Asian Pacific American Literature
Lin, Grace. The Year of the Dog. Little Brown Books for Young Readers. May 2007. ISBN 13-978-0316060028.
Summary: Pacy, or also known as Gracie Lin to her American friends, is a Taiwanese-American girl who is learning how to navigate her life and identity being from a different nationality living in America, where in her area of living, there aren’t many people that are also Taiwanese. Until one day, she meets a new girl who is surprisingly also from there! Coincidentally, it’s also the year of the dog, which means it’s open to new friendships. As Gracie goes through her life as a young girl, she has to learn to adapt to place and time according to where she is and how she can act. She learns to value both cultures and that they both make up who she is.
Cultural Analysis: I love that the book does a good job of teaching the different types of cultures and traditions that Taiwanese-Americans experience throughout their lives living in America. The book does, however, mention a few of the stereotypes mentioned in our textbook readings such as the dark straight hair with bangs, etc. I’m not sure when descriptions become a stereotype or simply a fact of someone’s culture.
Reviews: “Being Taiwanese-American is confusing, and being the only Asian kid in your elementary school—except for your older sister—is not always comfortable. Pacy has high hopes for the Year of the Dog, which, she learns, is a year for finding friends and finding yourself. The friend comes first: a new girl, Melody, whose family is also Taiwanese-American. Over the course of the year, Pacy eats at Melody’s house, where the food is familiar but also very different, celebrates her cousin’s Red Egg day, writes a story for a national contest, visits Chinatown in New York City and wins a prize. Not only does she feel rich, she knows what she wants to do with her life. The Year of the Dog turns out exactly as advertised. Elementary school readers will enjoy the familiar details of school life and the less familiar but deliciously described Chinese holiday meals. Interspersed with the happenings of daily life are her mother’s stories of Pacy’s grandparents’ lives and her own struggles as a new immigrant. Occasional black-and-white drawings by the author enliven the text. This comfortable first-person story will be a treat for Asian-American girls looking to see themselves in their reading, but also for any reader who enjoys stories of friendship and family life. (Fiction. 8-12)”
Kirkus Reviews
Connections: I love that the book highlights the way their cultures are either tainted or obscured from having a full Taiwanese American life, having to change their name, not having the same new year as everyone else. People who have parents that have a different native country than their children oftentimes have the responsibility of passing down the traditions for their children; although it may be difficult at times learning to handle and manage and explain everything to your children trying to recreate a similar experience for them that they had when they were children, it’s worth the time and effort because the children are able to continue carrying on the culture and the importance of it for throughout their life, which can sometimes be super important when it comes to their identity as they get older and navigate through their lives as young adults coming into age.
Park, Linda Sue. A Long Walk to Water. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. New York, New York. 2010. ISBN 978-0-547-57731.
Summary: The story follows a young boy of 11 years in Sudan, a place that is currently undergoing war. Salva gets separated from his family during the war, so he continues to walk off with a group of other war refugees in order to just lay low and survive. Throughout his journey, his primary focus is food, water, and shelter. Salva faces a lot of challenges that are life threatening, both physically and emotionally. However, whether the challenge was “natural…or man-made,” they were a result of the war, in which Salva had to learn to survive, overcome, and adapt in order to continue moving on. Salva learns life lessons about what it means to become a man and live in a new country.
Cultural Analysis: I noticed that throughout the book, as Salva faced different adversities and difficulties, he often thought about his parents. He would call out for his mother, or remember specific memories about his father such as when he would bring bags of mangoes. Every memory, every thought, every challenge simply made him stronger. This book highlights the strength that it takes, both mentally, physically, and even emotionally, to carry out a journey of survival and migration (65). Regardless of where Salva went or what happened, he took everything as a learning experience, even who he met, he took it as a learning experience. Take meeting Micheal towards the end of the book, he always made sure to learn something to take with him in his heart and mind to add to his strength (87).
Reviews: “...As Salva’s story unfolds, readers also learn about another Sudanese youth, Nya, and how these two stories connect contributes to the satisfying conclusion. This story is told as fiction, but it is based on real-life experiences of one of the “Lost Boys” of Sudan. Salva and Nya’s compelling voices lift their narrative out of the “issue” of the Sudanese War, and only occasionally does the explanation of necessary context intrude in the storytelling. Salva’s heroism and the truth that water is a source of both conflict and reconciliation receive equal, crystal-clear emphasis in this heartfelt account. (Fiction. 10-14)
Kirkus Reviews
Connections: The biggest connections I made throughout the book were mostly emotional ones. There is so much humility shown in this book. Salva always remained humble. With humility comes gratitude. Salva had a very scarcity of resources, but he learned to make do with what he had and taught children about the basic needs of humans, especially when migrating to a better place.
Say, Allen. Grandfather’s Journey. Clarion Books. October 2008. ISBN 10-9780547076805
Summary: The book follows a family lineage of 3-4 generations that have experienced both beautiful, different, countries between California and Japan. Throughout the story, the grandfather battles between where to stay and live, since he loves both places. The book teaches us that we can love two places at once, our homeland and our new found place of migration.
Cultural Analysis: The book touches base on seeing new things, exploring new countries, exposure to landscapes, which are topics often not talked about when talking about immigration to a new country. The book has a very good description of the land and environment and setting. The character truly takes in new landmarks throughout the journey. It proves to be good exposure to seeing diversity and various people. The images in the book are hazy, but heartwarming. The feeling of your hometown never goes away. The homeland always calls you back and welcomes you. I love the privilege of being able to go back and forth and visit your homeland and new city of migration. It’s beautiful to be part of two worlds or two experiences in various countries etc.
Reviews: “The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other," observes Say near the end of this poignant account of three generations of his family's moves between Japan and the US.
Say's grandfather came here as a young man, married, and lived in San Francisco until his daughter was "nearly grown" before returning to Japan; his treasured plan to visit the US once again was delayed, forever as it turned out, by WW II. Say's American-born mother married in Japan (cf. Tree of Cranes, 1991), while he, born in Yokohama, came here at 16. In lucid, graceful language, he chronicles these passages, reflecting his love of both countries—plus the expatriate's ever-present longing for home—in both simple text and exquisitely composed watercolors: scenes of his grandfather discovering his new country and returning with new appreciation to the old, and pensive portraits recalling family photos, including two evoking the war and its aftermath.
Lovely, quiet—with a tenderness and warmth new to this fine illustrator's work. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 4+)
Kirkus Reviews
Connections: There are recurring themes of migrating to another country in this story. The fact of history being passed down through story telling and assisting of learning about culture through the sharing of information to generations is something that we experience at a young age and learn to cherish. The grandfather tries to bravely embark on a journey in which he must step outside of his comfort zone such as wearing European clothing and riding a steam boat. Seeing new things, but eventually missing your old hometown and home culture and home language. Sharing and planting ideas and memories in the upcoming generations.
Soontornvat, Christina. A Life of Service: The Story of Senator Tammy Duckworth. Candlewick. September 2022. ISBN-13 978-1536222050
Summary: Tammy is a happy, young child who loves to spend time with her father, who works for the United Nations; however, when he is laid off and they move to Hawaii, her family faces challenges such as possible homelessness and hunger. Tammy, in face of these family challenges, does her best to keep her family fed by selling flowers and saving her school food while still achieving excellence in school through her grades and extracurricular activities, putting her at the top of her class. These great accolades led her to university and grad school, and ultimately, still leaving her with a desire to serve her country. She signed up for the reserves, in which she climbed her way up to commander of her aviation unit and even met and fell in love with a soldier. One day, during the war, Tammy suffered major injuries during a terrible helicopter crash. She was faced with a new challenge: learning how to live her life as an amputee. But, with this new challenge, came new responsibilities and an opportunity to continue excelling as a US House of Representatives.
Cultural Analysis: Representation in the front cover for the disabled or impaired people that cannot walk or have prosthetic legs. Already the main character is considerate and observant of her childhood surroundings and her ability to travel and be happy, yet set goals for her future. Considering that “not all kids had such carefree lives.” Tammy also observes war and bombs, getting teachings from her father who served in the United Nations. Pride in helping and serving others; keeping oneself humble and never above others because you never know when challenges may strike your life down and, like Tammy’s family, be on the verge of homelessness or hunger. This book touches base on how a lot of our students struggle at home, school being a safe place for them to take shelter and receive food. Every student that walks into the library is carrying a weight from home that we cannot see; therefore, we must happily welcome any student that comes by.
Reviews: “Duckworth is introduced as a young schoolgirl curiously examining a globe. An American citizen who was born in Bangkok, Thailand, she traveled “all over Southeast Asia with her family.” Tammy’s father worked for the United Nations, and she accompanied him as he helped refugees; while observing, young Tammy decided to dedicate herself to helping others. After bouts of homelessness and food insecurity while growing up, with Tammy supporting the family at one point by selling flowers by the roadside, she attended college and graduate school, then joined the Army National Guard. The evenly paced, thorough narrative reveals that after many years of service, Tammy nearly died in a helicopter crash in Iraq in 2004, leaving her with severe chronic pain and prosthetic legs. Phumiruk uses cooler muted colors to portray the physical and emotional obstacles Duckworth overcame during her long recovery and rehabilitation. Brighter and warmer colors are slowly incorporated onto each page as Duckworth, with the encouragement of a local senator, campaigned, lost one race, but eventually was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Duckworth continued to break down even more barriers after becoming a senator. With the birth of her second daughter, she was able to change chamber rules so that she could bring her infant daughter with her to vote. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A comprehensive look at an extraordinary life and continuing legacy. (timeline, information on Duckworth’s achievements, books and websites) (Picture-book biography. 5-9)
Kirkus Reviews
Connections: Assistance of refugees – connection to today’s current political views on helping immigrants and helping society who depend on SNAP, Medicare/Medicaid, etc. Pride in helping and serving others. We don’t know what our students face, so we must treat them all with care and kindness and, most importantly, have these types of books available to them so that they can feel represented and heard. Issues with healthcare and policies that harm people on a daily basis, it’s important to address that in a children’s book, in a way that can be explained well.
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