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How to Draw a Secret
For fans of Raina Telgemeier’s Sisters and Jen Wang’s Stargazing comes the empowering autobiographical story of a young Taiwanese American artist struggling to find her voice to save what matters most.
Twelve-year-old Cindy relishes drawing flawless images, but she is stumped by an art contest prompt: “What family means to me.� No one at school can know that Cindy’s dad moved back to Taiwan four years ago, so Cindy sketches out the perfect plan to draw the perfect picture while keeping her parents� separation secret.
Then an unexpected trip to Taipei reveals devastating new secrets. Suddenly everything from Cindy's art to her family is falling apart. With her dream of perfection in tatters, Cindy must figure out how to draw from her heart and share her secrets. But can she really reveal the truth, messy lines and all?
Twelve-year-old Cindy relishes drawing flawless images, but she is stumped by an art contest prompt: “What family means to me.� No one at school can know that Cindy’s dad moved back to Taiwan four years ago, so Cindy sketches out the perfect plan to draw the perfect picture while keeping her parents� separation secret.
Then an unexpected trip to Taipei reveals devastating new secrets. Suddenly everything from Cindy's art to her family is falling apart. With her dream of perfection in tatters, Cindy must figure out how to draw from her heart and share her secrets. But can she really reveal the truth, messy lines and all?
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2025
23 people are currently reading
3,428 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Chang
1book20followersCindy Chang was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and holds degrees in education and computer science. She works as a digital product designer in addition to writing and illustrating children’s books. How to Draw a Secret is her first book.
Say hi on Instagram @cindobindo or cindychang.com
Say hi on Instagram @cindobindo or cindychang.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 29, 2025
Well done. Cindy Chang does a nice job of gently approaching a difficult family topic from the perspective of a child. The illustrations are engaging and beautiful. Any child from any culture, especially children from Asian backgrounds that have split families in other countries, will find this book accessible and relatable. Even as an adult reading this book now, I found it very relatable. I was stunned to learn that this is only Cindy Chang’s first book. Looking forward to reading more from her.
March 6, 2025
An excellent portrayal of a family going through a divorce while not allowing the family to talk about it and pretending that everything is okay.
March 21, 2025
Amazing Graphic Novel
A 12 year old girl whose family is from Taiwan, gets word that the family must go back for a funeral. She is worried about missing a school art show but in Taiwan, she finds much more. Her father has been living in Taiwan for work the past 5 years, but he’s been involved in more than work and the family is being torn apart.
A 12 year old girl whose family is from Taiwan, gets word that the family must go back for a funeral. She is worried about missing a school art show but in Taiwan, she finds much more. Her father has been living in Taiwan for work the past 5 years, but he’s been involved in more than work and the family is being torn apart.
February 21, 2025
great realistic fiction graphic novel about a tough topic
March 6, 2025
Families are not perfect!
March 29, 2025
A wonderfully illustrated graphic novel about a family keeping a secret that ends up in a big mess once the secret comes out in the open. I appreciated the realistic way it was handled and how the communication between family members evolved. I loved the drawings and look forward to more from this author
September 29, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Cindy lives with her mother and two older sisters, Jess and Em, in California. Four years ago, her father moved back to Taiwan, but her mother has not let the girls tell anyone that the parents are separated. This makes a project that Cindy has to do for Mrs. Tembrock's class a little difficult, since it is all about What Family Means to Me. Cindy is a great artist, and her teacher, as well as her friends Grace and Kelsi, want her to submit her project to a contest. Cindy is angry at her father, who last visited for her fifth grade graduation, so when he calls with the news that her Nai Nai has died, she is not thrilled to travel to Taiwan for the funeral. She brings her journal with her, and captures some of the events in her drawings. There are many preparations for the funeral, but there is also some fun like shopping and eating delicious food. When the father visits with a small boy, Cindy and her sisters are devastated to find that he is the reason that their father left, and also the reason he will not be coming back. Their mother did not know how to tell them that their father was in a new relationship and had a son, although the older sisters guessed. Cindy must find a way to make peace with her father's decisions, and see if she can make a "perfect" picture of her imperfect family, now that she is able to share this news.
Strengths: This was a great virtual trip to Taiwan, and it was interesting to see scenes of the streets, shops, and restaurants there. The family dynamics are interesting, with the older sisters, secretive parents, and extended family both in the US and in Taiwan. While family projects like the one Cindy is assigned are increasingly rare (for reasons just like Cindy's!), I always enjoy seeing children's doing homework, and love that Cindy was concerned about missing school. Mrs. Tembrock was very understanding. The drawing style is very pleasant, and I enjoyed the color palette. (The green on the cover is very much the color of the 2020s!) This seems to be set in the modern day, since characters have smart phones and FaceTime each other.
Weaknesses: I am beginning to worry about all of the troubled childhoods of graphic novel artists. Did not one but Jennifer and Matt Holm have the occasional happy time growing up? I'd much rather read a fun memoir like Sunny Makes a Splash, but the vast majority of graphic novel memoirs are sad.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to explore the sometimes difficult issues of families who have to exist in more than one country at a time, like Yang's Parachute Kids or McLeod's Intercontinental Drifter.
Cindy lives with her mother and two older sisters, Jess and Em, in California. Four years ago, her father moved back to Taiwan, but her mother has not let the girls tell anyone that the parents are separated. This makes a project that Cindy has to do for Mrs. Tembrock's class a little difficult, since it is all about What Family Means to Me. Cindy is a great artist, and her teacher, as well as her friends Grace and Kelsi, want her to submit her project to a contest. Cindy is angry at her father, who last visited for her fifth grade graduation, so when he calls with the news that her Nai Nai has died, she is not thrilled to travel to Taiwan for the funeral. She brings her journal with her, and captures some of the events in her drawings. There are many preparations for the funeral, but there is also some fun like shopping and eating delicious food. When the father visits with a small boy, Cindy and her sisters are devastated to find that he is the reason that their father left, and also the reason he will not be coming back. Their mother did not know how to tell them that their father was in a new relationship and had a son, although the older sisters guessed. Cindy must find a way to make peace with her father's decisions, and see if she can make a "perfect" picture of her imperfect family, now that she is able to share this news.
Strengths: This was a great virtual trip to Taiwan, and it was interesting to see scenes of the streets, shops, and restaurants there. The family dynamics are interesting, with the older sisters, secretive parents, and extended family both in the US and in Taiwan. While family projects like the one Cindy is assigned are increasingly rare (for reasons just like Cindy's!), I always enjoy seeing children's doing homework, and love that Cindy was concerned about missing school. Mrs. Tembrock was very understanding. The drawing style is very pleasant, and I enjoyed the color palette. (The green on the cover is very much the color of the 2020s!) This seems to be set in the modern day, since characters have smart phones and FaceTime each other.
Weaknesses: I am beginning to worry about all of the troubled childhoods of graphic novel artists. Did not one but Jennifer and Matt Holm have the occasional happy time growing up? I'd much rather read a fun memoir like Sunny Makes a Splash, but the vast majority of graphic novel memoirs are sad.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to explore the sometimes difficult issues of families who have to exist in more than one country at a time, like Yang's Parachute Kids or McLeod's Intercontinental Drifter.
February 20, 2025
A wonderfully readable and fluently-illustrated graphic novel that warms the hearts.
The unpunctuated title "How to draw a secret" can be read as alternately a questioning lament against an unsurmountable task; or an instructional how-to. This book attempts to do both: The graphic novel paints the context of the family secret that 12-turning-13-year-old Cindy confronts and unravels and her struggle to draw "What family means" for a formal arts competition; but through its narrative, shows us how honesty, bravery and trust in the kindness of others is what exchanges the shadowy secrets and fears to a richer mix of experiences and life.
Narratively, the separation of Cindy's parents is the apparent "secret" that she has to put on the page, and the book offers an answer to that task. But the deeper secret that we all have is our lived experience and our own interior world, a lived experience that is forever locked and unknownable to others. This is the sneaky gnawl of inadequacy while seen as a model child; the snarl of loneliness in a rowdy tangle of siblings and friends; the tingle to feel different while eagerly fitting in. As an adult reader, perhaps that's the deeper question and unsurmountable task that I'm drawn to - what space and avenue is there that is kind enough to hold space and give voice to that secret story that lives in each of us?
Ultimately, I found this a well-executed story, and a beautifully drawn and produced graphic novel. This book belongs well to that literary canon of the autobiographical novel that every author eventually has to write. The settings of California and Taiwan are culturally anchored and relatable, and third-culture-children readers of immigrant families would find particular resonance with the story lines. Readers of the hardcover edition can take additional joy from the artwork on the boards (spoiler: tools required to draw a secret).
The unpunctuated title "How to draw a secret" can be read as alternately a questioning lament against an unsurmountable task; or an instructional how-to. This book attempts to do both: The graphic novel paints the context of the family secret that 12-turning-13-year-old Cindy confronts and unravels and her struggle to draw "What family means" for a formal arts competition; but through its narrative, shows us how honesty, bravery and trust in the kindness of others is what exchanges the shadowy secrets and fears to a richer mix of experiences and life.
Narratively, the separation of Cindy's parents is the apparent "secret" that she has to put on the page, and the book offers an answer to that task. But the deeper secret that we all have is our lived experience and our own interior world, a lived experience that is forever locked and unknownable to others. This is the sneaky gnawl of inadequacy while seen as a model child; the snarl of loneliness in a rowdy tangle of siblings and friends; the tingle to feel different while eagerly fitting in. As an adult reader, perhaps that's the deeper question and unsurmountable task that I'm drawn to - what space and avenue is there that is kind enough to hold space and give voice to that secret story that lives in each of us?
Ultimately, I found this a well-executed story, and a beautifully drawn and produced graphic novel. This book belongs well to that literary canon of the autobiographical novel that every author eventually has to write. The settings of California and Taiwan are culturally anchored and relatable, and third-culture-children readers of immigrant families would find particular resonance with the story lines. Readers of the hardcover edition can take additional joy from the artwork on the boards (spoiler: tools required to draw a secret).
January 1, 2025
How to Draw a Secret, Cindy Chang's autobiographical graphic novel, starts out with a lighthearted look at her life in middle school. We meet a young Cindy, whose greatest concerns mostly involve trying to get out of piano practice and figuring out what to draw for an upcoming art contest. Of course, there's also the thing she doesn't talk about--the secret her family insists she keep, that her father lives in a different country and she hasn't seen him in years. But an unexpected death in the family suddenly forces Cindy, her sisters, and her mother to fly to Taiwan and unearth the secrets they've long tried to bury.
I was (pleasantly) surprised by the thematic shift that occurs once Cindy and her family reunite in Taiwan. Initially I felt that the start of the book was a little superficial. There wasn't much depth to it, and it was mostly dialogue-driven without really advancing the plot or developing the characters. But I encourage readers to stick with this one. Chang's story is a compelling one, and even though it takes her a little while to get there, she conveys a powerful message about family and resilience.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.
I was (pleasantly) surprised by the thematic shift that occurs once Cindy and her family reunite in Taiwan. Initially I felt that the start of the book was a little superficial. There wasn't much depth to it, and it was mostly dialogue-driven without really advancing the plot or developing the characters. But I encourage readers to stick with this one. Chang's story is a compelling one, and even though it takes her a little while to get there, she conveys a powerful message about family and resilience.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.
October 15, 2024
I got an ARC of this book.
It was a quick read. I generally enjoyed the art, it really hit those popular middle grade series art notes. It was not super cartoony, but not super realistic either. Hit that sweet spot in the middle.
The plot was a bit complicated. The title is a perfect fit.
I did not know this was autobiographic when I started reading it. I saw that detail after the fact. It read like a fiction story. It was smooth and paced really well. I was shocked to see that it was non-fiction. It would be a great read to transition middle grade readers into memoirs and biographies. Reads more like a story than El Deafo, so would be a perfect middle ground to get kids there.
I really liked that thecharacters all grew, but nothing was fully resolved. It couldn't be in the time the story covered. I loved that the bigger story was told around the art contest. It made it just feel conained and easy to understand, while still knowing more was happening. I will need to keep an eye on Chang's books. They are sure to be popular.
It was a quick read. I generally enjoyed the art, it really hit those popular middle grade series art notes. It was not super cartoony, but not super realistic either. Hit that sweet spot in the middle.
The plot was a bit complicated. The title is a perfect fit.
I did not know this was autobiographic when I started reading it. I saw that detail after the fact. It read like a fiction story. It was smooth and paced really well. I was shocked to see that it was non-fiction. It would be a great read to transition middle grade readers into memoirs and biographies. Reads more like a story than El Deafo, so would be a perfect middle ground to get kids there.
I really liked that thecharacters all grew, but nothing was fully resolved. It couldn't be in the time the story covered. I loved that the bigger story was told around the art contest. It made it just feel conained and easy to understand, while still knowing more was happening. I will need to keep an eye on Chang's books. They are sure to be popular.
February 27, 2025
I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
In her favorite school class, art, twelve-year-old Cindy has the perfect idea for an upcoming prompt on what family means to me. However, when a relative dies, Cindy and her family travel to Taiwan to pay respects and also see her dad, who moved out four years ago. But when family secrets come out and the overwhelming self-pressure to create the perfect art piece clashes, drama and chaos unfold. Can Cindy find a balance between everything before it finally boils over?
With a family secret years in the making, young Cindy has a lot going on. It was hard to see and read about Cindy going through this, alongside expectations from her mother, like perfecting the piano. Yet, she doesn’t quite feel alone with her two friends. It’s remarkable seeing Cindy grow through her emotions as she comes to terms with the “big secret� her father has been hiding. It is a realistic tale of one girl’s self-discovery through art and family in a graphic novel that wants to know what family truly means to one.
In her favorite school class, art, twelve-year-old Cindy has the perfect idea for an upcoming prompt on what family means to me. However, when a relative dies, Cindy and her family travel to Taiwan to pay respects and also see her dad, who moved out four years ago. But when family secrets come out and the overwhelming self-pressure to create the perfect art piece clashes, drama and chaos unfold. Can Cindy find a balance between everything before it finally boils over?
With a family secret years in the making, young Cindy has a lot going on. It was hard to see and read about Cindy going through this, alongside expectations from her mother, like perfecting the piano. Yet, she doesn’t quite feel alone with her two friends. It’s remarkable seeing Cindy grow through her emotions as she comes to terms with the “big secret� her father has been hiding. It is a realistic tale of one girl’s self-discovery through art and family in a graphic novel that wants to know what family truly means to one.
October 13, 2024
Such a wonderful story that kids will be able to relate to!
Cindy loves drawing but when her art teacher reveals the theme of an upcoming contest, she’s completely at a loss. The theme is about what family means and Cindy has been hiding what is really going on with them. Her father has left the family to live in Taiwan and her mother has instructed them not to tell anyone. When her nai nai passes, Cindy must go to Taiwan and face her dad.
There are some pretty big themes presented - losing a loved one, separation, and adultery, but it’s shared in a very real way. Cindy’s thoughts and reactions are exactly those of a twelve year old. Middle grade readers will be drawn to the graphic novel side of it while being engrossed in a story that may be reminiscent of their own.
I cannot wait to add this to our classroom and school library. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the arc.
Cindy loves drawing but when her art teacher reveals the theme of an upcoming contest, she’s completely at a loss. The theme is about what family means and Cindy has been hiding what is really going on with them. Her father has left the family to live in Taiwan and her mother has instructed them not to tell anyone. When her nai nai passes, Cindy must go to Taiwan and face her dad.
There are some pretty big themes presented - losing a loved one, separation, and adultery, but it’s shared in a very real way. Cindy’s thoughts and reactions are exactly those of a twelve year old. Middle grade readers will be drawn to the graphic novel side of it while being engrossed in a story that may be reminiscent of their own.
I cannot wait to add this to our classroom and school library. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the arc.
December 14, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for the free arc!
When 12 year old Cindy is assigned an art project at school to create a piece about "What family means to me", she is stuck. She is not sure how to create an image of her family because she is holding a secret that her father moved back to Taiwan four years ago. To keep her family's secret safe, she decides to draw a perfect family portrait from four years ago. When her grandmother unexpectedly passes away, her family visits Taiwan and even more secrets are revealed about Cindy's family. Now, more than ever, Cindy has no idea how to create a piece of art about her family.
Through detailed and powerful images, Chang skillfully conveys the feelings that Cindy goes through as she tries to work through her feelings about her feeling and her art project. She also interweaves interesting aspects of Taiwanese culture and traditions throughout.
When 12 year old Cindy is assigned an art project at school to create a piece about "What family means to me", she is stuck. She is not sure how to create an image of her family because she is holding a secret that her father moved back to Taiwan four years ago. To keep her family's secret safe, she decides to draw a perfect family portrait from four years ago. When her grandmother unexpectedly passes away, her family visits Taiwan and even more secrets are revealed about Cindy's family. Now, more than ever, Cindy has no idea how to create a piece of art about her family.
Through detailed and powerful images, Chang skillfully conveys the feelings that Cindy goes through as she tries to work through her feelings about her feeling and her art project. She also interweaves interesting aspects of Taiwanese culture and traditions throughout.
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March 30, 2025 không ch� đơn thuần là một nền tảng cá cược mà còn là không gian giải trí đỉnh cao, nơi bạn có th� tham gia cá cược th� thao, quay hũ đổi thưởng, chơi bài trực tuyến với các t� l� cược siêu hấp dẫn.
Thông tin liên h�:
Địa ch�: 300/2 Xô Viết Ngh� Tĩnh, Phường 19, Bình Thạnh, H� Chí Minh, Việt Nam
SDT: 0387749382
Website:
Hashtag: #mocbai #mocbai86com
Thông tin liên h�:
Địa ch�: 300/2 Xô Viết Ngh� Tĩnh, Phường 19, Bình Thạnh, H� Chí Minh, Việt Nam
SDT: 0387749382
Website:
Hashtag: #mocbai #mocbai86com
October 6, 2024
How to Draw a Secret is a fantastic graphic novel for middle grade readers about a young girl whose father is living in Taiwan while she is with her mother and sisters in the US. This graphic novel fantastic illustrations and handled some heavy subject matter with a lot of care. I loved that Cindy was able to express herself through art and that her voice felt very accurate to a twelve-year-old. The family in this book was going through something big and messy, but I felt like the author did a great job portraying that. They didn't always react perfectly, but it was human and filled with heart.
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Childrens Books, and Cindy Chang for the chance to read and review! My opinions are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Childrens Books, and Cindy Chang for the chance to read and review! My opinions are my own.
February 7, 2025
📖 Book Review 📖 I have a secret, I won’t draw it out here because words are my strength but I did not read graphic novels growing up. It was not until my kids got a bit older and fell in love with these books that I picked them up and started diving into this world. Cindy Chang has done a perfect job creating a beautifully poignant graphic novel that normalizes all of those tough feelings that accompany growing up. Family situations can be especially tricky in those crucial years of development and this book outlines all the feelings of moving from grief to acceptance when things do not work out the way you were hoping for. How to Draw a Secret is an emotionally powerful novel for readers of all ages because let’s let the truth be known…you are never too old for a graphic novel
October 21, 2024
An autobiographical graphic novel not set in the 90s? Sign me up!
How to Draw a Secret tells the story of Cindy, a Taiwanese American middle schooler hiding a big secret--her parents are separated, and her father has been living apart from the family since he moved back to Taiwan four years earlier. Cindy's mother insists on secrecy, so even Cindy's best friends don't know the truth about her family.
Cindy is assigned an art project with the prompt "What Family Means to Me" and struggles with what to create--how much of her truth should she reveal? When a death in the family causes a sudden reunion with her father in Taiwan, Cindy learns of an even bigger family secret.
+: This book holds great appeal to fans of books like Parachute Kids (a major favorite in my library). It is not set in the 90s! We love a contemporary graphic novel!
-: Some of the plotlines involving the older sisters feel somewhat under-developed.
Definitely will be purchasing, likely will need to purchase multiple copies.
How to Draw a Secret tells the story of Cindy, a Taiwanese American middle schooler hiding a big secret--her parents are separated, and her father has been living apart from the family since he moved back to Taiwan four years earlier. Cindy's mother insists on secrecy, so even Cindy's best friends don't know the truth about her family.
Cindy is assigned an art project with the prompt "What Family Means to Me" and struggles with what to create--how much of her truth should she reveal? When a death in the family causes a sudden reunion with her father in Taiwan, Cindy learns of an even bigger family secret.
+: This book holds great appeal to fans of books like Parachute Kids (a major favorite in my library). It is not set in the 90s! We love a contemporary graphic novel!
-: Some of the plotlines involving the older sisters feel somewhat under-developed.
Definitely will be purchasing, likely will need to purchase multiple copies.
February 3, 2025
This is a great look at family and how keeping secrets for their families can weigh on the family.
I liked the artwork throughout. It is a great look at how learning more about your family can change your views of your family. But can also help create a stronger bond with some family members.
Cindy is trying to figure out what to draw for what family means to her. As her family travels to Taiwan for her grandmother's funeral she learns the secret that her mom has been keeping and family drama ensues. But as she learns more, she becomes closer with her mom and sisters and figures what to draw for the art contest.
A great graphic novel for middle grade readers.
I liked the artwork throughout. It is a great look at how learning more about your family can change your views of your family. But can also help create a stronger bond with some family members.
Cindy is trying to figure out what to draw for what family means to her. As her family travels to Taiwan for her grandmother's funeral she learns the secret that her mom has been keeping and family drama ensues. But as she learns more, she becomes closer with her mom and sisters and figures what to draw for the art contest.
A great graphic novel for middle grade readers.
March 2, 2025
An absolute fantastic Middlegrade graphic novel about the complexities of families. Specifically ones who have been separated. The illustrations throughout were stunning and the story was beautifully told and incredibly age appropriate for the emotions that go on when faced with really hard things when you’re young. I’m sure had I read the cover better I’d have recognized this is a nonfiction book/graphic memoir, but I didn’t until I was finished and reading the acknowledgments section. Fabulous storytelling so glad the author chose to share this part of her life. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!
March 16, 2025
3.5 stars. The art is bright and each character is well-drawn. The flashback characters are clearly age-appropriate versions of the present characters. The colorful art belies the darker material. I was so mad at these parents and I dreaded the optimistic spin I knew was coming. I wish we could have seen more depth from the older sisters - I don't feel like their experience in this family was fully explored, especially given they had little interaction with Cindy for most of the book. I did love Cindy's friend group and wish we could have seen her telling her friends about her family situation.
March 20, 2025
Reading 2025
Book 70: How to Draw a Secret by Cindy Chang
A book I picked up at #NTTBF, a middle grade graphic memoir.
Synopsis: For fans of Raina Telgemeier’s Sisters and Jen Wang’s Stargazing comes the empowering autobiographical story of a young Taiwanese American artist struggling to find her voice to save what matters most.
Review: Wooo! Some heavy topics for kids to digest. Divorce, stepfamilies, abandonment, all things kids are dealing with daily. It was nice to hear from a kid how she was able to deal with things happening in her life, and all the doubts that crept in. Enjoyed this book, 4.25⭐️.
Book 70: How to Draw a Secret by Cindy Chang
A book I picked up at #NTTBF, a middle grade graphic memoir.
Synopsis: For fans of Raina Telgemeier’s Sisters and Jen Wang’s Stargazing comes the empowering autobiographical story of a young Taiwanese American artist struggling to find her voice to save what matters most.
Review: Wooo! Some heavy topics for kids to digest. Divorce, stepfamilies, abandonment, all things kids are dealing with daily. It was nice to hear from a kid how she was able to deal with things happening in her life, and all the doubts that crept in. Enjoyed this book, 4.25⭐️.
March 21, 2025
Very nice artwork & color scheme/palette used, text used is very nice & easy to read. Appropriate subject matter/content for middle grade readers, really good realistic fiction for this age group.....a lot that young kids could relate to here....dealing with families, divorce, siblings, parents, school.....& it does end on a positive note! It's a real good graphic novel. Young girls especially, might like this, as it mostly centers around a 12 year old girl. I'd recommend this for any library!
I received an e ARC of the book from publisher HarperCollins Children's Books/Allida via NetGalley for review purposes, & this is my own fair/honest review.
I received an e ARC of the book from publisher HarperCollins Children's Books/Allida via NetGalley for review purposes, & this is my own fair/honest review.
March 6, 2025
Cindy is the youngest of three sisters, born and living in the United States with their mom. Their dad went back to Taiwan several years ago. Cindy doesn't understand why he left, and she is told to keep it a secret, even from her best friends. She normally loves to draw but is frozen when asked to draw something for a specific school assignment. When her family unexpectedly goes to Taiwan, Cindy learns family secrets. This solid middle-grade graphic novel depicts the challenges and joys of living in two cultures.
March 27, 2025
Not a bad story at all, and not one heard very often from this point of view. It was refreshing and honest but also you could empathize with the main character for everything that was happening. The father though?!? What was up with him? He couldn't take accountability for his mistake until all three daughters and the mom called him out. Not going to lie though, I didn't like the finished art piece--I was waiting the whole time to see what they would come up with and it seemed like they were going in a good direction at first but then it got weird by the end.
February 2, 2025
How to Draw a Secret is a moving memoir about trying to put the pieces together after your idea of family implodes. Handling a serious topic with tender care and in an age-appropriate fashion, Chang writes candidly about her family’s journey to finding harmony after years of hiding a secret. This is another perfect story for the Raina Telgemeier fan club and readers who love Lily LaMotte’s Measuring Up.
Full review:
Full review:
February 14, 2025
An enjoyable graphic memoir - the art and the pacing were really well done.
(One quibble - and this is just a general complaint, not a knock against this book - is that I wish more kids' graphics had messy endings...I was kind of hoping that in the end she would find out that her dad was kind of a jerk without having a tearful reconciliation at the end. Some parents are just jerks that don't need to be immediately forgiven for the jerky things they've done.)
(One quibble - and this is just a general complaint, not a knock against this book - is that I wish more kids' graphics had messy endings...I was kind of hoping that in the end she would find out that her dad was kind of a jerk without having a tearful reconciliation at the end. Some parents are just jerks that don't need to be immediately forgiven for the jerky things they've done.)
February 17, 2025
👦🏻reviews: this graphic novel with awesome illustrations, almost true to life, offered stunning and powerful story about Cindo with her family. The story felt like a roller coaster with plenty of emotions and the ending is so good! This story pays homage to my dad’s side of the world and I started salivating for Bo Luo Bao (bread) after reading this. I highly highly recommend this one to you all!
March 4, 2025
This was just so good, definitely on the more serious side compared to many middle-grade graphic novels, and so worth the tugs on your heart to see Cindy and her family figure out a way forward after some emotional blows that were captured all so movingly here through words and adorable illustrations. What an impressive debut.
March 8, 2025
This is a brave book telling a hard story in a way that I think a lot of kids will relate to. I love that so much of it is about exploring and confronting emotions -- that's tough work, tender work. I love that Cindy's family values her art, regardless of everything else that is going on. I love that part of it is set in Taiwan -- always a joy to see a window into another culture.
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March 18, 2025Brilliant.. I really enjoyed it I also wanted to reach out to you personally. Basically I'm an artist, and I love bringing stories to life visually. I was curious If you're interested in working together maybe for Cover Art, Character Designs, or anything else creative as a commoission artist I’d love to assist. No pressure at all, Just wanted to know if that's something you'd consider?
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