Bibliographic Information:
- Title: Almost American Girl
- Author and Illustrator: Robin Ha
- ISBN: 9780062685094
- Publisher: Balzar + Bray
- Copyright Date: 2020
Genre: Graphic Novels; Memoir.
Format: Print book.
Awards or Honors: Walter Award Honor Book (2021); YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten (2021).
Reading Level/Interest Level: Ages 13 and Up (Publishers Weekly).
Plot Summary: In this richly illustrated graphic memoir, author and illustrator Robin Ha documents her experience moving from Seoul, South Korea, to Huntsville, Alabama, at age 14. Although her single mother told Chuna (the author’s Korean name) that they were only going to America for a visit, the day they left ended up being the last day Chuna would see her friends in Seoul for more than a year. In Alabama, Chuna must navigate a language barrier, cultural differences, hostility from her new step-family, and racism from kids at her new school. But when she enrolls in a comic book course at a local comics shop and finally meets other teens who share her passion for manga, Chuna is able to start carving out a space for herself in this new world.
Author Background: Robin Ha grew up in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to the United States at age 14 (Ha, n.d.). After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Ha moved to New York City and worked in fashion for several years before transitioning to comics (Ha, n.d.). She is the author of the Walter Award Honor Book Almost American Girl, and Cook Korean! A Comic Book with Recipes, and is working on her third graphic novel inspired by the Korean folklore of Gumiho (Ha, n.d.).
The year that Ha moved to the United States was one of the most difficult times in her life, and she wanted to write about it in Almost American Girl as a way to explore this experience and how she developed her identity as a Korean American (Powell, 2020). While moving to America was in many ways an isolating and lonely experience, when Ha arrived in the 1990s manga was just beginning to rise in popularity and many teens were getting into it — which ended up being a common thread that Ha was able to find, connecting with other teens over the Japanese manga they all loved (Powell, 2020).
Critical Evaluation: As soon as I finished Robin Ha’s graphic novel memoir, I wanted to hug it — and then pass it along to a friend and force them to read it immediately. Almost American Girl documents the turbulent period after Chuna (that’s Robin’s Korean name) moved from Seoul, South Korea, to Huntsville, Alabama, at age 14. Navigating a language barrier, culture shock, hostility from her new step-family, and racism from kids at her new school — it’s not until she enrolls in a comic book course and finally meets other teens who share her passion for manga that Chuna is able to start carving out a space for herself in this new world.
Ha’s artwork captures the emotions and personality of each character in a way that isn’t possible with text alone. We are just as furious with Chuna’s mother as she is after learning their “vacation” to the U.S. is actually a permanent move. And when Chuna — now calling herself Robin — starts attending an American school with no ESL classes, the disorienting feeling of the language barrier is palpable. As the story moves forward, we see more of Robin’s mother’s story, increasing our empathy with her (just as Robin herself likely did) knowing how hard it was to be a single mom in Korea.
With the U.S. experiencing a surge of anti-Asian hate crimes, Almost American Girl feels especially relevant now. Seeing Robin’s experiences with microagressions (and overt racism) as a new immigrant make these issues feel very real and relatable, no matter your background or personal experience. Ultimately, Almost American Girl is a tender and hopeful book that will resonate with many readers. Highly recommend.
Creative Use for a Library Program: Create a display featuring #OwnVoices books and graphic novels representing a wide range of immigration experiences. If possible, find a local comic artist to host a comic memoir workshop for teens.
Speed-Round Book Talk: Chuna’s mom told her they were only going to America for a vacation — but actually, they were moving to Alabama and Chuna didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to her friends in Seoul. Now she has to navigate a new country with a massive language barrier — but when she signs up for a comics class, Chuna may finally be starting to carve out a place where she feels at home.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: Almost American Girl could face a challenge because it contains scenes that depict racist harassment. In defense of this title, I would share that Almost American Girl is a graphic memoir by #OwnVoices author Robin Ha writing about her own experiences. Almost American Girl made YALSA’s 2021 Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten list, and has garnered starred reviews from School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly.
Reason for Inclusion: The combination of expressive illustrations and honest narrative make for a heart-wrenching reading experience that is sure to make readers root for Chuna (aka Robin), and the themes of (not) fitting in and navigating changing relationships with parents will resonate with many.
References:
Ha, R. (n.d.). About. Robin Ha. https://robinha81.wixsite.com/robinha/about
Powell, N. (2020, January 31). Interview: In Almost American Girl, the universal language of comics connected Robin Ha to her new culture. The Beat: The Blog of Comics Culture. https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-robin-ha-almost-american-girl/
The YA Book Loft 