An eminently readable, consciousness-raising U.S. history told from a fresh perspective.
This adaptation of Lee’s The Making of Asian America (2015) fills a considerable gap in American history.
Historian Lee and Soontornvat, an acclaimed author for young people, establish the relevance of their work by opening with recent events: examples of everyday anti-Asian racism experienced by contemporary teens, the escalation of hate crimes during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the absence of Asian American history in school curricula. They then jump back to the 13th-century Western fascination with the “Orient” and the evolution of these attitudes. This context lays the groundwork for understanding the perceptions of Asian Americans as “other,” a running theme alongside issues such as the continual struggle for civil rights and the broad range of diverse experiences within Asian America. While the book covers events in roughly chronological order, some chapters explore broader topics—the model minority myth and evolving perceptions of Asian women, for example. The authors present many well-known events (Japanese American incarceration, the 1992 L.A. Koreatown riots) through the lens of ordinary young people; these relatable narratives create a compelling tapestry of stories, and the rich photos offer additional context. The authors’ resonant message is that “Asian American history is not made up of one single story. It’s many. And it’s a story that you have to know if you want to understand the history of America.”
An eminently readable, consciousness-raising U.S. history told from a fresh perspective. (authors’ notes, source notes, bibliography, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 9-14)Pub Date: April 30, 2024
ISBN: 9780063242937
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
PERSPECTIVES
Deftly written and informative; a call for vigilance and equality.
An examination of the history of Chinese American experiences.
Blackburn opens with a note to readers about growing up feeling invisible as a multicultural, biracial Chinese American. She notes the tremendous diversity of Chinese American history and writes that this book is a starting point for learning more. The evenly paced narrative starts with the earliest recorded arrival of the Chinese in America in 1834. A teenage girl, whose real name is unknown, arrived in New York Harbor with the Carnes brothers, merchants who imported Chinese goods and put her on display “like an animal in a circus.” The author then examines shifting laws, U.S. and global political and economic climates, and changing societal attitudes. The book introduces the highlighted people—including Yee Ah Tye, Wong Kim Ark, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, and Vincent Chen—in relation to lawsuits or other transformative events; they also stand as examples for explaining concepts such as racial hierarchy and the model minority myth. Maps, photos, and documents are interspersed throughout. Chapters close with questions that encourage readers to think critically about systems of oppression, actively engage with the material, and draw connections to their own lives. Although the book covers a wide span of history, from the Gold Rush to the rise in anti-Asian hate during the Covid-19 pandemic, it thoroughly explains the various events. Blackburn doesn’t shy away from describing terrible setbacks, but she balances them with examples of solidarity and progress.
Deftly written and informative; a call for vigilance and equality. (resources, bibliography, image credits) (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780593567630
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
A retro yet timeless story of family and identity.
Martín brings his successful Mexikid Stories online comic series to print.
Living in California’s Central Coast as a first-generation Mexican American, Pedro (or the “American-style” Peter) struggles to find his place. As an American kid growing up in the 1970s, he loves Star Wars and Happy Days but dislikes the way his five oldest siblings, who were born in Mexico, make him feel less Mexican just because he and the three other younger siblings were born after his parents immigrated to the U.S. to work picking strawberries. A family trip to Jalisco to bring their abuelito back to California to live with them presents Pedro with an opportunity to get in touch with his roots and learn more about the places his family calls home. Told from Pedro’s perspective, the panels read as a stream-of-consciousness travelogue as he regales readers with his adventures from the road. Along the way, Pedro has fresh encounters with Mexican culture and experiences some unexpected side quests. Full of humor, heart, and a decent amount of gross-out moments, Martín’s coming-of-age memoir hits all the right notes. Though the family’s travels took place decades ago, the struggles with establishing identity, especially as a child of immigrants whose identity straddles two cultures, feel as current as ever. The vibrant, action-packed panels offer plentiful details for readers to pore over, from scenes of crowded family chaos to the sights of Mexico.
A retro yet timeless story of family and identity. (family photos, author’s note) (Graphic memoir. 9-14)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9780593462287
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
