Graphic Novels in the Classroom

Funded Oct 5, 2010

I cannot thank you enough for your contribution of American Born Chinese to my classroom. Having just finished reading the novel in class, I can tell you it had an enormous impact on the students and me. I was not prepared for the level of excitement the book brought into my classroom. Students were fighting for copies, lending it to classmates who have different English classes - sometimes even getting in trouble in other classes for reading it when they were not supposed to!

I was also not prepared for the depth of discussion that this novel brought to my classroom. We quickly moved beyond the images and got into discussions about stereotypes, immigrants, minorities, model minorities, and judgment. Students ended the unit with writing personal narratives, describing what it is like growing up themselves in America.

I truly believe this novel became an instant favorite in my classroom, and none of this would have happened without your extremely generous donations.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Heselton