Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American

In Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American, author-illustrator Laura Gao presents a heartfelt and humorous coming-of-age story that traces her journey from Wuhan, China, to Texas and beyond. Published by HarperCollins in 2022, this single-issue graphic memoir explores themes of identity, family, and belonging as Gao navigates the complexities of growing up as a Wuhanese American, especially in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. With its warm, candid art and deeply personal narrative, the book stands as an essential and timely addition to the graphic memoir genre, giving voice to an often underrepresented perspective.