American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
"This hilarious and poignant graphic novel contains three stories: Jin Wang, a teenager who just wants to fit in; the Monkey King who wishes to become a god of kung fu; and Chin-Kee, the ultimate Chinese stereotype on sitcom TV. By book’s end, all three characters transform in unexpected ways."
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Member of the University Guidance team, Ms. Rachel Davidson enjoys watercolour painting, self-publishing photo books, cooking, and baking. She prefers to read short stories or novels with a strong sense of place.
So why pick this book? "I read American Born Chinese for a contemporary Asian-American fiction class in college, and it proved to me that graphic novels have serious literary merit. With clever visuals and lots of funny and poignant moments along the way, I think many teens will relate to this story, whether or not they identify as Asian-American." 
Ms. Shaina Gleicher teaches Design and Technology and Robotics, and sponsors the Robotics Club. In her spare time, she enjoys rock climbing and mountaineering. Her favourite genre is historical fiction.
Of this selection, she says: "I tried out a graphic novel for last year's summer reading and really enjoyed it. I've heard great things about American Born Chinese, and think there will be a lot for me to relate to." |
Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
"Gene understands stories—comic book stories, in particular. Big action. Bigger thrills. And the hero always wins. But Gene doesn’t get sports. As a kid, his friends called him “Stick” and every basketball game he played ended in pain. He lost interest in basketball long ago, but at the high school where he now teaches, it's all anyone can talk about. The men’s varsity team, the Dragons, is having a phenomenal season that’s been decades in the making. Each victory brings them closer to their ultimate goal: the California State Championships. Once Gene gets to know these young all-stars, he realizes that their story is just as thrilling as anything he’s seen on a comic book page. He knows he has to follow this epic to its end. What he doesn’t know yet is that this season is not only going to change the Dragons’s lives, but his own life as well."
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Ms. Darien Allan teaches AP Research, AP Calculus BC, and PreCalculus 12 Accelerated and coaches Junior Field Hockey. In her free time, she likes to read, hike, bike and run. Of her favourite genre to read, she says" "It depends on the book - not the genre. Often I like to read historical fiction."
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Watchmen by Alan Moore
"Exceptional graphic artwork brings to life the story of the Watchmen as they race against time to find a killer, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance."
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Member of the University Guidance team, Mr. Chris Payne enjoys travelling, playing sports, reading comics, playing board games and spending time with his family preferably at the beach. He enjoys reading non fiction and fantasy.
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