Shing Yin Khor

This is a terrific little graphic memoir, of an artist fulfilling her dream of travelling the iconic Route 66 (a journey I, like many I'm sure, have often dreamed of making as well). She takes off from California in her tiny car with her tiny dog, to Find America. Along the way, she reflects on the history and representation of America's own culture and identity, and how it echoes her own journey as an immigrant, coming into her own as an American. It takes place just as Trump's America is show more evolving, and the artist is acutely aware, as a brown woman, that things are starting to shift. It was a great time to read this book too, as travel feels like a dream and an aspiration, and the solo road trip, interacting with few besides others on the same quest, feels like the most realistic type of travel right now. Excellent diversion. show less

I picked this up for my 12 year old daughter, who was possibly taking a road trip with her mom. I decided to peek into it, and was delighted by what a found! A sweet, engaging graphic 'memoir' by a woman who immigrated here from Malaysia! Great energy in this work, both in the illustrations and in the text! It was actually FUN to read!

Route 66! "You know Steinbeck called it the Mother Road?" (I didn't!) I've traveled most of this road (though it had been swallowed up by Interstate 40 by the show more time I got to it!) and still, I learned a lot about it from this book! And I liked the author's search for herself, the American Dream, and the concept of home. Just a cool, cool book!

Now the epilogue, wow! The author writes that this trip took place 6 months before Trump's 'election'. Could this same trip be taken now, in the hate filled atmosphere that 45 has stoked and manipulated? Could a "brown girl" drive Route 66 "fearlessly"? Sad to say, the simple answer is no. 45 and his mindless automatons have made fear and hate the current American Dream. It's more like Route 666 under this regime... show less

I have been following Thor online for ages, so this was a book that I pre-ordered as soon as I knew it existed. And I'm so glad that I did!

Mei is growing up in a logging camp in the Sierra Nevadas, dealing with anti-Chinese prejudice, realizing that she is gay, and navigating the physical and interpersonal challenges of lumber camp work. Throughout all this she reimagines the myths of Paul Bunyan as starring a Chinese woman -- Auntie Po. I love the illustrations, especially the coloring show more style, and I love Mei SO MUCH that when I showed up to social media to rate this I was ready to fight anyone who rated this any less than five stars.

I will be forcing both of my children to read this, but clearly I loved it, too! So don't let its middle grade designation scare you away. show less

Sierra Nevadas, 1885. Mei tells amazing stories about a Paul Bunyan-esque figure named Auntie Po and is talented at making pie. She lives at a logging camp and navigates anti-Chinese racism, her crush on her best friend, and daily life as camp cook with her father.

There are so many great things to say about this book --love the art. Love the storytelling, and how it allows Mei to cope. Love that Mei as a person is done with coping and excuses and is willing to speak her truth. Love that Bee show more (the best friend), while maybe not queer, is round and sweet and fond of pie, and that the question of her future is an open one. I love how hard Hels works to be an ally, and that he learns some hard lessons and that Ah Hao is not willing to let him off the hook of standing up for what is right. Mei experiences some tension as an immigrant child -- traditions she doesn't know or believe in, new traditions taking their place. Auntie Po and Pei Pei are magical. Not always an easy story, but a captivating one. show less