The Legend of Auntie Po (Graphic Novel)

Written by Shing Yin Khor

In 1885, Mei reimagines myths to navigate love and identity amid racial tensions in a logging camp.

4.0 Goodreads · 2,987 ratings

304 pages· 5,531 words· Est. 50 min read· GN390L

$22.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

In 1885, thirteen-year-old Mei works in a Sierra Nevada logging camp, reimagining Paul Bunyan as Auntie Po, a Chinese heroine. Amidst racial tensions post-Chinese Exclusion Act, Mei clings to her stories while grappling with camp politics and her deepening feelings for her friend Bee. As she weaves tales of Auntie Po, Mei explores who owns a myth and how immigrant communities preserve their traditions while carving out a place in America. Will Mei's stories be enough to anchor her in a world that challenges her identity and heart?

From the publisher

Part historical fiction, part magical realism, and 100 percent adventure. Thirteen-year-old Mei reimagines the myths of Paul Bunyan as starring a Chinese heroine while she works in a Sierra Nevada logging camp in 1885. Aware of the racial tumult in the years after the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Mei tries to remain blissfully focused on her job, her close friendship with the camp foreman’s daughter, and telling stories about Paul Bunyan–reinvented as Po Pan Yin (Auntie Po), an elderly Chinese matriarch. Anchoring herself with stories of Auntie Po, Mei navigates the difficulty and politics of lumber camp work and her growing romantic feelings for her friend Bee. The Legend of Auntie Po is about who gets to own a myth, and about immigrant families and communities holding on to rituals and traditions while staking out their own place in America.