I really enjoyed this autobiographical graphic novel about a girl growing up as an only child in China. It was interesting reading about the family's living arrangements and the school. Happily, she also had loving grandparents who could care for her, like when her parents moved for new jobs and she had to wait to go with them. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

I somehow either missed or forgot that this was a graphic novel, so imagine my surprise when I opened up the e-book. Ugh, I wish I could've read it as a physical book and looked at the pictures properly and felt the paper, etc. Still, it was cute (illustration and childhood memory wise) and insightful! As someone from a country that used to be part of the USSR, there are some parallels to my or rather my parents, grandparents, etc. history and childhoods. I guess, what was missing for me was maybe a deeper emotional connection with the main character (aka the author's childhood self) or a bit more connection between the chapters and maybe a stronger ongoing theme/plotline. I don't know, I suppose, the theme was loneliness and the journey to finding and accepting one's own identity. However, the chapters felt a bit too much like just scenes and stories from the author's childhood in a chronological manner, instead of one connected story. But, considering that it's biographical, maybe that makes sense and is okay...? This is also Middle Grade and a graphic novel, so I accept that the level of depth and emotional detail, exploration, etc. that I might like would maybe be a bit much for it as well.

Regardless, all in all - cute, insightful, not heavy, and probably best enjoyed as a physical book.

This is a graphic memoir about Yinfan Huang (whose name means "yellow singing sail") growing up in China and moving from the country to a city as an only child and trying to find somewhere she fit in.

This is a quick read. It's not too long and there's not very much text, so there also isn't very much depth.

I like the use of a limited color palette.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital review copy.

This is the autobiography of a lone child in China. Part of what makes it interesting is that the lone child is female and what we learned in the US was that male children were preferred. This story is about a young girl learning to be her own friend and recognizing true friends. The story is interesting but slow. We see Yinfin as a child with a family, both large and small. This book is about the everyday things that make life. It’s an interesting look and an interesting autobiography, but not one I think will be long remembered.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc! This was such a short read but also engaging. We get to see what it is like to grow up for Yinfan in China. It was interesting to learn things in Chinese culture i wouldn’t have known otherwise (like that there was a hair length limit for school). i wish it could’ve been a longer story and therefore can kind of feel rushed but i feel the main point was clearly made. i hope the younger (and intended) audience takes away the great message behind the book about being yourself and not caring of the opinions others are thinking of you. i also went in slightly blind and didn’t realize it would be a graphic novel memoir but it made it so much fun!

An interesting look at cultural differences and hardships growing up in a society that can sometimes feel super rigid and harsh. I did want the story to have a bit more depth to it. There were so many subplots that deserved more page time, because the emotional moments had so much potential left to explore. The sectional pacing was effective at setting the stage for each transitional moment, but I wish that the narrative arc felt like it was evolving to somewhere rather than being so surface level. The approachable art style provides a personal touch that reels you in like these characters are your personal friends.

5/5✨ First of all i want to say thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC of “Yellow Singing Sail”. I really really enjoyed this graphic novel. I found the art style very cute and endearing and it complimented very well the story. The fact that this graphic novel is a memoir of Yinfan Huang herself makes it even more interesting, I myself love knowing more about asian cultures and their way of living, so this book was perfect for me! Also, i think that the fact that Yinfan Huang is sharing her childhood with the world is very brave. Again, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to review this book!

This is a graphic novel memoir for middle graders, depicting the author's childhood in China in the 90s. The art style is quite unique, with a very limited watercolor palette and drawings that aren't very detailed. I've seen other reviewers say they loved the art style for how soft and soothing it is, but I personally didn't resonate with it.

The narrative elements of the memoir were generally wholesome and interesting to me, as someone from a different culture. However, I rather felt like something was missing. The incidents the author portrays here are often quite minor, and they're episodic, not really amounting to a cohesive narrative. There is little depth to the anecdotes, and they often left me wanting to know more.

On the whole, this is a nice memoir that's quite suited to older elementary school readers or younger middle graders. I would call this a slice-of-life memoir, and unfortunately that kind of narrative structure is not something I generally enjoy. It might work better for readers who do enjoy slice-of-life.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

A very quick, simple read. Yellow Singing Sail, which is how you translate YinFan’s name, writes about what it is like growing up under the One Child policy. She doesn’t notice when her family lives in the countryside, because her parents always have time with her, and she lives near relatives. It isn't until she moves to the city, when her parents move for work, that she realizes what it is to be lonely.

What is also interesting is how mater-of-factly she talks about things that are odd to those in the West. She tells how she has to wear a red kerchief as part of her school uniform, and how she is punished when she loses it.

Another incident she writes about, as though it is perfectly normal, is how one summer, in middle-school, all the kids had to do mandatory military training, the way kids in the West go to Summer camp.

A good way to experience a life that is different than our own.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 3rd of June 2025.

Yellow Singing Sail - an intriguing title and cover draws one to the book instantly. It is an honest account of life of a single child in China, but with a universal appeal. The autobiographical memoir of Yinfan -the adorable main character - shows remarkable resilience in the face of ups and downs of life. The matter of fact and witty narration style, keeps one hooked till the end. I soon started rooting for Yinfan and could feel all the emotions. A great coming of age story accompanied with excellent graphics makes it a treat for the eyes. Relatable for both middle graders and adults, the message is effectively conveyed and satisfying. The description of school life and systems of China is informative and interesting too.

I'd describe Yellow Singing Sail as a sweet, quick read with beautiful art and interesting insights into what childhood was like for the author living and attending elementary/middle school in 1990s China. I really resonated with the art style: the orange and green palette made this stand out from other graphic novels where the color can feel overwhelming, and the softness of the illustrations gave the story a sweet, nostalgic tint, like a memory. I think that this helped the illustrations reflect the reflective and gentle tone of the memoir.

I will say that I felt this memoir was quite surface-level, and I often found myself wishing for much more. I wanted to know more about the friend Yinfan makes and bikes with. The scene set at the military camp was so striking, and I wished we'd lingered there longer. Even some of the descriptions of and interactions with Yinfan's family members, particularly the aunt with whom her family lives for some time after moving to Guangzhou, felt a little too rushed for me. I did really appreciate the exploration of the various dialects spoken in the various communities Yinfan is part of, and particularly the transformation Cantonese makes: beginning as a language associated with crass humor because the numbers 9 and 10 sound like the Mandarin for dog poop, it transitions to represent the "cool kids" when Yinfan starts at a middle school where more students speak Cantonese at home. Again, though, I wished to delve more into this topic through Yinfan's eyes.

All said, I would probably best recommend this to an older elementary student or a younger middle schooler who's interested in learning about other cultures in a slice-of-life, memory-based way.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, all about Yinfan growing up as an only child in China. I particularly liked the bits that explained about how slight changes in different Chinese characters can drastically alter the meaning. Most of all, it was really interesting to read about the similarities and differences between my upbringing and Yinfan's, in very different countries. I also loved the illustrations and the colour scheme used.

An interesting insight into childhood in China, a system very different to what we know in the west but it feels like it is rather lacking in a narrative arc to tie things together.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free arc!

This is an interesting story about Yingfan who lives during the one child policy in China. You learn about what her life is like with her family, without any siblings. You also learn about what her experiences were like at school.

Yellow Singing Sail is about Yinfan, or 黄吟帆 in Chinese, and her experience of growing up in the late 90s, China. This book explores the theme of loneliness of an only-child in a light-hearted way—capturing the sensation of childhood. But what’s interesting is that it Yinfan’s story truly happened, making this book wholesome and eye-opening.

As someone who is part of the Chinese community and engrossed by its history, I strongly relate to Yinfan’s experiences growing up in China. However, I was still surprised to learn the strictness of the teachers, different from the teachers I’ve typically had in American schools.

Yet I found Yinfan’s story taking me back to my early childhood, strong with nostalgia. I too moved between different cities. And also as an only child, I found myself lonely sometimes. The theme, however, did a spectacular job on teaching us that, in the end, you have yourself as a friend. Through the pages of this book, I found myself befriending a girl perhaps a bit similar to myself. Once I started to read this graphic novel, I couldn’t stop.

And of course, the illustrations bring the story to life. Yinfan is a talented artist with such a unique style—exactly the kind needed for this book! I can’t imagine any other styles with this story, as they bring an easygoing and elated touch.

I really recommend this book to fellow Chinese people—who may find themselves relating yet also amused at the comparison to their own life. Yet this book is also perfect for everyone hoping to learn more about growing up in China almost thirty years ago, or simply just the simplicity of youth. Truly, this is one of those books for everyone! It will inform you, teach you, and also fascinate you… Kind of what reading is all about!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity for me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

Yellow singing sail is a story unlike anything I've read before. It's heartwarming and funny and eye-opening because it shows us Yinfan's coming of age story and how she learns to accept and love herself.
I laughed out loud with my sister at a scene where 3 year old Yinfan gets a buzz-cut and is upset about it because we related to her sadness. The art style was simple and very adorable, I really liked the limited color palette.

Thank you Netgalley and Kids Can Press for this wonderful ARC!

A very moving, beautiful read. "Yellow Singing Sail" is a gorgeous middle-grade graphic memoir that explores themes of culture shock from non-US perspectives -- a welcome point of view, of which I am excited to read more. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. #YellowSingingSail #NetGalley

First of all, I'd like to thank NetGalley for this ARC.

I'm an avid fan of graphic novels and I do think this was a great childhood memoir representation. However, I would've enjoy it a bit more if it was a bit more detailed on friendship and family. I think the difficulty to make friendships wasn't well portrayed, there wasn't enough context besides the being different and it felt really one sided, since the main problem didn't feel like the people surrounding the character, but her own internal judgment.

Anyhow, I appreciated the story and I loved the simple watercolor art style.

Final rating: 3,5 stars

Yellow Singing Sail is a must-read graphic novel for middle school students. Both educational and relatable, this memoir shares the author's struggles growing up in the one-child era in China. Students will learn about cultural differences, while also relating to the author's universal struggles to fit in and make friends. Highly recommended!

This is a very accessible graphic memoir. Honestly, I wish it was longer. I appreciate the story of "love yourself", but it speaks to the how well it is written that I wanted more. I wanted to see more of the MC's life moments. I wanted to see how they came to the US. I think this is appropriate for most secondary levels. A great addition where graphic memoirs are popular.