Almost American Girl by Robin Ha

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha

Harvey Award Nominee, Best Children or Young Adult Book 

A powerful and moving teen graphic novel memoir about immigration, belonging, and how arts can save a life--perfect for fans of American Born Chinese and Hey, Kiddo. 

For as long as she can remember, it's been Robin and her mom against the world. Growing up as the only child of a single mother in Seoul, Korea, wasn't always easy, but it has bonded them fiercely together.

So when a vacation to visit friends in Huntsville, Alabama, unexpectedly becomes a permanent relocation--following her mother's announcement that she's getting married--Robin is devastated.

Overnight, her life changes. She is dropped into a new school where she doesn't understand the language and struggles to keep up. She is completely cut off from her friends in Seoul and has no access to her beloved comics. At home, she doesn't fit in with her new stepfamily, and worst of all, she is furious with the one person she is closest to--her mother.

Then one day Robin's mother enrolls her in a local comic drawing class, which opens the window to a future Robin could never have imagined.

This nonfiction graphic novel with four starred reviews is an excellent choice for teens and also accelerated tween readers, both for independent reading and units on immigration, memoirs, and the search for identity.

Robin Ha grew up in Seoul, Korea, reading and sketching comic books. She migrated to the United States when she was fourteen years old. She came to New York City after graduating from the Rhode Island Institute of Design with a BFA in drawing and began a career in the fashion industry. Her work has appeared in a number of anthologies, including Hidden Identities and The Strumpet, as well as in Marvel Comics and Heavy Metal Magazine. Korean food comics can be found on her site Banchan in 2 Pages. She is currently based in Virginia's Falls Church.