The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang by Stan Yan

The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang

Stan Yan

Atheneum Books for Young Readers · Print & ebook · September 30, 2025

A Graphic Novels pick for readers exploring The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang.

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Who it’s for
A coming-of-age graphic novel where birthday superstition meets art-school ambition and unnerving visions.
Themes
Superstition and bad luck, Uncertain visions of doom, Conflict with a strict parent
Genres
Kids' Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy Comics, US: Asian American Stories

About this book

In this “unique, amusing, and compulsively readable” (School Library Journal, starred review) debut graphic novel, a girl born on a day considered unlucky in Chinese superstition starts to wonder if she really is cursed when she’s troubled by visions of doom set to occur on her thirteenth birthday.

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Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang has never celebrated her birthday on her actual birthday, April 4th, because of her mom’s belief in the Chinese superstition that four is an unlucky number. And that’s not the only thing Mom’s strict about; she won’t let Eugenia go to a summer comic art camp because she thinks art is a waste of time. This year, Eugenia is determined to defy her mom by applying for the camp, having her party on her actual birthday, and inviting her super cute crush while she’s at it, too! But when Eugenia gets hit in the head with a sneaker during PE, she starts getting unnerving visions of impending doom about her upcoming birthday. It might be the aftereffects of her head injury, or maybe she’s just anxious about turning thirteen. As the visions get worse, even affecting her artwork, Eugenia suspects an unseen force may be sending her messages. If she’s haunted after all, Eugenia will have to figure out why before it’s too late. Even more horrifying, she may have to do the unthinkable: admit her mom was right.

Birthday Trouble

A coming-of-age graphic novel where birthday superstition meets art-school ambition and unnerving visions.

Come here for

  • A comic’s-eye view of family expectations and teenage defiance
  • Birthday nerves with a supernatural edge

Expect

  • A girl weighing her own instincts against her mother’s beliefs
  • Visions that blur anxiety and the uncanny

Where it sits

Kids' Comics & Graphic Novels85%
US: Asian American Stories53%
Fantasy Comics50%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Fantasy Comics
  • US: Asian American Stories
  • Family Stories
Authors
Stan Yan
Publisher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published
September 30, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Superstition and bad luck · Uncertain visions of doom · Conflict with a strict parent
Reading lane
Fantasy Comics