A Book Review: ‘Alterations’ by Ray Xu

Kevin Lee lives in a crowded Toronto apartment, which is located above his mom’s alterations business. He and his older sister are expected to help with the business and around the house to, hopefully, fill the gap left by their father leaving the family for his mistress. But Kevin is only a tween and having loads of trouble in school. Ray Xu presents a true-to-life story about growing up, family, and the importance of being oneself in Alterations

Dad’s Gone

Xu’s story begins with Kevin and his sister shoveling snow. Their mom reminds them she needs their help more than ever now that she is raising them alone. 

Throughout the story, we see how much Kevin needs his father. At one point, when things are rough at school and at home, the youngster attempts to call his dad. He thinks twice about the decision and ultimately doesn’t go through with it. Still, the fact that Kevin’s default is to call his father shows the impact of his absence. 

The Smelly Egg

Another element of Alterations quite interesting is culture. Kevin’s grandmother packs his lunch for school one day and includes an egg. This isn’t just any regular egg but, rather, an aged egg, which is a significant part of Chinese cuisine. 

Kevin loves the egg. Those at school do not share the sentiment. Kevin nearly clears the cafeteria with his “smelly” egg, and the principal of the school ultimately bars him from bringing the food to school again. 

Family First

Throughout Xu’s story is the factor of family. Kevin’s sister is expected to sacrifice everything for the sake of the family. His mom works tirelessly to provide for the family. Kevin’s grandmother moves in to fill the space left by their father who abandoned the family. 

Kevin himself grapples with the reality of his family being among the immigrant class that struggles to survive in Toronto. He compares his family to that of his friend who immigrated and found incredible economic success. Throughout the storyline, Xu makes it clear that family is the foundation many immigrants build upon.

Growing Up Is Hard To Do

Kevin has more bad days than good during his crazy week, which proves that growing up is hard to do. In all, though, Coming of Age with confidence is possible when you have an amazing support system. 

Alterations by Ray Xu is great for Middle Grade students who may be struggling with the challenges of getting older. Those looking for books based in a city outside of the United States may also enjoy this graphic novel.