KNOW? IVE MADE ^^^^^^H
1 SOME FRIENDS, GOTTEN
K ^M
1 A HANDLE ON /VY
1 SCHOOLWORK, E/EN W 1
1 STARTED TALKING TO -— - " ^
^ SO/VE OF THE LADIES, i
1 ~ ~^^
^L I FINALLY START i
u/ '*^
^
^^ COMING INTO M
^^^ /V^VOWN. ^fl ^' -^1
^o /
mr/M
126

129. HE C0/V£5 FOR A WEEK OR y
TWO AND FOLLOWS ME TO
SCHOOL, TALKING HIS STUPID
TALK AND EATIN(3 HIS
STUPID FOOD
E/V6AR
RASSIN6
CRflPOUT
t
(
1
^ ,
A
^{7f ^71||^B
L M^
''**9—^'^N f^^y^lH bBI^h
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^TV^Vv
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m11
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127

130. 128

131. 129

132. m
130

135. IN ALL OP ANTIQUITy, ONLY FOUR IWNKS
evea achieved teceNDARy status.
/
/I
D
3/
^
r .- :^^^^
^^
/
133

136. THE FIRST WAS CHI OM, WHO FOCUSED SO
SIN6ULAPy,y ON HIS /VeDITATIONS THAT HIS
BOOY BECAME AS ST0N6.
THE SECOND WAS JIN6 5i6, WHO FASTED FOR
FOURTEEN /VONTHS, SMIRKING IN THE FACE Of
06ATH FOR THE LAST THREE.
THE THIRD WAS JIANG TAG, WHOSE SERMONS
WERE Of SUCH ELOQUENCE THAT EVEN THE
BPM800 WEPT IN REPENTANCE.
THE FOURTH WAS WONG LAl-TSAO, WHO WAS
RATHER UNREIVAf^ABLE BY AIL ACCOUNTS.
13V

137. SNONG LAI-T5A0 COUIO NOT MEDITATE
FOR IWf^ THAN TWENTY MINUTES WITHOUT
oevBLOPme an itch in his seat.
IF HE FASTED FOR MORE THAN HALF A DAY, HE
WOULD FAINT.
135

138. 136

139. 137

140. 138

141. 139

142. IfO

143. THE NEXT IWfWN6, ^0N6 LAI-T5A0 ROSE WITH THE
SUN AND SET OFF ON HIS miSSION.
/^"A_^^ ^^
.':::—"^r^_ ^^—^
^^^
—
2^^^^Kn-^::::::^->_--^=^BkC^
T. r^'^—^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >^ .
—
„^ ^^^^^B" .-i^^^^L. x^ r~^^^^^^^A
- -^
^m
HI

144. IH2

145. AFTER FORTY DAYS' JOURNEY, W0N6 LAI-T5A0 FINALLY
CA/Ve UPON THE MOUNTAIN OF THE /VONKEY KING.
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165. my MOTHER ONCe EXPLAINED TO ME WHY SHE
CHOSe TO MARRY MY FATHER. ^Of ALL THE PhD.
5TUDENT5 AT THE UNIVERSITY, HE HAD THE
THICKEST classes; SHE SAID.
"THICK GLASSES /VEANT L0N6 HOURS OF
STUDYING. LONG HOURS OF STUDYING MEANT
A STRONG NORK ETHIC.
163

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ACTORS' NAMES, OR EVEN THE TITLE, BUT
THAT WAS THE BEST mOVIE I EVER SAW.
166
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FORTUNATELy, CHARLIE HAD SOME
ADVICE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR
ISSUE, TOO.
168
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THE NEXT mORNINe.
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^^^1 Ml^ / MINUTES INTO THE PARTY, X LAUREN AND HER X
^^^1F^^^ / THOUGH, I FIGURED OUT f NEW FRIENDS HAD THEIR
^^1 a « ^ / THAT LAUREN DIDNT ACTUALLY OWN THING eo^e, so I
I ^^1 ^^ 1 INVITE ME. HER /VOm WANTED SPENT THE REST OF THE J
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yOUR /VWND?! >/
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IT WAS, AFTER ALL, THE TRUTH.
192

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198. 196

199. 197

200. 198

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SOON, /Vy eiDEST SON ASPIRED TO FOLLOW
IN my FOOTSTEPS AND BBCOf^B MEMISSARY
216

219. "
FOR HIS reST OF VIRTUE, WB-CHBN WAS
ASKED TO LI^E IN THE MORTAL WORLD FOR
FORTY YEARS, ALL THE WHILE REMAINING
FREEOFHU/VV^NWCe."
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222. 220

223. 221

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225. you KNOW, JIN, I
WOULD HAVE SAVED /MYSELF
FROM Five HUNORBO YBf^RS'
l/VPRfSONm€NT BENEATH
A f^OUNT^m Of ROCK HAD I
ONLV REALIZED HOW GOOD IT
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234. ^ J / <THETEA
^1^^^ / / ITSELF HAS AN
/ OILY TASTE, LIKE
1
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(gv^V^^f FRYING SOME-
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237. rdc 6r?J

238. New York & London
Copyright © 2006 by Gene Yang
Published by First Second
First Second is an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings
Limited Partnership
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
All rights reserved.
Distributed in Canada by H. B. Fenn and Company Ltd.
Distributed in the United Kingdom by Macmillan Children's Books, a division of Pan Macmillan.
Design by Danica Novgorodoff
Chinese chops by Guo Ming Chen
She Bangs
By AfanasiefF & Child
© 2000 Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, Wall>'world Music, Desmundo Music, Warner
Tamerlane Pub. Corp., A Phantom Vox Publishing. All rights on behalf of
Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, Wallyworld Music and Desmundo Music, administered by
Sony/ATV Music Publishing, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All
rights reserved. Used by permission.
Librar)' of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Yang, Gene.
American born Chinese / Gene Yang ; coloring by Lark Pien
p. cm.
Summar)-: Alternates three interrelated stories about the problems of young Chinese Americans
tr)'ing to participate in the popular culture. Presented in comic book format.
ISBN-13: 978-159643-152-2
ISBN-10: 1-59643-152-0
COLLECTOR'S EDITION
ISBN-13: 978-1-59643-208-6
ISBN-10: 1-59643-208-X
[I.Chinese Americans—^Juvenile Fiction. 2. Chinese Americans—Fiction. 3. Identirv^—Fiction. 4.
Schools—Fiction. 5. Cartoons and comics. j I. Title
PZ7.K678337 Am 2006
[Fie] dc22
2005058105
First Second books are available for special promotions and premiums.
For details, contact: Director of Special Markets, Holtzbrinck Publishers.
FIRST
First Edition September 2006
Printed in the USA
Paperback: 10 Hardcover: 109876543

239. Thank You
Theresa Kim Yang
Kolbe Kim Yang
Jon Yang
Derek Kirk Kim
Lark Pien
Mark Siegel
Judy Hansen
Danica NovgorodofF
Thien Pham
Jesse Hamm
Jason Shiga
Jesse Reklaw
Andy Hartzell
Joey Manley
Alan Davis
Rory Root
Albert Olson Hong
Shauna Olson Hong
Hank Lee
Pin Chou
Jacon Chun
Jonathan Crawford
Jess Delegencia
Susi Jensen

240. ^
'

241. Also By Gene Yang
Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks
Loyola Chin and the San Peiigran Order
The Rosary Comic Book
The Motherless One

243. ene Yang began drawing comic
books in the fiftli grade. In 1997,
he received the Xeric Grant, a
prestigious comics industry grant,
for Gordon Yamamoto and the King ofthe Geeks,
his first comics work as an aduk. He has since
written and drawn a number of titles, including
Duncans Kingdom (with art by Derek Kirk Kim)
and The Rosary Comic Book.
He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with
his lovely wife, Theresa, and son, Kolbe, and
teaches computer science at a Roman Catholic
high school.
Jacket art © 2006 by Gene Yang
Jacket design by Danica Novgorodojf
Printed in the United States ofAmerica
NEW YORK & LONDON
Klvh'^'fTKXtXccorTJtootx.corh

244. "As an Asian American, American Born
Chinese is the book I've been waiting for
all my life." — Derek Kirk Kim
^t"LikeToni Morrison's The Bluest Eye a.nd
Laurence Yep's Dragonwings^ [American
Born Chinese] explores the impact of the
American Dream on those outside the
dominant culture in a finely wrought
story." — School Library Journal,
starred review
.r c
''[American Born Chinese] is more than just the story of a Chinese-
American childhood: it's a fable for every kid born into a body
and a life they wished they could escape."
— Publisher's Weekly
4
"... brilliantly written and designed, sophisticated and wise."
—The Miami Herald
". . . one of the most powerful and entertaining works of
literature to be published this year . .
."
— San Francisco Chronicle
Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award
National Book Award finalist
Araerican Library Association Best Book for Young Adults,
Top Ten List i
Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year ^^
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Booklist Editors' Choice Book
San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year
NPR Holiday Pick
amazon.com Best Graphic Novel/Comic of the Year
4
ISBN-13: 978-1-59643-152-2
ISBN-10: 1-59643-152-0
51 795
9 781596"431522