Sounder is a short novel by William H. Armstrong. This book won the Newbery Medal in 1970. The story is about a young boy living in the 19th-century South. The boy’s name is not given, but his father is described as a black sharecropper who is struggling to support his poor and hungry family. Along with his loyal dog, Sounder, the boy manages to survive despite the challenges of poverty and discrimination. From the boy’s perspective, this book explores themes such as finding strength to overcome trials and the importance of family. This book describes the harsh reality of racism and its harmful consequences. However, this book also celebrates an enduring spirit of hope and resilience as the boy is forced to deal with many hardships during his early life.

This book is simple yet powerful. It captures the emotions of characters who are dealing with severe difficulties. I appreciate that this book describes the Southern setting in a very realistic way, because I gained perspective on that society and culture. The relationship between the boy and his dog Sounder is very touching. I was impressed by the dog’s loyalty, and the story taught an important lesson about the value of good companionship during times of trial. The boy faces many challenges, including the imprisonment of his father and the struggles of daily survival. Through it all, he learns to become resilient and self-reliant.

A major theme of this book is the power of education. The boy’s greatest desire is to learn to read. Despite the tragic events of this story, there is hope that the boy will ultimately achieve his goal. This book inspired me to endure hardships and to pursue as much education as I can. Even though the human experience can be difficult and unfair, we can celebrate times of joy and express gratitude for family connections. Overall, I appreciated this book very much, and I would highly recommend it.

Sounder by William H. Armstrong is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

American Born Chinese is a graphic novel written by Chinese-American cartoonist Gene Luen Yang in 2006. The novel focuses on an immigrant teenage boy named Jin Wang, who goes to a school in the United States where his classmates and teachers are all ignorant of his Chinese background.

In addition to Jin Wang, two, possibly three other main characters are included in the novel and towards the end of the novel are brought together for a specific purpose. These characters are the Monkey King, who struggles with his identity as a monkey and wants to be human, Danny, an American sitcom character whose life is ruined when his cousin, Chin-Kee, a sitcom character who is a racial stereotype of Asians, comes to visit him and tags along at school.

Gene Luen Yang’s humorous approach, artistic talent, and clever storytelling make the book very entertaining. The novel also comes a few important themes. A few underlying messages can be found in the novel, such as identity and transformation, stereotypes, and coming of age. Both Jin and the Monkey King experience changes in themselves – Jin becomes fed up with being Chinese American and starts to go by Danny, the Monkey King, after being kicked out of a dinner party in heaven, studies the many principles of kung fu in order to transform himself into a more human-like being.

In conclusion, this graphic novel is one worth checking out. With three seemingly unrelated stories about identity based around Chinese legends and stereotypes, Gene Luen Yang’s tale is bound to entertain anyone.

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.