We Are American, Too

A child celebrating an ancestor’s birthday walks with family to a city landmark in this extended familial telling. Narrator Mei knows Great-Great-Grandfather Samuel Gong Moy was “the second American-born Chinese person in Washington, DC.” Every year on the anniversary of his birthday, the family takes a photo beneath the Friendship Archway, a place that’s “like us—from China but also American.” En route this year, Mom, with Mei’s help, details family history behind how Samuel’s father came to live in the city. When they arrive at the arch, crowds of people are protesting (“Hate is a virus” reads one sign), and Mei is, seemingly without warning, thrust onstage to share the tale. Chen’s light-infused digital illustrations mimic watercolor, artfully distinguishing flashbacks via desaturation. Lengthy text saps energy from the anecdotal narrative, but readers should appreciate the meaningful conceit of this work by Chase: “We are American, too!” Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–6. (June)