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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.