Almost American Girl

Almost American Girl is a poignant graphic novel memoir by Robin Ha, chronicling her tumultuous teenage years following an unexpected move from Seoul, Korea, to Huntsville, Alabama. The story delves into the profound cultural shock, language barriers, and emotional turmoil Robin experiences as she navigates a new school, a blended family, and her strained relationship with her mother. It powerfully illustrates the challenges of immigration and assimilation, while also highlighting the transformative power of art and self-expression. This book is ideal for middle school and high school readers (ages 12-18) who are grappling with identity, family changes, or feeling like an outsider, offering a deeply personal and relatable journey of resilience and self-discovery.

For as long as she can remember, it’s been Robin and her mom against the world. Growing up as the only child of a single mother in Seoul, Korea, wasn’t always easy, but it has bonded them fiercely together. So when a vacation to visit friends in Huntsville, Alabama, unexpectedly becomes a permanent relocation—following her mother’s announcement that she’s getting married—Robin is devastated. Overnight, her life changes. She is dropped into a new school where she doesn’t understand the language and struggles to keep up. She is completely cut off from her friends in Seoul and has no access to her beloved comics. At home, she doesn’t fit in with her new stepfamily, and worst of all, she is furious with the one person she is closest to—her mother. Then one day Robin’s mother enrolls her in a local comic drawing class, which opens the window to a future Robin could never have imagined.