US $16.95 / CAN $22.95 Il Jin Wang wants is to fit in When his family moves.to anew neighborhood, he Suddenly finds thache’s the only Chinese-American student at his school. Jocks and bullies pick on him constantly, and he has hardly any friend®. Then, to make matters worse, he fills in love with an all-American git. ‘omn co rule over all the monkeys in Baa | rcreric he aeea Neca PP | King, is one off the\oldest and greatest Chinese fables, Adored by subjects, thaster of the afts of kung-fu, he is the most powerful monkey on earth», But the Monkey King doesn'twant to be a monkey. He wants to be hailed as 2 god. hin-Kee is the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, and he’s ruining his cousin Danny's life. Danny's a basketball player, a popular kid at school, but every year Chin-Keee comes to visit, and every year Danny has to transfer to a new school to escape the shame, This yeas, though, things quickly go from bad to worse. These three apparently unrelated tales come together with an unexpected twist, ina modern fable that is hilarious, poignant, and aetion- packed, American Born Chinese is an amazing, ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax— and confirms whata growing number of readers already know: Gene Yang is a major talent. 0906eeGene Lucn Yang Cafar by Lark Pien Il First Second NEW YORK & LONDONTo Ma, for her stories of the Monkey King And Ba, for his stories of Ah-Tong, the Taiwanese village boya | me. ‘ONE BRIGHT AND STARRY NIGHT, THE GODS, THE [i Bi GODDESSES, THE DEMONS, ANDTHE SPIRITS [i GATHERED IN HEAVEN FOR A DINNER PARTY. mY Yn a) ‘s WerSe gle Ska 7) | 12 yi aY/, ‘ V (| AVETERNTY. tesco ethan o| Eecttical | Ome Ura = ae p b> bc }) es || NU | ate | gl if Sad or RS 3 rt Soh ay Li ‘SANG SONGS TO CEAD ANCESTORS. > 23P— 24TT List MY PARENTS ARAWED IN eax THE SAME ARPORT WITHIN A WEEK OF ‘OTHER, 25Pid og THEY CAME OVER ON SATURDAY MORNINGS TO WATCH CARTOONS. (OUR APARTMENT, BEING ON THE TOP FLOOR, HAD THE BEST RECEPTION.) 26=] EVERY SUNDAY MOTHER USED TO VISIT THE CHINESE HERBALIST JUST AROUND] io —i SOMETIMES THE APPOINTMENT LASTED FOR WHAT SEEMED LE HOURS. [I NOULO SIT INTHE FRONT ROOM, LISTENING TO THE HERBALIST'S WIFE CALCULATE BILLS ON HER ABACUS. ONE SUNDAY, WHEN BUSINESS WAS ESPECIALLY SLOW AND I WAS ESPECIALLY BORED, THE HERBALIST'S WIFE ASKED, < SOLUTTLE FRIENO, WHAT OO YOU PLAN TO BECOME WHEN YOU GROW UP? > 27x < YEAH! > AROBOT IN DISGUISE: < UKE THIS ‘ONE! > ‘CIN THE CARTOON, HE'S ALSO GOT ATRAILER THAT MAGICALLY APPEARS WHENEVER HE TRANS- FORMS, BUT ON THE TOYIT'S A SEPARATE PIECE. > < SO YOU WANT TOBEA...A. “TRANSFO-Ma 28 YEAH... BUT AVMNA SAYS THAT'S SILLY. LITTLE BovS CONT ‘GROW UP TO BE > WOULONT BE $0 SURE ABOUT THAT. FM3OING TOLET OJ NON A SECRET, LITTLE FRIEND: >ON THE MORNING AFTER WE ARRIVED, WITH THE SCENT OF OUR OLD HOME STILL LINGERING IN MY CLOTHES, I WAS SENT OFF TO MRS, GREEDER'S THIRD fas) GRADE AT MAYFLOWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. CLASS, TO LIKE US ALL TO. GIVE A WARM IMAIFLOWER ELEMENTARY WELCOME TO YOUR NEW FRIEND AND _aasenee JING JANG! HE AND HS FAMILY RECENTLY MOVED TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ALL THE WAY FROM CHINA! 30Now BE ny momma NICE, Tim! SAYS CHINESE PEOPLE EAT 0065. INFACT, SIN'S FaMLY PROBABLY ‘STOPPED THAT SORT OF THING AS SOONAS THEY ‘CAME 10 THE UNITED WERE ARRANGED TO BE IMARIED ON HER THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY q Ls : ‘.. THE ONLY OTHER ASIAN IN WHEN THE OLASS FINALLY GURED OUT CLASS WAS SUzY NAKAMURA [| That we ween" RELATED, RUMORS BEGAN TOCRCULATE THAT 8127 AND I Pane : — = w — WE AIDED EAH OTHER C)¥ AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, 31oT TE nowTHs areR]| [everson caLLeD wm VETER LINDE MY FIRST FRIEND AT {] THE EATER.” emo Elemente PETER GARB. WAS A (OTHERWISE TLL KCK’ YOUR BUTT AND MAKE YOU EAT my BOOGERS, 34 HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF TO IME DURING RECESS ONE OR WICH AND TLL BE YOUR BEST FRIEND, WE HAD A NUMBER OF FAVORITE GAMES-AND “LET'S BE JEWS." WE USUALLY HAD TO STEAL AN ITEM OR TWO FROM, MRS, GARBINSKY'S DRESSER ORAWER HARLIN, YOURE SUCH AFRIGGIN' Riot! ‘JUST BEFORE WINTER BREAK DURING MY FIFTH GRADE YEAR (PETER WAS IN SIXTH), PETER TOLO ME HE WAS GOING TO VISIT HIS FATHER IN PENNSYLWANIA. “THE FRIGGIN’ GOVERN- (NENT FINALLY CAME TO ITS FRIGGIN’ SENSES,” HE SAID. WHEN WINTER BREAK WAS OVER, PETER NEVER CAME BACK. 35SST TWO MONTHS LAT cnen aranen \2) \\} GIVE A BIG MAYFLOWER ELEMENTARY WELCOME TO YOUR NEW FRIEND AND CLASSMATE CHEI-CHEN CHUN! CLASS, 70 LIKE US ALL TO HE AND HIS FAMILY RECENTLY MOVED TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ALL THE Wey FROM CHINA! SOMETHING MADE ME WANT TO BEAT HIM UP. 36374El WILL yOu PLEASE ‘STOP FOOLING AROUND? IF We DONT GET THIS 4S; Dany, YOURE: YOU KNOW, MELANIE, ‘SINCE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC. (OF ATTRACTION, IVE BEEN ‘MEANING TO TALK TO YOUSUCH PLETTY AINELLICAN GIRL WIFF 50CHIN-KEE? Is THaT You OUT THERE? CHIN-KEE CAN FIND PLETTY AMELLICAN GIRL FOR HISSELF WHEN HE ATTEND AMELLICAN SCHOOL TOMOLLOW WIFF, ‘COUSIN DA-NEE! 51 OS PLETTY AMELLICAY GIRL WIFF BOUNTIFUL AIELLICAN BOSOM ‘MUST BERONG TO COUSIN OANEE! (OH, YOU TWO ARE'GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN TOGETHER!THE MONKEY KING ALSO ORDERED THAT HE SPENT HIS DAYS HE NOT BE DISTURBED. TRAINING. 56‘AETER FORTY OAS, HE ACHIEVED THE FOUR ‘MAJOR DISCIPLINES OF INVULNERABILITY. V 5760‘AO-KUANG. ORAGON KING OF THE EASTERN SEA, WAS THE FIRST TO RECEWE THE GREAT EAS 61IMPRESSIVE PARLOR, TRICK, LITTLE ‘MONKEY! 62i i i THE DRAGON KING NEEOED 63SOON AFTER, THE GODS, THE GODDESSES, THE DEMONS, AND THE SPIRITS GATHERED BEFORE THE LION, THE OX, THE HUMAN, AND THE EAGLE, EnliSSARIES OF TZE-YO-TZUM.” 67iaHE FLEW PAST THE PLANETS AND THE STARS. [MN BY HE FLEW PAST THE EDGES OF THE UNVERSE. HE FLEW THROUGH THE OF REALITY ITSELF. 72THERE, AT THE ENO OF ALL THAT |S, THE GREAT SAGE CAME UPON FIVE PILLARS OF GOLD. 73NEVER ONE TO MISS OUT ON A (CHANCE FOR RECOGNITION, THE GREAT SAGE CARVED HIS NAME INTO ONE OF THE PILLARS. 74THEN HE RELIEVED HIMSELF. ((THAD BEEN AN AWEULLY LONG TRIP.)5 Now rust HAY FOF ALL GET OUT OF my FLEW THROUGH THE GODS IVE fi SIGHT BEFORE I ‘THE BOUNDARIES ENCOUNTERED, MAKE YOURECITE OF REALITY ‘ YOU ARE BY FAR AP MY NAME UNTIL ITSELF, AN THE MOST YOUR TONGUE WHERE WAS YOUR PITIABLE. BLEEDS. "EVER: PRESENT . REACH’? come CLOSER, LITTLE MONKEY, AND TAKE ALGOK AT mhy HAND. 1Ror todIAM TZE-YO-T2UN. IWAS, TAM, AND T SHALL FOR- EVER BE.T HAVE SEARCHED YOUR SOUL, LITTLE MONKEY, KNOW YOUR MOST HIDDEN THOUGHTS. 1 KNOW WHEN TOU ‘SIT AND WHEN YOU STAND, WHEN YOU JOURNEY ANO WHEN YOUREST. EVEN BEFORE A WORD IS UPON YOUR TONSUE, THAVE KNOWN IT, MY EYES HAVE ‘SEEN ALL YOUR DAYS. WHERE DID YOU THINK YOU COULD HIDE FROM mE? WHERE CAN YOU FLEEFROM DEPTHS OF THE UNDER: Twas 2wHo FORMED YOUR NMOST eT _ BEING, ZWHO KNIT YOU SSonvnin TOGETHERIN THE WONG OF Stee, THATROGK.1 MADE YOL WITH HOLDING YOU AWE AND WONDER, FOR: PAST. WONDERPL ARE ALL OF mY WORKS. 80TZE-Y0-TZUH BURIED THE MONKEY KING UNDER A IMOUNTAIN OF ROCK AND SET ASEAL OVERHIMTO PREVENT MMFROM, EXERCISING KUNG FU, ‘THE MONKEY KING STAYED THERE FOR FIVE HUNDRED YEARS, 8487qui Ac [y raom THen Gn, sie BECAME A TANGIBLE PRESENCE vm LIFE. WHENEVER SHE ENTERED THE ROOM WAS AWARE OF HER, EVEN IF [WASNT LOOKING DIRECTLY AT HER. (ME ALL NIGHT TOGET THIS STUPID THING 7 IT MADE ME NERVOUS THAT SOMEONE COULD HAVE 50 MUCH POWER OVER ME WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT TWOULD LIE AWAKE LATE AT NIGHT ANALYZING MY] FEELINGS FOR HER, SHE WASNT EXCEPTIONALLY BEAUTIFUL AND SHE SPOKE WITH A SLIGHT LISP. FAN 4 TD EVEN SEEN AFLAKE OR TWO OF CANORUFF| WHEN I GOT CLOSE ENOUGH. 88SO?! IN TAIWAN, ANY BOY WHO LOVES GIRLS BEFORE HE IS EIGHTEEN, EVERYBODY LAUGH AT HIM THIS ISNT TAIWAN, YOUDOOF! STOP ACTING LIKE SUCH AN F.0.8."! 89CLaAissa nD Nea FRENDS ‘2 SULOR TO Us RONGASELENE LOORATITS OES. COSMETICS, INC, THIS |S ATRULY WON- 20.6010 wo STL: ERPUL AND UNEIPECTED LEARNING ; OPPORTUNITY FORUS CLASS! YOU ALL TAKE REALLY MUST SAY ADVANTAGE THANKYOU AGAIN TO YOUR MOTHER. 90‘THE DURATIONOF THEIRVISIT CLARISSA DONT f Know Tinnyou © 1 ooamertecoo 192a ( enue‘SORRY, JI, PLEASE Sa AGAIN? SUZY AND 1 WERE LOOKING AT EACHOTHER GREG, ‘Thar GUYWHO SITS NEXT TOHERIN TWAS ASKING - BEFORE THE TWO OF YOU ALMOST MADE ME PUKE- D0 YOU THIN AMELIA BUT LDONT THINK. OROPPING YOUR BOOKS IN FRONT OF HER ANO THEN ‘SAIS TRUE! REMEMBER LAST WEEKIN oHan resInsteo or Wien Een mee ow erretees : usta seswenY FORGET?! WALK RIGHT IN FRONT Or ane Tsetse Waren HUH HUH, ATLEASTI DIDNT RAKE (HE BREAST: ony TORWOCK OVERHALF THE TEST TUBES ALONG THE ‘COUNTER! 95 ANO WHEN AMELIA HELP Him TO PICK UP THE BROKEN GLASS, ‘JW POINT TO TEST TUBES STILL ONTHE COUNTERy 1G SEEMS AWFULLY ATTACHED TOYOU. 2 SOTHS THAT IS. THING EATS PINKY MICE, TMREALLY GLAD YOURE HERE WITH ME, WEV-CHEN, THERE'S JUST NOWAY I 99ahh 100101eur my FAST OAV WHEN T MOVE SCHOO. HERE I MEET JIN. ONE N NCT HERE, I HERETO AMERICA, SOR ee cloe: VERY NUCH. DONT KNOW. wins neRao NOB? Ways oun re TREAT MELE WARTS TOBEMYFRIEND. site GeoTieR SHOW MEMCNL TCOME FROMA THINGS WORK IN AMERICA, HE HELP DRFERENT ACE mucn, , THNGSWORKN AERA HE HEL MP ENOL PRASE UKE CONT AE ACON Mant AIO WORD BUR NON “WORD TO YOUR MOTHER” HAHA. HE TAKE ME TO Me DONALD'S AND BUY ME FRENCH FRIES. I THINK SOMETIMES MY ACCENT EMBARRASS HM, BUT JIN STILL WILLING TO BE MY FRIEND. IN ACTUALITY, FOR ALONG, LONG TIME MY ‘ONLY FRIEND 1S HIM, TVE ALWAYS GOTTEN THIS WEIRO VIBE FROM JIN 102TWAITED FOR WEI-CHEN FOR ALMOST ‘AN HOUR BEFCRE FIGURING IT OUT, WHAT'S TAKING HIM SO LONG? HE COULON'TVE GONETO AN ORANGE FREEZE FROM THE CAFE TERIA, 103 ITTOOK ME ANOTHER FIFTEEN MINUTES TO CONVINCE MR. WeGROUL TO OPEN THE BIOLOGY ROOMFOR ME, woway. THOSE ANIMALS INTHERE GIVE ME THE HEEBIE- JEEBIES. MAYBE ALITTLE JEALOUS, TOO.h T REMEMBER WEFCHEN WHISPERING SOMETHING IN nh EAR, 7 eGaNisa S LIFETIME! 104TT a3 TREMENBER AJOLT OF CONADENCE, HERLIPS... 105.. THAT KEPT ME WARM FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT. 106cs =110111=] “ee | NS fal eA Ww = | ): = Neda IA see 112eu cease ae GLANDE! Bs yl DD 1137 i” HEY, PROPS ON MAKING WELL, BEING AS HOW ‘THE LEGENDARY OLIPHANT YOURE A TRANSFER FROM HIGH VARSITY BASKETBALL HUGHES ACADEMY, TO SAY IT WAS TEAM, KIO! ‘ANYTHING BUT INEVITABLE. WHAT WERE YOU SCRUBS CALLED COME ON, AGAIN? THE WATER LILIES” NOW. WE BOTH KNEW IT WAS. INEVITABLE: IVE GOT AJUNE- SHOT THAT LL MAKE YOUCRY LIKE A. LITTLE Sissy GIRL. ANA WELL See abut rier at Peac TICE TODAYKO. ismcousIn acces He's JUST visiting, SO, At YOU HANGIN’ WITH ANEW CROWD? 115YOUKNOW, I JUST MIGHT FOR A DISORGANIZED SCRUB UKE YOURSELF. 116tere vouso. \| THAT'LL BE $100, PLUS amir DATE WITH YOURFLY YouRLucKY GIRLFRIENG, On WAIT OY, KIO! YOUGONT NAVE AFLY GIRLFFIEND! 117 YOU GONNA BE AT PRACTICE TODAY? HOW ELSE AMT GONNA MAKE YOu CRYLIKE ALITTLE '5i55Y GIRL?P ., 7 wecnivese, “y MmEPLAY JOKE! V ME GOPEE-PEE \_INHIS COKE! 118AH. AS PUNISH: conrucus "YW ment is veseaven. sarrazyoos 7 MENTISOESERE MAKE FOR cOUSINDANEE NO 000 STEW. A ‘Come TO SCHOOL RATE: NOW CHIN-KEE HaHa! GOTO RIBLALY TO FIND IS DAY SO FUN, AMELLICAN GIRL TO BIND "COUSIN DA-NEE COUSINDANEE! FEET AND BEAR CHIN- 4 COME TOO AFTER CHIN-KEE SO RU KEE'S CHILOREN! DETENTION? ‘SCHOOL! 120LISTEN, MELANIE, T1n $000 SORRY ABOUT ALL THAT STUFF my NO.1SHOULONT HAVE LEFT IN A HUFF LIKE THAT LAST NIGHT. IT WASNT YOURFAULT. 122cooGES Tat " Ton nen youD Be UP FOR ractueywarres\, | [ wavrrobo nA A ro4acro rou reout \ || “anniv eve THAT, DANNY. WE'RE GOOD TO MESS FRI pa Yenc ORE Geno FIEND. WHAT? THIS cALMDOWN, DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING DANNY! GEEZ! THis TODOWITHHIM! ISNT ABOUT THAT, Kay? 7's agouT Us BEING FRIENDS, AND tm IME NOT WANTING TO. soa) JeoraRoze UKE Hl! 1 Don'T Even know HOW WE'RE 123YOUKNOW, I NEVER NOTICED IT BEFORE, BUT YOUR TEETH KINO OF BUCK OUT ALITTLE. my UNCLES ‘AN ORTHODONTIST, TVEGOTHSCARD WHERE SOmE- 124ie. HATE TO TELL YOU Y THIS, MO, BUT PRAC- Tie MINUTES AG 125cant TeLL You omer, ‘STEVE? EVERY YEAR AROUND THIS TINE, TRINALLY START GETTING THE HANG Or Tvs, You KNOW? IVE MADE SOME FRIENDS, GOTTEN /AHANDLE ON My SCHOOLWORK, EVEN STARTED TALKING TO SOME OF THE LADIES, TFINALLY START Comin nro. my OWN, YOUKNOW HOW T TRANSFERRED FROMM HUGHES. ACADEMY AT THE BEGINNING TMONLY A JUNIOR AND IVE ALREADY OF THE YEAR? WELL, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT ITRANSFERRED 4 Been 70 TAREE OFFERENT PROM RORNER He 126 CHIN-KEE. mY COUSIN, HE'S BEEN VISITING ME ONCE ATERR SINCE THE EIGHTHHE CONES FORAWEEK OR \] “WO ANOFOLLOWS METO BY THE TIME HE ITGETS SOBA. ‘SCHOOL, TALKING HIS STUPIO LEAVES, NOONE Tas BY THE END OF THE “TALK AND EATING HS (OF ME AS DANNY AN) SCHOOL YEAR THAT ‘STUPIFOOD. one. SmenmKee’s THAVE TO SWITCH ‘SCHOOLS. COME ON, KO. IT AINT GONNA GO DOWN UKE THAT HERE, 127mayne wees PEOPLE HERE HAT’S BECAUSE I BROKE PEOPLE HERE ARE DIFFERENT. ARENT LIKE THAT. ‘TODD SHARPNACK'S NOSE YOULL SEE. HECK, IF ANYONE NO ONE EVER SAYS apgFOR CALLING ME EVER GIVES YOU TROUBLE, TLL ANYTHING ABOUT WR. NEGLES WHEN WE BREAK HIS NOSE. t WEIGHT. WERE FRESHMEN. HAHA. YOURE PROB- ‘ABLY RIGHT. THANKS, STEVE. KO, TLL Buy You ACOKE. WHAT HAPPENED TO MY COKE? 128129130‘THE FIRST WAS CHI DAO, WHO FOCUSED SO THE SECOND WAS JING SZE, WHO FASTED FOR SINGULARLY ON HIS MEDITATIONS THAT HS FOURTEEN MONTHS, SINIRKING IN THE FACE OF 8007 BECAME AS STONE. DEATH FOR THE LAST THREE. 1 % ‘THE FOURTH WAS WONG LAI-TSAO, WHO WAS WERE OF SUCH ELOQUENCE THAT EVEN THE RATHER UNREMARKABLE BY ALL ACCOUNTS. BAMBOO WEFT IN REPENTANCE. 134WONG LA/-TSAO COULD NOT MEDITATE FOR MORE THAN TWENTY MINUTES WITHOUT DEVELOPING AN ITCH IN HIS SEAT. IT'S AS IF YOUR HEART HAD ADOOR ON IT. NO, WAIT- PERHAPS IT'S MORE LIKE Ig) OA A01 EYE. NO, HOLD ON 135 IF HE FASTED FOR MORE THAN HALF ADAY, HE WOULD FAINT.fy GATHER FRUIT IN ANEARBY ORCHARD ... AND SHARE IT WITH THE VAGRANTS WHO LIVED JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN, NoT so = TIGHT! WHATRE YOU HERE ON Time TOMoRRCW, mmm TRYING TO.00, Y YOULAZY BUM! MAKE ME LOSE MY 5 136WONG LAI-TSAO DID THIS FAITHFULLY DAY AFTER. OAY, YEAR AFTER YEAR, WORTHY OF LOVE THAN YOU, YET TZE-YO-T2UH LOVES IME DEEPLY AND FAITHEULLY, PROVIDING FOR MY DAILY NEEDS, HOW CANINOT RESPOND IN KINO? 137 TELLME Owe you wy GO YOu. HERE OAY AFTER OAY TO | ( TOOSTUPID FEEO US AND ORES: TOSETA. ‘OUR WOUNDS?1380NoT BE AFRAID, WONG LAFTSAO! YOU SHALL DELIVER, THREE PACKAGES TO THE WEST. ASTAR SHALL GUIDE YOUR WAY. WE ARE EMSSAZIES (OF T2E-¥O-T2UH, HE WHO WAS, 15, AND SHALL FOREVER BE, TZE-YO-TZUHHAS FOUND FAVOR WITH YOU HE HAS ‘CHOSEN YOUFOR AMISSION. Your’ ‘JOURNEY WILL NOT BE WITH OUT PERIL ITISANOLD. WIVES’ TALE AVONG DEMONS THAT THE FLESH (OF AHOLY MAN CAN GRANT ETERNAL LIFE. ONCE YOU ARE WW THE WILDERNESS, MANY WILL, ‘TRY TOEAT YOU, THIS MISSION, WONG LArTSAC? 139ACCEPT WHATEVER PLANS TZE¥O-72IK HAS FOR WE. ‘THE FIRST OF THESE IS AN ANCIENT MONKEY DEITY. YOu TZE-YO-7ZUH SHALL FINO HIM IMPRISONED BENEATH HAS SEEN AT ‘AINOUNTAIN OF ROCK TO PROVIDE TOU WITH THREE DSCI- PLES. YOU SHALL GATHER THEM TO YOURSELF ALONG YOUR JOURNEY, THEY SHALL ACCOMPANY YOU, PROTECT YOU, AND SHARE YOUR BURDEN. 140THE NEXT MORNING, WONG LAI-TSAO ROSE WITH THE SUN AND SET OFF ON HIS MISSION. 141AFTERFORTY DAYS’ JOURNEY, WONG LAL-TSAO FINALLY CAINE UPON THE MOUNTAIN OF THE MONKEY KING, THIN AND WEAK, BEAR THIS BURDEN ALONE ‘MUCH LONGER. 143WHO ARE YOUTO ‘SPEAK TO ME IN SUCH ‘AINANNER?! DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO LAMSOVEREIGN (RULER OF FLOWER-FRUIT MOUNTAIN! MASTER OF TWELVE MAJOR DISCIPLINES OF KUNG-Fu! COME CLOSER SO ICAN YOU ARE THE MONKEY TZE-10-T2UH PROMISED TO mE ASADISOPLE, PLEASE STOP THIS NONSENSE, OEAR DISCIPLE. WE must E ON OUR WAY. ARE You TOO BLIND TO SEE THE ‘MOUNTAIN OF ROCK THAT HOLDS me TOMY PLACE, YOU IMBECILE?! EVENTE TWERE WILLING TO SUFFER THE COMPANY OF AN /GNORAMUS SUCH ‘AS YOURSELF, I WOULD STILL BE UNABLE TO LEAVE! aS 144THE FORM YOU HAVE TAKEN 'S NOT TRULY YOUR OWN, RETURN TO YOUR TRUE FORM AND YOU SHALL BE FREED. RETURNING TO YOUR TRUE FORM, ISNOT AN EXERCISE (OF KUNG-FU, BUT A RELEASE OF IT, 145146HAY THEN J SHALL. ENJOY WATCHING THE DEMONS PICK YOUR FLESH FROM THEIR TEETH. ITISA FATE BEFITTING SUCH ‘AMORONIC TWIT. 47 DEAR DISCIPLE, WITH ME DIES YOUR LAST CHANCE AT+2. WITHIN THE WILL OF TZE- YO-TZUM.... 149152155eS “2 ae 2S) wy 158THERE'S ONE... MORE THING, DEAR DISCFLE. 159‘THE MONKEY KING ACCOMPANIED. TO THE! FAITHFULLY UNTIL THE VERY END. aX 160(MY MOTHER ONCE EXPLAINED TO INE WHY SHE CHOSE TO MARRY MNY FATHER, "OF ALL THE PhD. ‘STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY, HE HAD THE THICKEST GLASSES,” SHE SAID. you HaVETO DO THSFOR Me, WEI-CHEN! T HAVE TO TELL Mm PARENTS IM WITH YOUOR THEYRE NOT GONNA LET mE OUT AT ALL! WEL-CHEN, NEED YOUON THIS ONE, OTHERWISE, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN, YOU WERE “HE ONE WHO TOLD ME THIS WAS'A (CHANGE FOR my LIFETIME: 163 “THICK GLASSES MEANT LONG HOURS OF STUDYING. LONG HOURS OF STUDYING MEANT ASTRONG WORK ETHIC. COME ON! ‘My MOIM PROBABLY WON'T EVEN CALL! PLUS,ITSNOT REALLY Lyina, TMWITHYOUNOW, TELLING A- ADELAYED er Fre ror YOU,TTELL TWAS FORBIODEN TO DATE UNTIL T HAD AT LEAST AMASTER'S DEGREE. hITHAVE A COUSIN CHARLIE WHO'S AFEW YEARS OLDER THAN ME. DONT BOTHER OATING BEFORE YOU HAVE YOUR ORIVER'S LICENSE," HE TOLD ME, LONG BEFORE I EIEN CARED ABOUT SUCH WNATTERS,"1T'S TOTALLY LAME." EES ‘CHARLIE HAD BREATH THAT SIMELLED OF OLD RICE, A BRUCE LEE HAIRCUT, AND PARENTS EVEN STRICTER THAN MY OWN, SOT ALWAYS ‘THOUGHT IT WAS JUST SOUR, GRAPES. 164 NOW I'M NOT GUITE SO SURE.165WHEN MY PARENTS WERE GROWING UP IN CHINA, NEITHER OF ‘THEM HAD EVER KEARO OF - LET ALONE USED - DEODORANT, ‘SO IT NEVER OCCURRED TO THEM TO BUY SUCH A PRODUCT 168 FORTUNATELY, CHARLIE HAD SOME ADVICE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, TOO. GET SOME OF THAT POWDERED: SOAP THEY GOT IN PUBLIC BATHROOMS ‘AND RUBIT INTO YOUR PITS. WORKS THE SAME AS RIGHT GUARD.i af rrIDION'T SEE IT UNTIL AFTER WED LEFT THE THEATE «AN WHEN HER OAD FINALLY ‘APOLOGIZED FOR FORGETTING HER BIRTHOAY, I ALMOST CRIED. SO YOUWANNA GO GET MLKSHAKES ‘OR SOMETHING? 172—_ THERE'S THIS LITTLE ICE CREAM 173DONT WORRY! TFIND OUT INA SNEAKY WAY, A KENTA. SHE WiLL NOT ‘SUSPECT. YOUWANT TO KNOW, RIGHT? WHAT? NO! WEI-CHEN, nm , re A Hye 174175176Bl oi} 177178can you NOT ASK AMELIA (OUT AGAIN? it's gust THAT SHE'S 8 GOO FRIEND ANO I WANT TO MAKE SURE SHE UKE A SISTER TO crc oTven sce, mates coco crores, - YOUWIGw WERE AL ‘On sonervnc. MOST INHGH SCHOOL. Gre HAsO stan PATING ATTENTION TO Wn ane wanes Corwin 179“AW, GEEZ. LOOK, JW. IT TO.1 JUST DONT KNOW IF YOURE RIGHT FOR HER, (OKAY? THAT'S ALL. (MAN! APPRE- CIATE IT! 180Oe a f G 7, meget per VAS DES182: i a 7X ett Pog 185rc Uist Tima SAID SOME THING STUPID TO mE TODAY, YOU KNOW, OVER: RS EERO ENT TOTHS BRTHOAY PARTY FORLALREN SUZUKI nY EST FRIEND IN SECOND GRADE, WE USED TO 60 TO JAPANESE SCHOOL TOGETHE (7 SEEN HER IN YEARS, SOWHEN MY MOM TOLO- ME WE WERE GONNAGO TOHERPARTY, IWAS PRETTY EXCITED. 186ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES INTO THE PaRtTy, THOUGH, 1 FIGURED OUT ‘THAT LAUREN DIONTT ACTUALLY INVITE ME. HER MOM WANTED TO HANG QUT WITH MY MOM, AND I SORT OF JUST GOT ‘BROUGHT ALONG, ‘WHEN TIMMY CALLE TE A....ACHINK, T REALIZED. .OGEP OWN INSIDE... TKINO OF FEEL LIKE THAT ALL THE Tune. 187 LAUREN AND HER NEW FRIENDS HAD THEIR (OWN THING GOING, SOT SPENT THE REST OF THE PARTY WATCHING TV THE LIVING ROOM, IFELT SO EMBARRASSED.WHY- WHAT IS AREASON, yOuRISS-? 189IF YOU HAD FEELINGS FOR HER, YOU COULD HAVE TOLD" IME, I WOULD HAVE LISTENED, TWOULONT HAVE TURNED MY ‘ON YOU.> YOU HAVE GOT TOBE 190191A @gas dae > 82 ae a) aml —G 4 { THAD TROUBLE FALLING ASLEEP THAT NIGHT. I REPLAYED THE DAY'S EVENTS OVER AND OVER ASAIN IN MY MIND. EACH TIME I REACHED THE SAME CONCLUSION: WEI-CHEN NEEDED TO HEAR WHAT I HAD TO Say, ITWAS, AFTER ALL, THE TRUTH. 192193ye WT COO a Saser, 94TWOKE UP WITH A START 1951982015 RR eT as vpmoe da re Tey vourrraruse, Cones, RIKE A BO/ j TeaSLT AS CS Cet 5 3 7 | No y i am LY : ASM i = = iN i > & ‘ ee ee an IS, ( V204’MSICK OF YOU RUINING AY LIFE, CHIN-KEE! 1 205 HaHalNo NNO, COUSIN DANEE! CHIN-KEE SIT NOT OVER YET. CHIN-KEE NNO REAVE UNTIL VisiT OVER!206207eae PO ae yee 0 rss “dfs FERSz=] mm a TH y OY aN iY Ko xT] " pe i Fre SAV GAGs STORETa ae Coca BS GA LY. GNA Ze: IAL KICK lARDS! rfHIMSELF. “SHORTLY AFTER BEING INSTALLED ASEMIS- “SOON, IY ELDEST SON ASPIRED TO FOLLOW SARY, IHAD IY FAMILY BROUGHT TO ME,” IN MY FOOTSTEPS AND BECOME ANEMISSARY THESE BEING 216“FOR HS TEST OF VIRTUE, WEI-CHEN WAS ASKED TO LIVE IN THE MORTAL WORLD FOR FORTY YEARS, ALL THE WHILE REMAINING FREE OF HUMAN VICE, " GOWITH my BLESSING, SON, IWILL VISIT YOU ONCE A YEAR 217 TAKE THISWITH YOU.IT'S AHUMAN CHILO'S. TOY THAT TRANSFORMS FROMM MONKEY TO HUMANOID FORM, LET IT REMIND YOUOF WHO YOu ARE. YOu MET HIM DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF HIS TEST. HE SPOKE VERY HIGHLY ‘OF YOU,‘TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORSE. TELE, FATHER, WHAT EXACTLY | \ ARE THE UT ES OF An emisseay” TOL ALE, FATHER, EMIssaRies OF TZE-YO-T2UH SERVE HIN ANO ALL THAT HE LOVES. YOUKNOW THE PARAMETERS OF YOUR TEST STRICTLY FORBIO SUCH BEHAVIOR! WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH ATHNG?! “ALL THAT HE: LOVES"... THAT INCLUDES RUPE TZE-0-T2UH CONSIDERS THEM, THE PINNACLE OF HIS CREATION, 218Iwi SPEND THE REMAINDER OF {M1 DAYS INTHE MORTAL WORLD USING IT FOR mY PLEASURE. BUT ANYTHING ISBETTER THAN A LIFETIME OF SERVITUDE WEI-CHEN, PLEASE! YOU MUST GIVE AN ACCOUNTING (OF YOURSELF AT THE ENO OF YOUR TEST! HOW WILL YOU FACE TZE-YO-TZUH?! HE REFUSED MY VISITS FROIN THEN ON. BEGAN VISITING YOU INSTEAD,revise Pte, ‘STAND INTENTIONS, TOPUNSH NE JinroONoT come roxwercens Ji Yo PUNISH YOU. rae io Heese," ys ne 221222223HE Ome Nat. went ALREADY. Ena l nome?! BUTHISFLIGHT ISWTUNTIL NEXT Py ween! i [ia (SP TA Sy So < my SISTER? I THOUGHT HE WAS. YOUR SISTER'S. 225226(1 RH 227Ni ro ES Ly Sees Pog AN a 7 ~ (ze Pai os a al @ 5; 228THERE'S A LITTLE HOLE-In- THE-WALL PLACE JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM HERE, BEST PEARL MILK TEA YOUVE EVER TASTED. TLL TAKE YOU THERE SOME 232 THE TER ITSELF HAS AN OILY TASTE, LIKE ‘THEY WERE STIR FRYING SOME THING NEARBY WHEN THEY MADE IT.>Te x e b ° 3 | 233‘Al First Seeend, New York & London Copyright © 2006 by Gene Yang Published by First Second First Second is an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010 All rights teserved. Distributed in Canada by H. B. Fenn and Company Led Distributed in the United Kingdom by Macmillan Children’s Books, a division of Pan Macrillan, Design by Danica Novgorodoff Chinese chops by Guo Ming Chen She Bangs By Afanasieff & Child © 2000 Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, Wallyworld Music, Desmundo Music, Warmer ‘Tamerlane Pub. Corp., A Phantom Vor Publishing. All rights on behalf of Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, Wallyworld Music and Desmundo Music, administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission, Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Yang, Gene. ‘American born Chinese / Gene Yang ; coloring by Lark Pien pecm. Summary: Alternates three interelaced stories about the problems of young Chinese Americans trying to participate in the popular culture. Presented in comic book format. ISBN-13: 978-159643-152-2 ISBN-10: 1-59643-152-0 COLLECTOR'S EDITION ISBN-13: 978-1-59643-208-6 ISBN-10: 1-59643-208-X [1.Chinese Americans—Juvenile Fiction. 2. Chinese Americans—Fiction. 5. Identity—Fiction. 4 Schools—Fiction. 5. Cartoons and comics I. Tide PZ7.K678337 Am 2006 [Fic] de22 2005058105 First Second books are available for special promotions and premiums. For deuails, contact: Director of Special Markets, Holtabrinck Publishers @ (eon First Edition September 2006 Printed in the USA Paperback: 1098765432 Hardcover: 10987654321Thank You Theresa Kim Yang Kolbe Kim Yang Jon Yang Derek Kirk Kim Lark Pien Mark Siegel Judy Hansen Danica Novgorodoff ‘Thien Pham Jesse Hamm Jason Shiga Jesse Reklaw Andy Hartzell Joey Manley Alan Davis Rory Root Albert Olson Hoag Shauna Olson Hoag Hank Lee Pin Chou Jacon Chun Jonathan Crawford Jess Delegencia Susi JensenAlso By Gene Yang Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks Loyola Chin and the San Peligran Order ‘The Rosary Comic Book The Motherless OnerE Le. aA aeene Yang began drawing comic lV books in the fifth grade. In 1997, he received the Xeric Grant, a asso prestigious comics.industry grant, for Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks, his firse comics work as an adult, He has since written and drawn a numberof titles Duncan's Kingdom (with arc by Derek Kirk Kit and The Rosary Comic Book. He lives in ché San Francisco Bay Area with his lovely Kolbe, and teaches computer science at a Roman Catholic high school. fe, Thetesa, and son Jacket art © 2006 by Gene Vang Jacket design by Danica Novgorodoff Printed in the United States of America ‘Il First Second NEW YORK & LONDON “Asan Asian American, American Born Chinese, is the book I've been Waiting for all my life” = Derek Kirk Kim