Drawn Together is an understated and beautiful picture book centered on the concept of immigration and identity. The main character is a young boy who is visiting his grandfather. The two have little in common and can't really communicate due to a language barrier. The two begin to bond when they start drawing pictures, each in his own style. The boy illustrates bright, colorful superhero scenes, while the grandfather's pictures are black ink representing traditional warrior figures. These two styles mingle and then merge into a new, unique backdrop where they can coexist and work together. Then, they can appreciate one another and see past their differences. Drawing helps the boy and his grandfather find a common ground and connect with one another when words are not possible.
Part graphic novel, with sparse text and gorgeous, dynamic illustrations, the theme of Drawn Together is overcoming gaps due to language, age, and culture. The characters are individuals, without extra commentary, and so no stereotypes are present. At first, they may seem like two closed-off characters, unable or unwilling to cross the divide between them, but by the end, their bond is clear. The setting, which is the grandfather's house, represents his experience as an immigrant, straddling his traditional values in his new homeland. This moving and powerful book is restrained and not preachy.
Minh Le, the author is a first-generation Vietnamese American, who writes from experience related to family, identity, immigration, and attempts to fit into a new environment. Illustrator Dan Santat is extremely talented and is a Caldecott Medalist. He demonstrates a variety of styles in this book, all of which are meaningful and eye-catching. In this video, Santat describes his techniques and the illustrating process. He draws inspiration from traditional symbols from Asian culture, including dragons and samurai. For the grandfather's drawings, the black ink pictures contain so much detail and intricacy. For the boy's drawings, he ties in bright colors and other symbols of more modern culture, including wizards and superheroes. On the pages where the two styles overlap and integrate, something truly amazing is created. The power of Santat's illustrations exceeds words, and doesn't just supplement Le's story, but truly brings it to life and adds greater value and depth to the story.
The feeling of alienation and the unknown of the immigrant experience is one that is widespread. Many students could relate to both the grandfather, grasping for his traditional culture and hoping to keep it alive, as well as the young boy, who does not understand the old patriarch at first. Without giving him a chance, and keeping up a wall between them, they could have missed out on a valuable opportunity for cultural exchange and familial kinship, which is so important to many cultural groups.
Drawn Together earned starred reviews from School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly. Beyond its value as a multicultural and diverse book for children, Drawn Together is strikingly beautiful and it conveys a message that many children and adults alike could benefit from.
Alongside the reading of Drawn Together, an elementary class could study cultural symbols and icons from history representing their own family's background. Using this information, students could then draw their own self-portraits. Finally, the students could pair up with a classmate to compare and contrast their unique styles.
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