Almost American Girl - Robin Ha

As usual, I was not the first person in my house to read this graphic novel. My 10 year old snapped it up before I could even lay a hand on it; 2 hours later she turned to me and said "You should read this one, mom. You'll like it." She was right, I did like it. Robin Ha's memoir of moving from Korea to the United States as a teenager made me think of every immigrant student I've taught, new to English, new to the culture, struggling to make friends and fit in. Her descriptions of life at school tugged at my teacher heart strings, hating the kids who were mean to her, wanting to hug the teacher who was kind. Ha tells an immigrant story that will be familiar to many kids and their parents; at the same time, it is a story that will educate many who have never been in a place of leaving their home for something completely new and completely different.

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8cuR1d_L-Y

​Recommended for Gr 4 & up.