Messy Roots
A TOUR DE FORCE of graphic memoir storytelling about growing up a queer Chinese-American immigrant in Texas.
After spending her early years in Wuhan, China, riding water buffalos and devouring stinky tofu, Laura immigrates to Texas, where her hometown is as foreign as Mars—at least until 2020, when COVID-19 makes Wuhan a household name.
In Messy Roots, Gao and Xu illustrate Laura’s coming-of-age as a girl who simply wants to make the basketball team, escape Chinese school, and figure out why girls make her heart flutter.
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Praise for Messy Roots
3 starred reviews · 12+ awards & honors
★ “Fresh, frank, and tender… a multidimensional, thoroughly entertaining account of growing into queer Asian American identity.”
Publishers Weekly, starred review
“A nuanced representation of being Asian and transnational in the contemporary U.S.”
Kirkus Reviews
★ “A tender story of self-acceptance that lifts the story of Wuhan beyond COVID and shines light on a region with a rich culture and history.”
School Library Journal, starred review
“Heartfelt and relatable… a beautifully illustrated graphic memoir.”
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