Monstrous by Sarah Myer

Monstrous

A Transracial Adoption Story

Sarah Myer

First Second · Print & ebook · June 27, 2023

"A beautiful, courageous book.” Gene Luen Yang, author of American Born Chinese Five Starred Reviews and a Finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize Monstrous is a poignant, award-winning young adult graphic memoir about a Korean-American girl who uses fandom and art-making to overcome racist bullying.

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Who it’s for
A graphic memoir where fandom and drawing meet the hard work of facing racist bullying.
Themes
Racist bullying, Transracial adoption, Art as coping
Genres
Graphic Biography, Adoption, Asian American U.S. History for Teens

About this book

"A beautiful, courageous book.” Gene Luen Yang, author of American Born Chinese Five Starred Reviews and a Finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize Monstrous is a poignant, award-winning young adult graphic memoir about a Korean-American girl who uses fandom and art-making to overcome racist bullying. Sarah has always struggled to fit in. Born in South Korea and adopted at birth by a white couple, she grows up in a rural community with few Asian neighbors.

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People whisper in the supermarket. Classmates bully her. She has trouble containing her anger in these moments—but through it all, she has her art. She's always been a compulsive drawer, and when she discovers anime, her hobby becomes an obsession. Though drawing and cosplay offer her an escape, she still struggles to connect with others. And in high school, the bullies are louder and meaner. Sarah's bubbling rage is threatening to burst.

Art Against Isolation

A graphic memoir where fandom and drawing meet the hard work of facing racist bullying.

Come here for

  • Anime, cosplay, and art as sources of escape
  • A Korean-American adoptee’s experience of trying to fit in

Expect

  • A poignant account of anger and connection
  • A serious, accessible graphic memoir

Where it sits

Graphic Biography93%
Asian American U.S. History for Teens47%
Adoption35%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Graphic Social Topics
  • Adoption
  • Asian American U.S. History for Teens
Authors
Sarah Myer
Publisher
First Second
Published
June 27, 2023
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Racist bullying · Transracial adoption · Art as coping
Reading lane
Graphic Social Topics