Year of the book

Review by Booklist Review

A slim but solid novel about friends and family issues, Cheng's latest follows an Asian American girl through most of fourth grade. At the start, Anna Wang finds companionship in books, partly because last year's best friend, Laura, has become less friendly. Despite the title, and the author's numerous references to other books (ranging from picture books to A Wrinkle in Time), Anna's bookishness is only one of the themes of this story. More important are the active adjustments she makes in her own life to reach out to others, including a widower, the kindly crossing guard, a girl with learning difficulties, and Laura, whose parents are undergoing a grim separation. Cheng also describes Anna's challenges in learning Chinese she is resistant at first, since her American-born dad has done fine without knowing the language. Halpin's illustrations offer sweet scenes and images of Anna's life, including her growing interest in Chinese characters.--Nolan, Abby Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Anna Wang, the narrator of this tender novel, isn't having an easy time navigating fourth grade. Feeling left out when her friend Laura begins hanging out with another girl, Anna takes refuge in her beloved library books. She is proud of her Chinese-born mother, who is going to school to become a nurse, yet embarrassed by her mother's imperfect English and her part-time housecleaning job. Trying to balance her cultural identities, Anna is also conflicted about attending Chinese school and learning that language. Cheng (Only One Year) credibly portrays Anna's budding maturity, as she sets aside her resentment toward Laura and reaches out to her when her family hits a rough patch. Anna's warm rapport with her supportive teacher, a cheerful crossing guard, and a kind widower add emotional depth. Though Anna's musings can grow repetitious, the novel offers a well-rounded portrait of a sympathetic girl and her burgeoning sense of self. Halpin's (The Grand Plan to Fix Everything) tidy halftone pictures help flesh out Anna's world. Ages 6-9. Agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown. Illustrator's agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-6-There is nothing quiet and self-conscious Anna Wong would rather do than lose herself in a book. Cheng weaves a simple story of how the child's inner world, built around the pages of books, shifts outward to include her family, a kind crossing guard, a widower, and a beloved teacher. Most of all, Anna gradually learns to open her heart to the joys and challenges of friendship. The writing is gentle and engaging. Cheng gives readers glimpses into the heart of a girl without the allure of action or adventure. The story doesn't need them. Readers are led to discover the extraordinary within the ordinary, and to witness how kindness can draw trust and create confidence in a hesitant child. Dialogue is natural and uncontrived. Details of Chinese culture are interwoven throughout the story. Anna's mother works hard to acquire English-language skills, learn to drive, hold down a job, and give her children the opportunity to learn Chinese. Her struggles contrast with those of her American-born Chinese husband. Anna's friend's sad tale of family breakdown is also a part of the story, and children experiencing similar difficulties will relate to Laura's grief and fear. Anna creates hand-sewn lunch bags, and she and Laura make bags for all the people who are special to them. (Instructions are on the book jacket.) Readers will not find chills and thrills in this book, but they will discover the value of empathy and compassion, and the rewards of tolerance and friendship.-Corrina Austin, Locke's Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Horn Book Review

Before the first chapter begins, we already know something about narrator Anna Wang: she always has her head stuck in a book. Nine-year-old Anna reads for all the right reasons ("Soon I am with Sam [in My Side of the Mountain], hollowing out a stump to make my own little house"), but she also uses reading as a shield against social exclusion (of the specialized fourth-grade-girl kind) and her own lack of confidence ("her face looks friendly, but I dont know her so Im afraid to go over to the group. Instead I open my book and read standing up"). At school, Annas friend from last year, Laura, now hangs out with the popular girls; at home, Anna is ashamed of her mothers English and fights with her about attending Chinese language school. But she keeps reading -- specific childrens books, from Leo Lionnis picture book Little Blue and Little Yellow to Jacqueline Woodsons Hush, which are integrated into the narrative. Sometimes a book helps illuminate Annas own life (as when thinking about My Louisiana Sky helps her feel less critical of her mothers imperfections); sometimes a book is part of the external plot (as when Laura and Anna, beginning to be friends again, dress up as Little Blue and Little Yellow for Halloween). As the year progresses, once in a while Anna even puts a book down. Chengs telling is as straightforward yet sympathetic as her self-contained main character; and Halpins often lighthearted pencil-and-wash sketches both decorate and enrich this perceptive novel. martha v. parravano (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

In what promises to be a reading year, 10-year-old Anna Wang finds real-life friends as well. Fourth grade is not turning out well for Anna. Her friend Laura is now part of a threesome that excludes her; she's become uncomfortable about her mother's cleaning job and her family's different traditions; and she struggles in Chinese school. Luckily her teachers encourage their students' independent reading, and, even better, Anna is the kind of reader who can lose herself in a story. Anna's own story, conveyed in a first-person, present-tense voice, is one of developing empathy. Early on, her mother says, "It's time you must think about other people." Over the year she has significant interactions with her crossing-guard friend Ray; her mother's elderly employer, Mr. Shepherd; and her new friend Camille, and she also achieves a growing understanding of Laura's family problems. As a result, Anna learns to think about the people around her just as she cares about fictional characters. Good readers will enjoy the frequent references to well-known children's literature titles and may even be prompted to seek new ones out. Halpin's grayscale illustrations and occasional Chinese characters (introduced in a glossary at the beginning) add interest, and instructions for sewing a lunch bag are included at the end. A gentle, affectionate take on familiar middle-grade issues and the joys of reading. (Fiction. 7-10) ]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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One School Ray, the crossing guard, is waiting at the curb in his orange vest that catches the sunrise."How's my girl?" he asks.I show him the lunch bag that I sewed yesterday."Well if that's not the prettiest lunch bag I've ever seen." He tests the drawstrings."It's fabric left over from my bedspread," I tell him."So your lunch matches your bed." Ray admires my handiwork.Laura and Allison join us at the curb. "How many more minutes until the bell, Ray?" Allison asks.Ray glances at his wristwatch. "You got about three minutes today, girls." Then he walks into the intersection and holds out his arms so we can cross.I'd rather stay with Ray than go onto the fourth grade playground where Laura and Allison stand so close that there's no space left for me."Hey, what's that?" Laura asks, noticing my bag."A lunch bag," I say."Homemade?" Allison asks.I nod.She looks at Laura. Their eyes meet.We start out with the word of the week. Ms. Simmons writes it on the board. Perseverance. Laura's hand shoots up before Ms. Simmons has even finished the last letter. She knows more words than the rest of us."It's when you don't give up," she says.Ms. Simmons nods. "Can someone give us an example of perseverance?"Lucy raises her hand. "Like when I learned to play basketball," she says.Ms. Simmons tells us to write a paragraph about a time that we were perseverant. Laura starts right away. I don't know how she thinks of ideas so fast. I stare at the blank paper. Then I see my lunch bag that's on top of my books and that gives me an idea. On the top of my paper I write my name, Anna Wang , and the title, Making a Lunch Bag . I skip a line and then write: Making a lunch bag is not as easy as it looks. First I cut the rectangles too small because I forgot about the seam. Then I cut them again and made them bigger but I sewed the casing backwards. Allison glances at my paper. She leans over and says, "Perseverance has to be something that takes a really long time." She shows me her title: Learning to Ride a Two-Wheeler .The blood rushes to my cheeks. Writing about making a lunch bag is stupid but it's too late to start over. I don't think Ms. Simmons will understand what I'm talking about, especially if she doesn't know how to sew. I glance at the clock. Time is going by and I have only written a few sentences. I pick up my pen and write, When I finally thought that my lunch bag was done, I couldn't figure out how to get the drawstring threw the casing. When I reread my sentence, I notice that I wrote "threw" wrong because it should be "through," but when I erase it, my paper is a mess.Ms. Simmons asks if anyone wants to read their paragraph out loud. Allison raises her hand. "When I was in first grade, I got a two-wheeler for my birthday, but I couldn't ride it. Then my dad put on the training wheels and I could sort of ride but not very well." She reads in a monotone and I stop listening. I'm thinking about how I had to take all the casing stitches out of my bag and sew it down the other way. The second time, I made it too narrow for the drawstring. When Allison is done, four other people say they wrote about learning to ride a bike. I bet nobody wrote about sewing a lunch bag.The whole time that Allison is reading, Laura is still working on her paragraph. She has covered the page and now she's writing on the back. She must have been very perseverant about something to write so much.Ms. Simmons collects our papers, and then it's time for reading.We can read whatever books we want. Laura and Allison take two different Princess Diary books off the shelf but I brought my own library book called My Side of the Mountain . Soon I am with Sam, hollowing out a stump to make my own little house. Sam likes to be by himself in the forest. He has a pet falcon named Frightful for company and to help him hunt for food.When the bell rings, I'm startled because Sam is in the middle of catching a deer. He's going to cure the meat so he'll have food in winter and he'll use the fur for clothing. I feel sorry for the animal, but at least he's not wasting any part of it. I want to keep on reading but I have to close my book because Ms. Simmons says reading and walking at once will get you into trouble. She knows because she did it and ended up with a big knot on her forehead. We head outside for recess before lunch.I stand by the fence. Laura and Allison and Lucy come my way. "My mom can type so fast you can't even see her fingers," Laura says. She moves her fingers like she's at a keyboard."Is she a secretary?" Allison asks.Laura shakes her head, making her blond hair fly all over. "Executive assistant.""My mom's a high school principal," Lucy says. "You should see the kids when my mom walks by." She nods down at us like she is the principal and we are the students. "It's all about respect."I hunch my shoulders."Have you ever heard of Hammond High?" Lucy asks. "That's her school.""Hey, Anna, what about your mom?" Allison asks.I can't just say that my mom vacuums and mops every Saturday or that she learned English almost perfectly because she is very perseverant and now she is going to college so someday she can be a nurse. "She works in one of those high-rises," I say. "With a view of the river.""In an office?" Lucy asks."Sort of."Allison looks over my head at Lucy. Then she and Lucy and Laura link arms and walk toward the tetherball.My brother, Ken, and the other third-graders are in the grassy area, chasing each other up and down the hill. Last year Laura and I were there too, and when we got sweaty, we sat in the shade of the school building and played a Chinese game with little rocks that Mom taught me, kind of like jacks without the ball. But this year Laura found Allison and Lucy. I found Ray but he goes home while we're at school.The boys are kicking a soccer ball across the field. Tai is in front, moving the ball like lightning with his feet. I like Tai and I'm a fast runner, but I don't like playing soccer because I get mixed up about which side is my goal. Once I scored a point for the wrong team and everyone yelled at me.I sit down on the blacktop and open my book. Sam skins the deer and hangs the hide so it can dry. Later he plans to sew himself deerskin pants and a shirt. I wonder if he'll remember that seams take up a lot of room. When I made my rectangles too small, I cut new ones out of more leftover material, but Sam doesn't have extra deerskin. Maybe he should try a pattern out of paper first the way Mom does when she sews. But he probably doesn't have paper to spare."Anna." Ms. Simmons is calling. "Hurry. It's time for lunch."There is nobody left out on the playground except me. I go to the back of the line behind the boys who are always messing around.* * *On the way home from school, Ray has five acorns for me. I put them in my empty lunch bag. "That bag comes in handy," he says. "I wish I had one.""They're not hard to make.""I'm not so sure about that." He shakes his head. "Now you have a nice afternoon, hear?"Laura and Allison are way ahead of me. Ken is talking and laughing with his friends. I take out my book and read-walk all the way home. Excerpted from The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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