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December Book List: Happy Holidays

Creator's Corner: Ray Xu

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. His debut graphic novel, Alterations, is a funny yet poignant middle-grade coming-of-age story that highlights the struggle of feeling invisible. At the 2025 CCBC Book Awards, Alterations became the first ever graphic novel to win the Jean Little First-Novel Award.

We caught up with Ray Xu to ask him about crafting his first graphic novel and how he hopes young readers see themselves in the story.

 

In Alterations, Kevin finds comfort in comics. Reading and drawing comics also become a way for Kevin to explore his identity. What role did comics play in your life growing up?

Comics were huge for me. I used to visit the old Silver Snail on Queen West in Toronto and spend hours there. Most of the time, I wouldn’t even buy anything—I’d just sit and read the new releases. I was obsessed with seeing physical creatures from movies, like the Alien from Alien. This was before the widespread use of CGI, so seeing those practical movie props felt magical. I think, without realizing it, that probably fed into my love of movies, which is funny considering it’s the field I ended up working in.

I also took a comics drawing class near the shop, where I learned about panel art and inking. In a lot of ways, comics helped me hone my art skills and also gave me an escape from reality. This was before phones and social media, so physically holding a book full of amazing art was everything. I’d copy the illustrations to learn different styles, and it really taught me what I was capable of. Reading and drawing comics definitely helped me develop into the artist I am today.

While very fun and silly, Alterations also feels deeply personal. What motivated you to tell this story?

It was really a mix of things. A lot of what’s in the book is loosely inspired by my own childhood, but what kicked everything off was this growing desire to finally tell a story of my own. At the same time, my family was still young, and my oldest son had just started getting into reading. I noticed there weren’t many books with Asian representation, and I thought it’d be really cool if he could grow up seeing characters who looked like him on the page.

Living in Toronto, it’s easy to forget how much of a balancing act it is—blending in while still holding onto where you come from. That idea kept sticking with me. And then it clicked: I wanted to make something for kids. At first, I actually pitched it as an animated series, and we even got a development deal with Cartoon Network. But ultimately, I wrote Alterations in memory of my mom.

As a story artist, you’ve worked on some exciting television and film projects (like The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)). How did your experience in television and film influence Alterations?

I don’t think I could’ve made Alterations without having worked on all those films. Being a story artist gave me the drawing chops and the storytelling instincts to shape the book in a way that felt entertaining and engaging. My goal from the start was to approach Alterations as something that could hit on multiple levels—I wanted humour woven between moments of real emotional weight, a bit of imagination and fantasy sprinkled in, and a sense of adventure that would take readers on a full journey with ups, downs, and a satisfying payoff.

I’m really grateful to have been part of films like Mitchells and TMNT: Mutant Mayhem. They taught me so much about how to tell a story, and honestly, I grew a ton as an artist during those productions.

Near the end of the book, Kevin comes to the powerful realization that “You can’t change how people see you. But you can change how you see yourself.” Did writing Alterations change the way you see yourself?

I wish I had a neat, definitive answer, but honestly, life is a messy-but-rewarding journey—and that’s really the heart of Alterations, too. I did come out of the whole experience with a lot of gratitude. First, just appreciating what an incredible opportunity it is to share such a personal story with readers. And also appreciating the fact that I allowed myself to be vulnerable enough to tell it.

And because of all that, yeah, I think it did change how I see myself. The more time passes, the more I understand what my mother’s sacrifices meant for me, and how much power I have to shift my own perspective—which ends up shaping how I live. It’s definitely a work in progress.

Alterations is the first ever graphic novel to win the Jean Little First-Novel Award. What does it mean to you to have your work recognized?

Wow—I honestly didn’t realize until now that Alterations is the first graphic novel to ever win the award. It was already such a meaningful honour, and now it feels even sweeter. I’ll be honest: when the book came out, I tried really hard not to set any expectations. Being so new to publishing probably helped; I didn’t totally understand what all the recognition and lists really meant yet.

And while Alterations has picked up some traction and landed on some wonderful lists, this is the first award it’s actually won. Being the first graphic novel to get this award and having it be the book’s very first win—there’s something really beautiful about that combination. I’m so grateful. I hope it means Alterations will find even more readers, and maybe encourage other kids like me to tell their own stories

 

Experts' Picks

Expert booksellers and librarians share their top picks for young readers. Check out what our experts are reading this December!

Recommended by Linda Ludke, Collections Management Librarian, London Public Library