Teen Identity and Tough Situations

In this episode, Scott discusses the graphic novel American Born Chinese as well as five other recommended titles by a diverse array of authors. Each book explores characters who struggle to know when to stay true to themselves in the face of a challenging situation-or when to compromise, change, and grow.

Featured Title: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (First Second, 2006)

• Winner of the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, American Born Chinese is a graphic novel, a book that tells a story using both words and pictures. Adolescent readers will love the bright, colorful panels and the humorous story of Jin, the son of Chinese immigrants, who struggles to understand how to fit in at his American school without rejecting his Chinese heritage.
• Podcast listeners also hear tips to share with adolescent readers before, during, and after reading this fantastic graphic novel.

Additional Recommendations

• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (Little, Brown, 2007), Winner of the 2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature
• How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles (Flux, 2006)
• The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (Random House, 1989)
• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Anchor, 1958)
• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (Plume, 1970)