“Surviving is the easy part. Feeling at peace in your heart is the hard part.”
A little bit like an updated take on Gary Paulson’s Hatchet, Ash’s Cabin is the story of a nonbinary teenager who feels out-of-place at school (where their peers don’t seem to share their concerns for the environment) and at home (where their well-intentioned parents let their dead name slip or still use the wrong pronouns). Ash feels like they don’t fit into the world, so maybe the best option is to create their own world … and after intensive research and collecting supplies, Ash takes their dog and heads into the woods near their family’s ranch to find the secret hidden cabin they are sure their Grandpa Edwin built. Their plan is to live there for the rest of their life. But best laid plans…
I spent this entire book on the edge of my seat, wanting Ash to make it and be okay. I was also very concerned about their dog, Chase, a devoted companion throughout, but also an occasional wrench in the plan. The research that Wang must have done to put this story together—I don’t know that I would have thought of the kinds of dangers and triumphs that await Ash in the forest or at the secret cabin. And as someone who loved survivalist stories as a kid, this was absolutely in my wheelhouse. I think this might be my new favorite of Jen Wang’s graphic novels.
There’s so much for the eye to take in throughout the book. The artwork in Ash’s Cabin is beautifully detailed, especially scenes where Ash is out in nature. In the early part of the book, we get to see how Ash feels alienated from everyone in their life via interactions with family and classmates. Facial expressions are rendered in such a way that we can feel the alternating anguish and excitement Ash experiences throughout. The palette is primarily warm colors—browns, yellows, and greens—with a blended watercolor look. When Ash is referred to by their dead name, the name is blackened out as the author’s careful way of negating its validity. I appreciated the sensitivity that Wang used to approach writing Ash’s character. Due to some intense scenes and difficult situations in the book that feel a little heavy for younger readers, I would aim to give this book to older tweens and teens. Overall, it would make an affirming addition to the collection for readers who loved books by Gary Paulson or fans of Megan E. Freeman’s novel-in-verse, Alone.
Ultimately, Ash returns from the wilderness to a world that is ready to be a little gentler on them, finding kindred spirits at school and common ground with their older cousin. And more importantly, they have a renewed sense of their strength in what they can do on their own, while realizing that humans might need each other and nature, too.
Ash’s Cabin
By Jen Wang
Macmillan First Second, 2024
ISBN: 9781250754066
Publisher Age Rating:Â 14-18
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13)
Creator Representation:Â East Asian,
Character Representation:Â Nonbinary,
