I See You: How the Women Who Raised Me Inspired ALTERATIONS, a guest post by Ray Xu

My debut novel hinges on the power of the women in my protagonist Kevin’s life. This semi-autobiographical graphic novel is inspired by the women who helped raise me and that inspiration starts with the title, Alterations, which references my own mom’s work at an alteration and dry-cleaning store.

When I was 9 or 10, my mom was working with three other Chinese women in a small alterations and dry cleaning store in a downtown mall. Sometimes, after school, I would go to her work and stay with her until she got off work so we could go home together. The store was off the beaten path of the mall, but it had a steady stream of customers dropping off things that needed to be either altered or dry cleaned. The place hummed with sounds of sewing machines.  There was a video game store a few stores down, which would be where I would get my first part-time job when I got older.

I recall seeing my mom hunched over the sewing machine working tirelessly on a huge pile of clothes. Every time I saw her at work, she was always busy multitasking, no wasted moments. She absolutely had to get her clothes done. One day, instead of going home like we usually do after she finished her shift, she took me to see The Lion King at the adjacent theater. I remember this sticking with me because this had never happened before. Mom being spontaneous? Spending money on an excursion? And it began to make me think about whether I lacked a full understanding of her. Did I just view her as a person with no personality or interests outside of work? That day, I saw a completely different side of her—she seemed like she could take a break. I began to understand that my mother had an entire world of self beyond the one that I saw every day.

My sister and I are 12 years apart. She was just 7 when they came to Toronto. (I was not born yet obviously.) My sister faced the challenge of adapting to a new culture while aiding our parents in navigating this unfamiliar world. Beyond taking on a lot for our parents, she was the one who introduced me to pop culture, music, took me to see movies, taught me how to drive, and let me hang out with her older friends in spite of how much it probably annoyed her. I even wore her hand-me-downs. (We didn’t have much in the budget for fashion expenses back then, but luckily, I had a mom who was a master clothing manipulator – it allowed me to alter old clothes to keep up with the changing fashion trends!) Despite a codependent mother, a needy younger brother and facing her own challenges as a young adult trying to make something of herself, she was still able to graduate university with honors and have a successful career in the field of finance. I still ask her for advice whenever I have important life decisions to make (like buying a house). In my relatively carefree childhood, I couldn’t see then all the pressure and sacrifices my sister had to face to make our entire family’s life easier.

My grandmother cared for me as a young child. She called me “Zhu Zhu”, which, translated to English, means, Pig Pig. I was born in the year of the Pig. By the time I was old enough to really remember her, she had faded into the background as dementia set in. But I did learn about her through stories.

My mother and uncle recounted Popo’s perseverance through the Japanese invasion, the Communist takeover, and the Cultural Revolution. The life-changing events of those decades seemed unimaginable, especially one after the other, highlighting the strength required to endure such times—and the unknown strength that brought me to my childhood in Canada. Nevertheless, she always looked so cheerful.

In writing Alterations, I wanted to show that a major part of growing up is shifting (or altering) your perspective to realize all the factors that are working together to make your life possible, all the stories of struggle hidden behind every success. My mother, sister, and grandma all made immeasurable sacrifices, and my novel is all about highlighting the stories that Kevin doesn’t, and I didn’t, immediately understand.

Even today, I’m still learning from reflecting on the women who raised me, especially while working on Alterations and helping raise two young sons.

My mother’s trajectory from an employee to a business owner was full of constant hard work and sacrifices. Her frugality and reluctance to treat herself was like a superpower. The phrase, “a penny saved is a penny earned” defined her lifestyle. Despite eventually allowing herself some enjoyment, like photography lessons and vacations, it came too late. A severe stroke in 2012 marked the beginning of her health decline leading to her passing in 2016. The limited time to savor the fruits of her labor is still a poignant reminder of the importance of balancing work and life.

As I reflected on these experiences, I knew I had to start learning how to appreciate life’s moments. I’m not very good at it yet, but just like how I keep reminding my own kids to “keep trying,” I’m working on making some improvements. My mom never had much self-compassion, so I take pride in how I try to balance work and family. Enjoying simple pleasures like buying a good cup of coffee, not feeling bad to not working hard enough, and focusing on the good parts of life more.

The sacrifices my mother, sister, and grandmother made directly influence how I want to live my life. I strive to improve upon those lessons, so that I can impart this wisdom to my kids, just like the women who raised me did for me. From watching their resilience, I saw that every breakdown was followed by a determined rise, and I hope to pay homage to that in Alterations.

Meet the author

Ray Xu is a Toronto-based story artist for television and feature films. His recent work includes the 2021 Netflix animated hit The Mitchells vs. The Machines; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem; and more. He invites you to visit him online at http://raymond-xu.com.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayxuxu/

About Alterations

For fans of Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese and Svetlana Chmakova’sAwkward, this funny yet poignant middle-grade coming-of-age story highlights the struggle of feeling invisible while yearning to be seen by all. 

Kevin Lee is having a really bad week. Although he lives in a crowded Toronto apartment above the family’s alterations and dry-cleaning store, he mostly goes unnoticed. School isn’t exactly an oasis either—being one of the few Asian kids makes for some unwelcome attention. But when Kevin’s class plans a trip to Thrill Planet, a spectacular theme park, will he finally have a chance to turn his life around, or will it just be another day for Kevin Lee?

Fans of middle school graphic novels exploring identity and self-esteem will appreciate the poignant yet humorous journey of finding one’s place in the world, and readers who are looking for Asian representation in books will connect with Kevin’s story of racism, bullying, and the immigrant experience. With its mix of family relationships, friendships, and a thrilling amusement park climax, this inspiring read is perfect for fans of humorous middle grade fiction with diverse characters overcoming obstacles.

ISBN-13: 9781454945857
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Publication date: 01/30/2024
Age Range: 8 – 12 Years

Filed under: Guest Post