Almost American Girl is a graphic memoir about a girl who moves from Korea to Alabama when she is fourteen. Robin comes to live with a new step family she has never met or even heard of before, and she faces all the challenges of being an immigrant along side huge issues in her new home. 

Robin’s mother has been through tough times in Korea due to social expectations, so she hopes the move will free them from that. Instead, Robin and her mother find themselves in a repeating toxic situation. This memoir follows their way through this towards a hopefully happier life. 

One of my favorite aspects of this memoir was how we got pieces of information gradually about Robin’s past in Korea. The author went back and forth in time to add the perspective of Robin’s mother, which seems even more artistic and impactful when you read the author’s note at the end. 

I can’t think of anything I disliked about Almost American Girl. It did not shy away from how the challenges for immigrants are ongoing, not short lived problems that vanish in a set time period. Nor did Robin Ha shy away from the relationship issues that her mother struggled to get away from. This is a beautiful book, with clear honesty and a message about what the immigrant experience and evolving identity is like for this family.