Stephen Hilger

Middle School Book Review

Yang, Gene Luen. Boxers & Saints. New York: First Read Publishing. 2013.
In life, we are constrained from viewing events from our own point of view. As we are all
individuals, it is very difficult to understand why others interpret things differently. Boxers &
Saints, a two part graphic novel written and illustrated by Gene Luen Yang, is a great book set
that teachers can use to step into the shoes of the other, and interpret things from a different
perspective.
The two books focus is on the Boxer Rebellion in China of the nineteenth century. The
Boxer Rebellion was a response of the Chinese to rise up against the European colonists that
were taking control of their economy and control. The Boxer Rebellion started when Chinese
peasants formed a secret society to practice traditional religious beliefs and Kung Fu as a
revival against the European Imperialists. The Europeans called them boxers because they
thought their Kung Fu looked like boxing. The two stories follow two different characters. One
is a mainstay of Boxer Rebellion, Little Bow, and another girl, 4th sister, who takes on the name
of Vibiana when she converts to Christianity. The genius of the story is that it interweaves the
two different point of views of the story, into one narrative, where the events are experienced by
both characters. In this way, students truly get to step into the shoes of someone else, and
understand how different perspectives shape how we understand the world around us.
The audience for these books in my opinion is easily 10 and up. Amongst the students I
have given it to, both boys and girls have enjoyed it immensely. Although the book is
particularly popular with boys. This book is popular with middle schoolers because of the
awesome illustrations. Yang is one of the most renowned illustrators out there, and his pictures
make you want to keep turning the page. A second reason why this book has so much appeal
is because of the two narrators. Boys and girls are able to easily identify with either Vibiana,
Little Bao, or both. Finally, the story reads like a fantasy movie. There are many supernatural
occurrences, visits from gods, that are beautifully illustrated and make you feel like you are
reading a movie.
This book should definitely be included in a middle school library. While there is
violence, the pictures go no farther than the truth of the actual event. More than just a free read
book, Boxers and Saints could easily be incorporated into a unit in either ELA or Social Studies.
The books include a great deal of themes such as that of tragedy. In Boxers Little Bao begins
with good intentions of liberating the Chinese from the Imperialists, yet he begins to commit
gross crimes against innocent civilians in his quest. He becomes consumed with his mission
without caring for humanity, ultimately bringing on his own destruction. His story is a great
jumping point into a discussion of when do the ends justify the means. Another theme in this
book is that of the universality of all human experience. Even though Vibiana and Bao practice
different religions, ultimately there religious experiences are drastically similar. Through this
lens, students could explore the theme of the universality of human experience.
The gold standard of this book for teaching, however, is point of view. It is an ideal book
to explore how two people interpret the same event differently because of their background and
perspective. The book is rich with instances when the teacher could prompt students to explore

why makes Bao and Vibiana view Christianity differently? Students should be able to easily
identify events in each characters history that has led them to view the world as they do.
Boxers & Saints was nominated for the National Book of Year for adolescents and it is
incredibly deserving. It is a work of art and the book full of substance. Add this book to your
library today! Your students will thank you!