Almost American Girl: an illustrated memoir

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha is a poignant story on immigration and cultural norms that emotes empathy for anyone who has been made to feel like "the other."

 For 14 years Chun is raised by her mother in Seoul, South Korea. Chun and her mother face prejudice there because of her mother's unwed status.  During the summer Chun's mother announces a surprise trip to Alabama to visit a new friend.  Unbeknownst to Chun, her mother had no intentions to return to Seoul. Chun was blindsided. She didn't like Alabama because she hardly spoke English, had racist classmates, and she wasn't able to say goodbye to her friends back at home. Months of isolation and loneliness caused Chun to doubt her mother's life choices.  With flashbacks that filled in the backstory of Chun and her mother's life, the story moves in a hopeful direction when Chun finds friends in a comic book club.  

This story connects to me as in immigrant because like Chun, I was asked if I wanted to choose an American name to go by in school.  Before my kindergarten enrollment I spent weeks deciding what name would be a part of my identity.  For Chun, it was Robin.  For me, it was Fallon.  Asking a 5 year old or a 14 year old that question is a heavy load for them to process. The choice empowered Chun because it allowed her to start fresh in a new school.

Robin's story also connects to me as a teacher, because I, too, have had students who have immigrated to the United States.  I knew how important it was to build relationships with them and their families.   In the story, Robin has a strong relationship with her English/Language Arts teacher.  They write back and forth in Robin's journal and she encourages Robin to speak up for herself.

Robin was rescued from feeling isolated by reconnecting with her friends in Seoul.  "Even though my friends weren't with me, knowing that they cared gave me strength."  This is the part that truly saves Robin.  She had to feel like herself again before she could be vulnerable to explore her interests in Alabama.  Knowing that her friends back home were rooting for her gave her the confidence to try harder.