I read a book that at first glance, I figured wouldn’t be “all that” as American Civil War stories are known, people of color are having their stories told and Asian people are having their stories told. How could this book be different? Well, when author Andrea Wang and illustrator Youa Vang got together they combined the three elements and made a unique, well-thought out story of one man and how he triumphed over adversity. 
That man was Joseph Pierce. His birth name has been forgotten to history, and until Wang and Vang his story was mostly as well. Worthy : The Brave and Capable Life of Joseph Pierce follows a young Chinese boy from his early years in China (though little is known about those years) to when he was most likely sold to a ship’s captain. He would then go to live with the captain’s family in Connecticut, where he would be educated and work hard. He was almost family, except that he was Chinese and public opinion was against him. To try and become a citizen of the states, he would join the Union Army, fight with distinction and wait for his citizenship. The rest of his life would be much the same. He would gain certain human rights, only to have the prejudices of the time hold him back. Eventually he would marry a white woman, have children and because of him and others like him, fight for equality. 
This story was new, fresh, and unknown. I had not realized that there were Chinese soldiers in the Civil War. I knew that history had treated the men and women of the time horrifically, those who were just looking for a better life. I assumed that many would call themselves Japanese due to the racism of the time (and that got me thinking that I’m sure several Japanese people might claim the reverse less than a hundred years later) so this book is also a thinking book. It is something that is still relatable on multiple levels. It is a good book for the classroom and individual. As an adult, I recommend it as well even if it is a picture book..
Read via an online reader copy, this book is due August 2025.