Uprooted | Review

Uprooted: A Memoir About What Happens When Your Family Moves Back
By Ruth Chan
First Second, September 2024, $14.99
Grades 4-8

Last week, I was so shocked to learn that one of my regulars had only arrived in the United States a little under a year ago. He spoke excellent, albeit accented and slightly broken, English and was recently admitted to college as he wraps up his high school career. I thought of the fortitude it takes for someone to start fresh after being in one place for so long, and these thoughts echoed through my mind as I started to read Uprooted by Ruth Chen.

When Ruth’s father gets a better job, the family moves back to Hong Kong. The problem is, Ruth has only been there once when she was five. Her older brother is staying behind to finish up his last year of high school, and her father will be commuting to China, so he will be away most of the time. While her mother loves being back in the place where she grew up, and near her family again, Ruth feels alone. She understands Cantonese but can barely speak it.

In this poignant memoir, Ruth expresses how hard it is to leave everything she knows behind and how challenging it is to start fresh. Ruth struggles with the language, the customs and culture, and being alone so much of the time.

Chan intersperses her own story with that of her father, whose family fled their village during the Second Sino-Japanese War. His family’s strength and perseverance are her inspiration as she starts a new life.

So much of the story is told through Chan’s beautiful artwork. A soft color palette is calming, contrasted with the turmoil of Ruth’s emotions. And the varied panel sizes add interest to thepages. At times the artwork is busy and tumultuous, showing Ruth’s zany extended family. Other panels are lonely and introspective as Ruth struggles with her loneliness and adapting to her new life.

This is an excellent addition to the growing number of middle school memoirs told in graphic novel form. Ruth’s story will be a source of comfort for young readers starting over in a new place.

Filed under: Graphic Novels, Reviews