Uprooted: A Memoir About What Happens When Your Family Moves Back

by Ruth Chan, Ruth Chan (Illustrator)

Overview

Perfect for fans of New Kid and A First Time for Everything, a joyful and tearful debut middle grade graphic memoir about one girl being uprooted when she moves to Hong Kong, a place where her family fits in but, for her, it's nothing like home.

Ruth Chan loves her hometown in Toronto, hanging out with her best friends for life, and snacking on ketchup flavored potato chips, which are the best. What Ruth doesn’t love is having to move to Hong Kong after her dad gets a new job there.

Her mom is excited to reunite with her family, but it’s not the same for Ruth. In Hong Kong, her classes are harder, her Cantonese isn’t good enough, and her parents are never around. Ruth feels lonely and completely uprooted.

But as Ruth’s dad tells stories about her family, about how they relied on their strength, courage, and each other to survive the most difficult times, Ruth realizes that she too can be strong. Gradually, she puts down roots, knowing that home will always be where her heart is.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250855336
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	09/10/2024
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	214,235
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Ruth Chan is an illustrator and author who spent her childhood tobogganing in Canada, her teens in Hong Kong and China, a number of years studying art and education, and a decade working with youth and families in underserved communities. She now writes and illustrates children’s books and comics in Brooklyn NY and remains a proud Canadian.

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/08/2024

In this earnest 1993-set graphic novel memoir, Chan (Hard-Boiled Eggs for Breakfast) chronicles her experience replanting her roots when her family moves from Toronto to Hong Kong. After her father gets a new job, Chinese Canadian 13-year-old Ruth Chan must leave behind everything she loves in Toronto—including friends, ketchup-flavored chips, and her brother, who’s attending boarding school—for Hong Kong. Though her immigrant parents are excited for the move, Hong Kong is all too unfamiliar to Chan; the buildings are taller, school is more difficult, and her Cantonese is not yet good enough to help her connect with her peers. The creator details these mounting difficulties in nuanced character interactions: her Hong Kong family chastises her American behaviors, as when she serves herself first during a family dinner (“We need to invite the elders to eat before anyone starts”). Even as she navigates intense loneliness surrounding her parents’ constant comings-and-goings, expressive cartooning rendered in pastel tones across simply plotted panels depicts nightly talks with her father that help encourage tween Chan to persevere. A beginning address discusses the use of Chinese characters in dialogue, and an author’s note concludes. Ages 8–12. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

★"Chan illustrates the stories with her signature humor and wit... Earnest, funny, and evocative." —Kirkus, starred review

"Uprooted is more than just a coming-of-age story. The beauty of Ruth Chan's memoir comes from her finding truth in the quietest of moments and strength in the most difficult times." —LeUyen Pham, New York Times bestselling co-creator of the Friends graphic novel series

"When the world around you feels out of your control, this book is a grounding force. Ruth’s tender, profoundly funny, and well-earned insights will give readers the courage to approach the uncertainties of life with excitement. I loved every moment." —Chanel Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Know My Name

"Ruth Chan tells her story of international upheaval with charming cartooning, pitch-perfect humor, and tons of heart. I loved every salty-sweet moment." —Vera Brosgol, creator of Be Prepared and the New York Times bestseller Anya's Ghost

“Kids and adults with both adore and relate to this wonderful memoir about Ruth’s real life struggle to adapt and fit into a new home.” —Dan Santat, creator of National Book Award winner A First Time for Everything and Caldecott Medal winner The Adventures of Beekle

"A tender and honest story about discovering yourself in a new world. Through vivid detail and earnest recollection, readers young and old will be transported into Ruth Chan’s world. A sweet and honest love letter to a family and the city of Hong Kong.” —Jen Wang, creator of Stargazing and The Prince and the Dresssmaker

From the Publisher