Fake Chinese Sounds

March 15, 2024
A Taiwanese American fifth grader confronts racist bullying. Most of the time, Měi Yīng feels no different from her friends. She loves playing soccer, eating macaroni and cheese, and searching for frogs. Other times, she feels alone: when strangers make fun of her mother's accent, when a bully mocks her lunch, and when others watch these things happen and do nothing. Commiserating with friends from Chinese school about the racism they've all experienced, Měi Yīng says, "I am just SO tired of being the nice one. Why do we always have to be the nice ones?" Her conflict is ultimately resolved in an age-appropriate and satisfying way. While Měi Yīng's bully is humanized, it's clear that he has much work to do before he can be forgiven. For readers who share Měi Yīng's background, this story will feel painfully accurate; for others, it will be an accessible introduction to racial microaggressions and the harm they inflict. From a calm tai chi session in the garden with Měi Yīng's visiting grandmother to a rage-filled confrontation, Tsong's bold, textured illustrations--rendered in grayscale with pops of red and yellow--communicate the emotional complexity of Měi Yīng's life. Dialogue in English is expressed with white speech bubbles, while dialogue in Mandarin appears in yellow--a particularly effective device for capturing how this community switches between and mixes the two languages in their conversations. Earnest, engaging, and relatable. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2024
In this graphic novel, fifth grader Mei Ying and her Taiwanese immigrant mother deal with daily microaggressions. Mom says people don't mean to be offensive, but Mei hates that her mom seems so unbothered by people's ignorance. When new student Sid starts bombarding Mei with racist taunts, she again wonders why no one else seems upset, while others say Mei is oversensitive. During an especially bad confrontation, Mei finds her voice. She calls Sid out for being racist and yells at him to "STOP MAKING FUN OF ME"; shocked into silence, he does. Tsong's cover art aptly captures Mei's experience: fingers plugging her ears, Mei is dwarfed by the title words (in large speech bubbles) and surrounded by illustrations of fake Chinese characters resembling angry, jeering faces. Each of the story's three parts features panels and full pages of expressive black-and-white drawings highlighted with a different color: yellow for the warmth of a summer visit from Nai Nai, who teaches her granddaughter about tai chi and inner strength; red for Mei's anger at being bullied and left alone to deal with Sid; and orange in the final section, for the optimism with which Mei decides to loudly convey her pride in being Taiwanese American. Sid's written apology may also be optimistically imagined; still, Tsong's (If I Were a Tree, rev. 7/21) debut novel is a well-crafted portrayal of a girl asking crucial questions about racism. Jennifer M. Brabander

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

June 21, 2024

Gr 4-7-Mei Ying is keeping busy during the summer before fifth grade. Between Mandarin lessons, soccer, and hanging out with her best friend, Kirra, she barely has time to worry about the upcoming school year. When her grandma Nai Nai visits from Taiwan, Mei is unsure what to expect, but they bond over cooking traditional Chinese dishes and practicing tai chi together. Once Nai Nai returns to Taiwan and the new school year begins, Mei is eager to interact with her peers, but has not anticipated the microaggressions directed at her because of her cultural background. A classmate, Sid, makes it his goal to bully Mei on a daily basis. Outside of school, she faces similar taunts from store clerks and soccer teammates' parents. As she retreats into herself and becomes despondent, she recalls the cultural pride Nai Nai shared with her. Boosted up by this internal strength, Mei stands tall, creating a class project that celebrates her background, the food, and the language of her family. Touching on the real issues of discrimination and bullying, the story delivers important lessons while remaining entertaining; middle grade readers will certainly identify with Mei's insecurities. With clean, aesthetically pleasing line drawings and endearing, witty dialogue, the author communicates her message purposefully and the emotions and actions of fifth graders are relatable and authentic. The book also features LGBTQIA+ representation through Kirra, who has two dads. VERDICT Readers will learn the meaning of tolerance and empathy through this compelling story of a student who is trying to balance the desire to fit in with respecting her family background.-Karin Greenberg

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 8, 2024
Grades 3-6 *Starred Review* Best-selling picture-book illustrator Tsong makes her middle-grade graphic novel debut with an extraordinary, multilayered, and empathic story about being a Taiwanese American tween. Two weeks before summer vacation ends, Měi Yīng's năi nai arrives from Taiwan for her first-ever U.S. visit. Years of Chinese school aside, language is initially an issue--Tsong cleverly turns text bubbles yellow to denote non-English conversations--but Năi Nai and Měi Yīng quickly grow close through morning tai chi and cooking delectable delights. Năi Nai's too-soon departure is tempered by Měi Yīng's anticipation for the new school year. Microaggressions, alas, are immediate: "I love working with Chinese students. You're all such hard workers," the tone-deaf teacher quips. Meanwhile, new kid Sid proves himself to be a racist bully. Bff Kirra's dismissive "Don't be so sensitive!" only makes Měi Yīng feel invisible. She'll need to channel her inner strength, unleash her outside voice, and courageously confront her attackers. Tsong's panels and pages are a continuously marvelous reveal, dramatically enlivened by washes of sunny yellow for Năi Nai's visit, warning reds as Měi Yīng struggles at school, turning to shades of blended orange, green, and occasional full-color as she grows into her best advocate. Tsong brilliantly enhances the familiar POC identity narrative with cultural discovery and pride, familial expectations, friendship hiccups, difficult reality, new resilience, and unexpected, delicious joys.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2024
In this graphic novel, fifth grader Mei Ying and her Taiwanese immigrant mother deal with daily microaggressions. Mom says people don't mean to be offensive, but Mei hates that her mom seems so unbothered by people's ignorance. When new student Sid starts bombarding Mei with racist taunts, she again wonders why no one else seems upset, while others say Mei is oversensitive. During an especially bad confrontation, Mei finds her voice. She calls Sid out for being racist and yells at him to "STOP MAKING FUN OF ME"; shocked into silence, he does. Tsong's cover art aptly captures Mei's experience: fingers plugging her ears, Mei is dwarfed by the title words (in large speech bubbles) and surrounded by illustrations of fake Chinese characters resembling angry, jeering faces. Each of the story's three parts features panels and full pages of expressive black-and-white drawings highlighted with a different color: yellow for the warmth of a summer visit from Nai Nai, who teaches her granddaughter about tai chi and inner strength; red for Mei's anger at being bullied and left alone to deal with Sid; and orange in the final section, for the optimism with which Mei decides to loudly convey her pride in being Taiwanese American. Sid's written apology may also be optimistically imagined; still, Tsong's (If I Were a Tree, rev. 7/21) debut novel is a well-crafted portrayal of a girl asking crucial questions about racism.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)