Finding My Voice
Novel by Marie Myung-Ok Lee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Finding My Voice is a young adult novel by Marie Myung-Ok Lee (writing as Marie G. Lee). First published in 1992, Finding My Voice was republished in 2001 by Harper Trophy,[1] and was reissued in 2021.[2] Finding My Voice is generally considered to be the "first teen novel released by a major publisher with a contemporary Asian American protagonist by an Asian American author".[3] An excerpt from Finding My Voice was included in the anthology Prejudice: stories about hate, ignorance, revelation, and transformation[4][5] and in Literary themes for students: the American dream: examining diverse literature to understand and compare universal themes.[6]
| |
| Author | Marie Myung-Ok Lee |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | 1992 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) and ebook |
| Pages | 172 |
| ISBN | 9780064472456 (hardback) |
Lee's novel Saying Goodbye is the sequel to Finding My Voice.[7]
Plot
Finding My Voice is a frank presentation of the issue of racism through the experiences of Ellen Sung, a high school senior, who is the daughter of Korean immigrants and is attracted to Tomper, a white classmate.
Reception
Kirkus Reviews described it as "Honestly rendered, and never didactic, the story allows readers first to flinch in recognition and then to look into their own hearts."[8] Publishers Weekly's review said "If Lee's story line is somewhat familiar, her portrayal of her heroine is unusually well balanced."[9]
Monica Chiu states "Lee's novel exemplifies that some authority cannot be subverted by young adults, and that students are disadvantaged in fighting a system that is more powerful than they are."[10] Eve Becker, writing in the Chicago Tribune, says the book helps readers understand what it is like to be an outsider, but calls it "sort of predictable".[11]
Honors
The American Library Association named Finding My Voice the Best Book for Reluctant Readers in 1992.[12] In 1993, Finding My Voice received the Young People's Literature Award from the Friends of American Writers.[13] The International Reading Association placed it on their 1994 Young Adults' Choices list.[14] In 1997, it was on the American Library Association list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults.[15]