Author(s): Ray Xu

Junior Comics

For fans of Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese and Svetlana Chmakova's Awkward, this funny yet poignant middle-grade coming-of-age story highlights the struggle of feeling invisible while yearning to be seen by all. 



Kevin Lee is having a really bad week. Although he lives in a crowded Toronto apartment above the family's alterations and dry-cleaning store, he mostly goes unnoticed. Dad has been MIA since the divorce. Mom works nonstop. He and his sister, Betty, just don't seem to get along anymore. Then there's PoPo (his grandma), who moved from China to look after them all. She's full of wisdom but calls him Zhu Zhu ("Little Pig") and is totally embarrassing.

School isn't exactly an oasis either. There, Kevin is known as "Egg Boy" and often finds himself at the mercy of school bully (and budding crush) Lilly. When Kevin's class plans a trip to Thrill Planet, a spectacular new theme park, will he finally have a chance to turn his life around, or will it just be another day for Kevin Lee?

 

Fans of middle school graphic novels exploring identity and self-esteem will appreciate the poignant yet humorous journey of finding one's place in the world, and readers who are looking for Asian representation in books will connect with Kevin's story of racism, bullying, and the immigrant experience. With its mix of family relationships, friendships, and a thrilling amusement park climax, this inspiring read is perfect for fans of humorous middle grade fiction with diverse characters overcoming obstacles.