After graduation, he was a software developer and then taught computer science for years. Jun 23, 2011 cartoonist gene luen yang follows his critically acclaimed graphic novels prime baby, the eternal smile and 2006 national book award finalist, american born chinese, with level up, written by yang. Permalink superman smashes the klan superman smashes the klan. His newest book, level up, is illustrated by thien pham and will be released in june 2011. New, an eisner award nominee for best coloring, a 2007 bank street best childrens book of the year, and a new york times bestseller. Gene luen yang is an american comic artist and writer whose graphic novel american born chinese was a 2006 finalist for the national book award in the young peoples literature category, the first graphic novel to be nominated for a national book award, and was awarded the 2007 members choice award from the asian american literary awards. His stories all have elegant plot structures, broad characterizations, more than a dollop of sentimentality, and one or more plot twists. When a boy from taiwan joins his class, jin doesnt want to be associated with an fob like him. The war over comics for kids is nearly over, and kids are.
As the library of congress fifth national ambassador for young peoples literature, he advocates for the importance of reading, especially reading diversely. He wrote and drew comic books, which he sold to friends, my mom, and a few strangers. Dennis ouyang is a young man who loves to play video games, but is struggling to get into medical school. The year is 1946, and the lee family has moved from metropolis chinatown to the center of the bustling city. Jan 04, 2016 for many years, gene luen yang led something of a double life. Oct 06, 2016 gene luen yang, the national ambassador for young peoples literature, will be featured at the east baton rouge parish librarys 39th annual authorillustrator program oct. But the artwork by pham, a bay area comic book artist, is a welcome surprise. Books by gene luen yang author of american born chinese. Gene luen yang majored in computer science at university of california, berkeley. Sep 12, 2019 kids today are reading more comic books and graphic novels than ever, and raina is a big reason why, said gene luen yang, the acclaimed graphic novelist american born chinese and. There was this one scene in gene yangs level up that struck truer for me than.
A video interview with gene luen yang reading rockets. Level up gene luen yang macmillan macmillan publishers. Gene luen yang began making comic books in the fifth grade. Meettheauthor recording with gene luen yang about level up. Smile montgomery county library district consortium overdrive. His 2006 book american born chinese was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a national book award and the first to win the american library associations michael l. The first two are by yang one is about a young knight who goes to avenge the kings death by bringing the head of his murderer, the frog king, to the princess, thus becoming the new king. For many years, gene luen yang led something of a double life. Bryan sit 112b literature for young adults all photos of the books quotes are scans from american born chinese by gene luen yang. It is designed for high school age young adults who have read the book and are looking.
Avatar series by gene luen yang and others city of ember series adapted by dallas middaugh. American born chinese is a 2006 national book award finalist for young peoples literature, the winner of the 2007 eisner award for best graphic album. With no difficult vocabulary to grasp and inviting ideas and themes this graphic novel is perfect for grade levels 56. Gene yang, national book award winner for american born chinese irresistible, funny and touching. American born chinese paperback tattered cover book store. Apr 01, 2009 the eternal smile contains three short stories by the brilliant gene luen yang of american born chinese fame and derek kirk kim. Gene luen yang taught high school science for 17 years while moonlighting as a graphic novelist. Gene yangs graphic novel american born chinese received the 2007 michael l.
American born chinese by gene luen yang paperback book. Gene yang s graphic novel american born chinese grapples with themes of identity and friendship. But one night after girl scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. Most of the tests scored american born chinese as about fifth to sixth grade level. The book went on to win the printz award, the alas award for the best young adult book published that year, and an eisner award, one of the most prestigious honors in the comic book world. Cartoonist gene luen yang follows his critically acclaimed graphic novels. By day, he was a mildmannered teacher, walking the halls of his bay area high school as a. His highly acclaimed american born chinese, released 2006, became the first graphic novel to be nominated for a national book award and the first to win the american library associations printz award. From gene luen yang, the national ambassador for young peoples literature. I remember going with my friends to comic book conventions and feel kind of. Graphic novelist gene yang has a book american born chinese which is the first graphic novel to be nominated for the national book award, won.
Whimsical and serious by turns, level up is a new look at the tale that yang has made his. Nov 27, 20 it never hurts to be ambitious, pretension be damned. Young adult level up by gene luen yang the new york times. The purpose of this webspace is to share information, resources, and interactive outlets pertaining to american born chinese, a graphic novel by gene yang. Why comics belong in schoolsand more ideas from graphic. Gene luen yang graphic novelist macmillan speakers bureau. To a degree, gene luen yang s new book level up is more of the same. Gene luen yang has 170 books on goodreads with 496073 ratings. A new york times notable childrens book young adult for 2011. In 2006, his book american born chinese was published by first second books. Jin wang starts at a new school where hes the only chineseamerican student. The selection of graphic novelist gene luen yang as the latest national ambassador for young peoples literature signals an important shift in the effort to reunite kids and comics. His rise to prominence as a cartoonist began in 1997, when he received the xeric grant for selfpublishing for his.
His latest graphic novel, dragon hoops, was released in march 2020. The website is an experiment in the transmedia presentation of a multicultural text. He has since written and drawn a number of titles, including duncans kingdom with art by derek kirk kim and the rosary comic book. If you havent read vera brosgols anyas ghost or any of the other ya nominees, do yourself a favor and go read one today. Gene luen yang began publishing comic books under the name humble comics in 1996. From gene luen yang, the national ambassador for young peoples. In 2006, his graphic novel, american born chinese a memoir about growing up as an asian american became the first graphic novel to win the american library associations printz award. Level up is a graphic novel written by gene yang and illustrated by thien pham. He is the author of the secret coders series and has written for the hit comics avatar.
Author information gene luen yang began making comic books in the fifth grade. Gene luen yang is a graphic novelist and cartoonist whose work for young adults demonstrates the potential of comics to broaden our understanding of diverse cultures and people. American born chinese, his first graphic novel from first second books, was a national book award finalist, as well as the winner of the printz award and an eisner award. His 2006 book american born chinese was the first graphic novel to receive a national book award nomination and the first to win the american library associations printz award. Over the weekend, the acclaimed author gene luen yang delivered a speech to an esteemed assemblage of national book festival gala guests and organizers and sponsors at the library of congress. Yang has produced fulllength graphic novels, short stories, and serial comics, many of which explore presentday and historical events through a contemporary chinese. Issue features a book length story part 1 night of the wolf and part 2. Thien pham is a comic book and visual artist, based in the bay area. Having been pressured by his parents since childhood. In 1997, he received the xeric grant, a prestigious comics industry grant, for gordon yamamoto and the king of the geeks, his first comics work as an adult. Hes also the writer and artist behind one of gregs alltime favorites. Pham illustrated gene luen yangs level up, a yalsa great graphic novel and new york times notable childrens book. Gene luen yang is the national ambassador for young peoples literature.
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Jin just wants to be an allamerican boy, because hes in love with an allamerican girl. American born chinese was a national book award finalist, as well as the. Gene luen yangs most popular book is american born chinese. Gene luen yang, illustrated by thien pham square fish square fish. Comics belong in the classroom gene luen yang youtube. The killer wolves in which yang battles a gang led by a woman who controls a pack of wolves. Gene luen yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels.
Gene yangs graphic novel american born chinese grapples with themes of identity and friendship. By day, he was a mildmannered teacher, walking the halls of his bay area high school as a tall and bespectacled expert in computer. In 1997, he received a xeric grant for gordon yamamoto and the king of the geeks, his first comics work. Secret coders tries to tell a fun and engaging story, and at the same time, to serve as an authentically educational comic book. Gene luen yang on creativity, faith, and comic books greg. Level up tells the story of a young asian american torn between his passion for video games and his sense of obligation towards his parents, and it touches upon several potentially interesting topics. Smile by raina telgemeier overdrive rakuten overdrive. Before cartoonist gene luen yang made history in 2006 with american born chinese, the first graphic novel ever to be nominated for a national book award, he was printing copies of its early. He has since written and drawn a number of titles, including duncans kingdom, the rosary comic book, prime baby and animal crackers. Award winning author and cartoonist gene yang is the creator of the first graphic novel to be nominated for a national book award, and the first to win the american library associations printz award. With an overdrive account, you can save your favorite libraries for ataglance information about availability. He is a frequent lecturer on the subjects of graphic novels and comics, at comic book conventions and universities, schools, and libraries. Cartoonist gene luen yang pushes comics to deeper themes.
Just as in reading their more traditional counterparts, students enjoy getting to know characters in a series and following a plot line beyond the first book. To a degree, gene luen yangs new book level up is more of the same. Gene yang has been teaching since 1998 and cartooning professionally since 1996. Ten years after his book american born chinese became the first graphic novel to be nominated for a national book award, the library of congress appointed yang the. Now, with both delicacy and emotional heft comes a graphic novel, level up, written by gene luen yang no relation to wesley yang and illustrated by thien pham, a book so good its hard not to. Open the images up with your favorite image editor.
A graphic novel about video games, growing up asianamerican and the. Young adult level up by gene luen yang the new york. Thien pham is a comic book and visual artist, as well as a high school teacher. Level up by gene luen yang meet your next favorite book. Gene luen yang began drawing comic books in the fifth grade. From gene luen yang, the national ambassador for young peoples literature and author of american born chinese, comes a magical realist comingofage tale, by turns.
Whimsical and serious by turns, level up is a new look at the tale that yang has made his own. Graphic novelist gene luen yang to be featured at east baton. Level up, my graphic novel with thien pham, got nominated for an eisner for best publication for young adults. Gene luen yangs level up softcover gets a facelift. Adventures with yang, a martial arts avenger who has sworn to fight against those who prey on the weak and helpless. Gene luen yang is the national ambassador for young peoples literature and is a macarthur fellow.
In your short comic the secret origins of level up. How comic books can make kids and adults smarter gene. Graphic novelist gene luen yang to be featured at east. Cartoonist gene luen yang follows his critically acclaimed graphic novels prime baby, the eternal smile and 2006 national book award finalist, american born chinese, with level up. American born chinese is an amazing ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax and confirms what a growing number of readers already know. It also won an eisner award for best graphic album new.
What makes gene yang nervous is the experiment he is embarking on with secret coders, because gene yang the storyteller and gene yang the educator are striving for harmonic convergence here. Level up by gene luen yang, thien pham, paperback barnes. Gene luen yang, the national ambassador for young peoples literature, will be featured at the east baton rouge parish librarys 39th annual authorillustrator program oct. The book was published in june 2011 by first second books.
Take, for instance, gene luen yang, whose ambitious desire to create a comic that dealt with issues of ethnic stereotyping and identity led him to create american born chinese, the 2006 graphic novel that garnered widespread acclaim, helped foster a wider appreciation for comics among the general public especially schools and libraries. Comic books and graphic novels belong in every teachers toolkit, says cartoonist and educator gene luen yang. The first, a fable, the monkey king wants to be a god. In addition, he was the director of information services and taught computer science at bishop odowd high school. It never hurts to be ambitious, pretension be damned. American born chinese, his first graphic novel from first second, was a national book award. Gene earned his bachelors degree in computer science with a minor in creative writing from the university of california, berkeley and masters degree in education at california state university, east bay. Jan 05, 2016 the selection of graphic novelist gene luen yang as the latest national ambassador for young peoples literature signals an important shift in the effort to reunite kids and comics. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with. Printz award for young adult literature and was a finalist for the national book award. Gene yang began drawing comic books in the fifth grade. His 2006 book, american born chinese, was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a national book award and the first to win the american library associations michael l.
117 45 752 857 444 1416 239 1242 1019 620 795 636 133 573 1501 451 1325 87 1201 1064 675 297 1234 1513 537 1381 731 4 761 1272 946 1497 1281 615 314 213 31 695 986 920 821 1234 16 327 420 1170 865