BookDragon Coming-of-age Tag

NonNonBa by Shigeru Mizuki, translated by Jocelyne Allen, afterword by Kimie Imura

03 Aug, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Japanese, Memoir, Nonfiction, Translation, Young Adult Readers

The work of Shigeru Mizuki, a legendary 90-year-old manga artist in his native Japan, arrived Stateside last year with the first-ever English translation of the award-winning Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, which draws on Mizuki's own experiences during World War II when he was drafted into Japan’s...

Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea, translated by Rajaa Alsanea and Marilyn Booth

27 Jul, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Arab, Audio, Fiction, Young Adult Readers

Sometimes the best thing that can happen to a book is to get banned. REALLY. Just ask Rajaa al-Sanea (yes, the spelling of her name is different on the cover of her book from what she has on her personal website – which has two variations of...

Money Boy by Paul Yee

24 Jul, by SIBookDragon in Canadian Asian Pacific American, Fiction, Young Adult Readers

'Gritty' is the first word that comes to mind after finishing this slim young adult novel about a teenage Chinese immigrant's struggles with his conservative father over his sexuality. Ray Liu is new to the West. He's left behind half his family in China, including his...

5 Centimeters per Second by Makoto Shinkai, illustrated by Yukiko Seike, translated by Melissa Tanaka

06 Jul, by SIBookDragon in Absolute Favorites, Adult Readers, Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Japanese, Translation

The copy of this story I hold in my hands is apparently the fourth iteration of a Japanese modern classic-in-the-making – it debuted in 2007 as an animated film, was then adapted (and expanded) as a novel in late 2007, became a manga in 2010, and...

The Collective by Don Lee + Author Interview [in Bookslut]

02 Jul, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Author Interview/Profile, Fiction, Korean American, Repost

Don Lee is definitely a good news-bad news sort of guy, albeit all in the same breath. Good news: he's not going to Texas this summer, because his fourth and latest book, The Collective, is published this month and he's going on a book tour so...

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones

20 Jun, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Audio, Black/African American, Fiction

In mid-April, the literary world reeled with the news that no fiction title was awarded a Pulitzer this year; such an omission from the annual mega-prize list hadn't happened in 35 years, since 1977. Many opinions, articles, shouts, and protests followed, but a May New...

The Red Chamber by Pauline A. Chen [in Library Journal]

15 Jun, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Chinese, Chinese American, Fiction, Repost, Taiwanese American

The 2,500-page, 18th-century classic, Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin, is regarded as China’s most important work of fiction. Pauline A. Chen (Peiling and the Chicken-Fried Christmas, for middle-grade readers) tackles the daunting task of adapting the revered original text, and her literary...

Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti by Frances Temple

07 Jun, by SIBookDragon in Caribbean, Fiction, Haitian, Middle Grade Readers, Young Adult Readers

If Youme's Sélavi, That is Life: A Haitian Story of Hope is a picture book for the youngest readers, then Taste of Salt is surely its companion title for older children and parents alike. The real-life Lanfami Sélavi – Jean-Bertrand Aristide's refuge for homeless children founded in 1986 – is...

between shades of gray by Ruta Sepetys

05 Jun, by SIBookDragon in Absolute Favorites, Adult Readers, European, Fiction, Middle Grade Readers, Russian, Young Adult Readers

First of all, please do not confuse this spectacular title with that OTHER Shades of Grey. Not that any comparison is even merited, but gray – notice spelling difference – hit shelves more than a year before Grey (March 2011 vs. April 2012), and gray is indisputably...

Lulu in the Sky: A Daughter of Cambodia Finds Love, Healing, and Double Happiness by Loung Ung + Author Interview [in Bookslut]

04 Jun, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Cambodian, Cambodian American, Memoir, Nonfiction, Repost, Southeast Asian, Southeast Asian American, Young Adult Readers

When I recently met Loung Ung in person at one of her Washington, DC readings, we were the lone Asian women in the room. Yes, get ready with your "uh-oh." Within minutes, a random stranger asked if Ung and I were sisters. Surprisingly, I behaved...

American Dervish by Ayad Akhtar

14 May, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Audio, Fiction, Pakistani American, South Asian American

In a sentence, American Dervish is about a young boy's indoctrination into Islam – the religion he was born into, but from the practice of which his parents have lapsed (by choice) – and his eventual withdrawal from his fervent childhood devotion. By extension, the novel...

A Bride’s Story (vols. 2-3) by Kaoru Mori, translated by William Flanagan

27 Apr, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Central Asian, Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Japanese, Translation, Young Adult Readers

What began as a visual marvel in volume 1, surely does not disappoint in the continuing two volumes. 'Exquisite' still hardly does the panels justice, but just know that every page will make you want to linger to discover and enjoy the glorious details – the...

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

22 Apr, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Audio, Fiction, Nonethnic-specific

"To start with, look at all the books." Thus opens Jeffrey Eugenides third and latest novel with another memorable first-line zinger – most definitely three for three. Alas, what follows that fabulous start isn't nearly quite as zingy. So far, Eugenides is averaging a new title about...

Finding Miracles by Julia Alvarez

02 Apr, by SIBookDragon in Audio, Caribbean American, Fiction, Latina/o/x, Middle Grade Readers, Young Adult Readers

Sandwiched between sister Kate and brother Nate, Milly Kaufman is the only adopted child of their Jewish father and Mormon mother. She began life with the name Milagros (as in 'miracles'), until she was claimed as an infant by parents working with the Peace Corps...

Bakuman (vols. 3-5) by Tsugumi Ohba, art by Takeshi Obata, translated by Tetsuichiro Miyaki

25 Mar, by SIBookDragon in Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Japanese, Middle Grade Readers, Translation, Young Adult Readers

Manga-maker wannabes: check out this illuminating insider look (but do start with volumes 1 and 2), then make sure to study every detail if you're hoping to break into one of the toughest industries around. But before we talk story, here's a quick refresher on names:...

Fortunate Son by Walter Mosley

22 Mar, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Black/African American, Fiction

Culling together every spare moment I had over a single day (amazing how much more enlightening mindless chores, endless driving, and running can be with a book stuck in your ears!), I managed to listen to all 9.5 hours of Lorraine Toussaint's honeyed narration of...

The Glass of Time by Michael Cox

13 Mar, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Audio, British, Fiction

The body count quickly mounts in this engrossing sequel to the thrilling faux Victorian confessional novel, The Meaning of Night. Another well-deserved WOW is in order, even more so because careful readers will undoubtedly solve several (many, even?) of the whodunit-who's-really-who clues early on, but that...

Beatrice’s Dream by Karen Lynn Williams, photographs by Wendy Stone

03 Mar, by SIBookDragon in African, Biography, Children/Picture Books, Nonfiction

At 13, Beatrice is sure of her dreams: " ...

Blankets by Craig Thompson

29 Feb, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Memoir, Nonethnic-specific, Nonfiction, Young Adult Readers

If you missed last year's Habibi by Craig Thompson, stop everything right this second and go order it immediately. I'll wait ...

Once Upon a Quinceañera: Coming of Age in the USA by Julia Alvarez

28 Feb, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Audio, Latina/o/x, Memoir, Nonfiction, Young Adult Readers

Somewhere buried in these almost 300 pages (or just over nine hours if you're listening to the husky voice of actress Daphne Rubin-Vega) is a really good book about the quinceañera – the 15th birthday celebration of a Latina which marks her maturity from little girl...