Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story

by Sarah Myer

Overview

"A beautiful, courageous book.”
Gene Luen Yang, author of American Born Chinese

A Finalist for the 2024 L.A. Times Book Prize in Young Adult Literature

Monstrous is poignant young adult graphic memoir about a Korean-American girl who uses fandom and art-making to overcome racist bullying. Perfect for fans of Almost American Girl!

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. 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250268792
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	06/27/2023
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	327,547
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Sarah Myer is a comic artist and illustrator hailing from a ten-acre farm in White Hall, Maryland. An old-school cosplayer and anime fan, Sarah has attended anime/comic conventions as a fan and artist alley participant since 1999 and has constructed and worn more than fifty costumes. When they aren’t drawing, writing, or cosplaying, Sarah enjoys cooking, weight training, and spending time with their mackerel tabby, Loki. Sarah graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design with BFA and MFA degrees in sequential art and taught foundation studies classes at the college for three years. In 2019, First Second published Maker Comics: Create a Costume!, Sarah’s first graphic novel.

Editorial Reviews

04/24/2023

Transracial adoptee and comics artist Myer (Create a Costume!) details their childhood navigating bullying and self-image issues in the 1980s and ’90s in this vulnerable graphic memoir. Myer and their older sister Lizzy, who are South Korean and have different biological parents, were adopted at birth and raised in rural Maryland by the Myers, a white-cued farm couple. Though Lizzy got along well with her classmates, Myer often felt excluded from activities because of their intense interest in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and mermaids, resulting in emotional outbursts that further separated them from their peers. Their love of drawing, however, provided nominal acceptance. “Even if... people didn’t like me, they seemed to like my art,” Myer writes. But continued bullying rooted in gender and race caused Myer to “internalize my emotions... with monstrous results.” Even so, Myer’s passion for cosplay, art, and animation provided an outlet to explore their gender, sexuality, and future goals. Myer’s cinematic style makes for a dynamic approach; complexly layered panels, highly saturated hues, and clear, linear sequencing offer accessible windows into Myer’s emotions. Those wrestling with feelings of disconnect from their communities will find validation in this confessional read. Ages 14–up. (June)

Publishers Weekly

A Finalist for the 2024 L.A. Times Book Prize in Young Adult Literature

A YALSA 2024 Outstanding Books for the College Bound & Lifelong Learners Selection

Included in the 2023 best of the year lists from YALSA, Kirkus, School Library Journal, Booklist, the Boston Globe, the New York Public Library, the Beat, and more!

"Heartfelt... Misfit readers will take solace in this just as Myer took comfort from Sailor Moon." —Boston Globe

"For fans of Jarrett Krosoczka’s Hey, Kiddo and Robin Ha’s Almost American Girl, this coming-of-age memoir will appeal to youth who are struggling with their identity." —School Library Journal, starred review

"Immersive and engrossing: a beautifully depicted emotional journey." —Kirkus, starred review

"Her powerful memoir is an empathic gift, presented in full technicolor with never-static panels, showcasing raw energy." —Booklist, starred review

"This is a fierce graphic memoir with grit and honesty." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"Those who stick with the unflinching depictions of the bullying Myer endured will be rewarded with an engaging—and ultimately hopeful—narrative of a young artist developing their own true identity." —Horn Book Magazine, starred review

"Those wrestling with feelings of disconnect from their communities will find validation in this confessional read." —Publishers Weekly

"The author writes frankly and honestly about the overt racism they dealt with daily and their struggle with their non-binary identity... an alternate title for Monstrous could be Fandom Saved My Life." —the Beat

"We all have a monster within us, but as Sarah shows us in their story, the best way to fight the monster is with love for each other, and most importantly, ourselves." —Good Comics for Kids

From the Publisher

★ 2023-03-29
An adopted teen struggles with monstrous submerged anger amid bullying and self-criticism in this graphic memoir.

Author Myer, South Korean by birth, grew up in rural Maryland with White adoptive parents and a sister, Lizzy, who was adopted from a different South Korean family. Unlike Lizzy, who was popular and did well in school, rambunctious Sarah didn’t quite fit in, playing more easily with boys than girls. However, a wildly vivid imagination and burgeoning artistic talents helped Sarah interact with others; Sarah’s focus on drawing and animation wasn’t just a hobby, but a passion and an ongoing lens for relating to the outside world. Sarah’s use of anime cosplay to explore curiosity about gender expression and sexuality skillfully expresses central elements of the book and adds complexity to this coming-of-age story. The frequent racial microaggressions of early childhood escalated over time, with racist and homophobic White middle and high schoolers insulting, physically bullying, and harassing Sarah on a daily basis. As Sarah internalized this hatred, it was magnified by self-doubt, much of which was centered around being adopted, and it began to manifest as an angry, monstrous self that lashed out violently at bullies, friends, and even family. The themes of anxiety and self-image are powerfully depicted by contrasting the more minimalist drawing style in fairly neutral tones with dramatically shaded and dynamic panels.

Immersive and engrossing: a beautifully depicted emotional journey. (resources, author’s note, photos) (Graphic memoir. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews