Robin Ha

A feminist and Korean werewolf story of sorts that is set in the 16th century. A teenage girl who is smarter and better at martial arts than her half-brothers helps her father fight off assassins and a nine-tailed fox demon that has stalked her family for decades.

It's a terrific mix of family drama, action and adventure thrills, and grisly horror.

Gr 7 Up—When Chuna's mother moved them from South Korea to the American South, the teen's life became a
seemingly hopeless struggle to regain her footing. An enduring love of art led the newly named Robin to social
lifelines, confidence, and a maturing appreciation of the highs and lows of American and Korean culture. An intimate,
contemplative take on forging identity.

Ooof this poor gal and her mom have been through it all. Almost American Girl is about South Korean teen who gets blindsided by her single mother with a move to the US. I've worked with a few kids who recently immigrated and were struggling to fit in when they barely spoke the language, it's so rough especially when they're older!!

I’m struck by how often comics are central to various graphic novel memoirs. Like, comics are the thing that drive these folks and that keep them going.

I love Robin Ha's other work, so I was very excited for Almost American Girl. This isn't a standout memoir on a technical level, just competent, but it's a fascinating story and I learned a lot about the immigrant experience, stuff I hadn't considered or understood. Especially the end, where Robin finally gets to return to Korea as a visitor and starts to understand how much she and the horizons of her life have changed.