Don’t Cause Trouble

Despite English being the first—and only—language he speaks, middle schooler Ming Lee is placed in ESL. But with his parents pressuring him to get good grades and not “cause trouble,” he stays quiet about the assignment, rationalizing, “At least I’m on my way to an easy A!” Later, as he watches other kids play basketball, Ming fantasizes about proving himself on the court while wearing his dream pair of Air Elevates shoes. After moving out of ESL, Ming befriends classmates Vikrum Patel and Marcus James; the trio bond over their love of video games and plan money-making schemes to help Ming save for Air Elevates. Depictions of Ming’s mother, once a nurse in Thailand who now earns money cleaning, and his largely silent Chinese father’s expectations that Ming do well in school so he can attend Stanford highlight how underemployment affects Ming’s immigrant parents, their focus on providing better opportunities for him, and this pressure’s impact on his sense of self. In this candid graphic novel debut informed by personal experience, Chung (Remixed: A Blended Family) utilizes crisp, character-focused artwork that features clever visual cues to smoothly transition between exterior events and interior thoughts, as when solid-black-lined panels give way to wavy, loose-inked flashbacks. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)