Age 16

Gr 10 Up–It’s 2000, 1972, and 1954 in this graphic novel that is as much a historical snapshot of these time periods for an Asian teen as it is about how the teen experience is universal. Rosalind, Lydia, and Mei Laan center each of these years with their experiences of growing up female with cultural, gender, and generational expectations thrust upon them. Their reactions move the narrative forward in time and slowly reveal how the three stories interweave. The plot setup is similar to Alan Gratz’s Refugee, which also fluidly navigates several time periods and stories that eventually interconnect, but Fung’s book has the added benefit of using art to enhance the narrative. Color is the defining feature of each time and place; when one of the colors appears in another time line, Fung’s cleverness manifests exponentially. The creator’s lived experiences seep into the story; the emotional weight of each of the teens’ lives at a tender age is captured with authenticity and realism. Topics like body image and PTSD are delicately but deliberately confronted, as is the mother-daughter dynamic. However, equally recognizable are events like prom and maintaining friendships.