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Chang, Cindy

How to Draw a Secret

272 pp. | HarperCollins/Allida | February, 2025 | Trade ISBN 9780358659662 $24.99 | Paper ISBN 9780358659655 $15.99 | Ebook ISBN 9780358659656 $10.99
(2) 4-6 Chang's fictionalized graphic memoir delves into the complexities of a family harboring a secret: Cindy's father moved back to Taiwan four years ago, leaving her, her mother, and her older sisters on their own in San Francisco. Cindy is shy and quiet, but excerpts from her journal accented by doodles reveal a twelve-year-old full of emotion. While she longs for a picture-perfect family, her mother is overwhelmed with household responsibilities and her older sisters are focused on college. Her grandmother's death reunites the fractured family in Taipei, where Cindy learns the truth about why her father left. She discovers her authentic voice and embraces vulnerability to deepen her relationships with those around her. The panel-to-panel flow is occasionally broken up by tight panels showing her phone as she inspects a photo or her hands as she draws pictures, bringing readers closer to the protagonist's inner world. Chang's animated facial expressions reveal her vibrant personality and lighten the mood. Colors range from warm hues to soft and muted shades. Nostalgic earth tones are used in a flashback to her mother's difficult backstory, while darker reds and pinks are used after a pivotal cathartic moment.
Reviewer: Kristine Techavanich | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

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