The American Dream?

June 1, 2019

Gr 8 Up-Khor was born in Malaysia and immigrated to the United States, eventually becoming a citizen. In this graphic memoir, she records her journey along the historic Route 66 to learn more about America, trying to understand how, as an immigrant, she fits in. Vivid watercolors and a thoughtful narrative bring each stop to life, cataloging quirky Americana, interesting people, and the remains of towns that disappeared as travelers deserted Route 66 for more modern highways. The art is warm and vibrant and, when depicting open vistas and night skies, breathtaking. The writing turns introspective as Khor discusses her impressions as an immigrant and person of color. She feels rejected when she sees the "American owned" signs (code for "not South Asian") on motels in New Mexico, embraced when she finds a strong immigrant community in Texas, and conflicted at how Native American culture has been promoted through commercialization. This is one person's story, but it reflects the complex experience of many immigrants trying to understand where they belong in this country. VERDICT This beautiful memoir raises thoughtful questions about what it means to be American. A strong addition to most collections.-Carla Riemer, Claremont Middle School, Oakland

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2019
Artist Khor recounts their spring 2016 road trip from Los Angeles to Chicago in this graphic memoir. Growing up in Malaysia, Khor knew two versions of America: "The first was Los Angeles, full of beautiful people and sunlight and open roads," and the other was the America in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, "filled with dusty roads and big hopes." After living in the States for 10 years, they and Bug, their "tiny adventure dog," embark on a journey along historic Route 66, hoping to better understand the American dream. Through bright, expressive watercolor illustrations, Khor portrays the memorable locations they pass through, including a former gold-mining town in Arizona where several Hollywood films were shot; Amarillo, Texas, which has become a haven for refugees; and kitschy attractions including dinosaur statues and the Blue Whale of Catoosa. They detail both the amusing (going to the bathroom outdoors) and emotional (loneliness and exhaustion) challenges of being a traveler. Khor's pilgrimage is as much an exploration of themself as it is of nostalgic Americana. Their travels inspire them to share insights into their path to atheism, their anger with xenophobia and racism--which are provoked when they find a motel labeled "American owned"--and the meaning of "home." Many of Khor's observations will resonate with those who have questioned national identity and the sense of belonging. An informative graphic travel journal that offers important perspectives on being an immigrant and American identity. (Graphic memoir. 12-18)

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Starred review from July 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Malaysia-born, LA-dwelling Khor introduces the two Americas that were their obsessions growing up: a Los Angeles full of beautiful people and sunlight and open roads where 10 years of living has also added lots and lots and lots of traffic, and a landscape defined by Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath, in which the Joad family desperately pursues the American Dream. Khor takes that feeling of desperately searching for something better, for a new start, and adapts it to their own pilgrimage as immigrant and artist traveling historic Route 66? the part of America that my brain finds more American than anything else. Traversing from LA to Chicago in their 2010 Honda Fit will require their tiny adventure dog, Bug, and the kindness of multiple friends and strangers en route, captured in whimsical full-color detail. The end-of-the-road realizations are (surprise!) not what they expected, but the rewards?of course!?are many. What lingers longest is Khor's four-panel epilogue, revealing their trip was taken six months before the 2016 elections; in magnifier-necessary micro-font, the penultimate panel confesses, This comic feels like a record of a time when a brown girl could drive America fearlessly. Khor, with Bug's support, refuses to let those jerks keep us down ?an encouragement to all to also keep going.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)