Eleven-year-old Anna heads off to sixth grade, leaving the comfort and familiarity of elementary school behind and entering the larger, more complex world of middle school. Surrounded by classmates who have their roots all in America, Anna begins to feel out of place and wonders where she really belongs. When Anna takes a trip to China, she not only explores a new country and culture, but finds answers to her questions about whether she is more Chinese or more American.
This young illustrated chapter book is the third in the series that includes The Year of the Book and The Year of the Baby. For grades 1-4.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
The Year of the Identity Crisis
By fredtownward
The heroines of The Year of the Book and The Year of the Baby return in another fun and gently lesson teaching story.Eleven-year-old Anna Wang heads off to the sixth grade and a new school, middle school, without one of her two best friends, Laura, who is now attending a private school. Surrounded by classmates who have their roots all in America, Anna begins to feel out of place. In addition a former teacher and her husband, inspired by the example of the Wangs adopting baby Kaylee from China (detailed in the second book), have decided to adopt a baby of their own, and Anna's Mom has offered to help. However, now that they have finally been approved to adopt, Anna's Mom cannot get time off from work to go with them to China like she wanted to so Anna offers to go with them by herself instead, even though she has never stayed away from home alone before. Since the Sylvester's baby is coming from the same orphanage Kaylee had come from, the Wangs had hoped for the opportunity to visit it and learn a bit more about the younger Kaylee who had been left on the steps of an office building and taken to the orphanage where they called her Bao Bao, but now such investigations will be up to Anna alone.The run up to the trip is filled with making new friends, reuniting with an old friend, holding a fortune cookie bake sale (Yes, everyone including the author points out that fortune cookies are an American invention, but she still includes the recipe and assembly instructions at the end so readers can try it if they want to.) to raise money for the Lucky Family Orphanage, about which almost nothing is known, and a group knitting activity to provide knit caps for the other babies at the orphanage, if she is allowed to visit. In China Anna struggles with homesickness, makes a new friend, and experiences the odd feeling of NOT standing out from the crowd, of looking like everybody else. (Most everyone just assumes she's a local unless she tells them different.)If the stakes are not quite as high as in the preceding volume, the feelings are every bit as strong. What does it mean to be both Chinese and American? By the end of this book Anna Wang has figured it out to her (and likely the readers') satisfaction. In addition methinks the author has set up a future sequel when Anna and her whole family will visit China and the rest of her family she barely knows.Note: The series continues with The Year of the Three Sisters.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Cute, unique children's book
By B. McCarthy
My daughter (age 8) and I liked this book. I like that it was different than other kids' books, with the multicultural aspect. I like that it taught my daughter about another culture. I think it would be especially great for Chinese children to have the main character in the story also be Chinese. It is educational but interesting. It is also good for any child who is different, and since many children children struggle with being different it can help them feel better about that. It is well written. I would recommend it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.Anna is a Chinese American girl who is not sure if she's American or Chinese, journey with her on to discover herself.
By Enchanted In Dixie
I love this multicultural books for girls. There's two stories going on, the story of Anna an American girl finding herself, when she goes to China with her part African American teacher, who is adopting a little Chinese Baby Girl. Anna is going as a Chinese interpreter, and also wants to visit the orphanage where her baby sister was adopted from n China. Then there's the story of Anna and middle school. Making new friends, remembering old friends, and learning to join in and just be a good person. In the story Anna is reminded that her mother says to not judge people by there color / race.You also learn about fortune cookies and the creative ways Anna uses fortune cookies.Also love that at the very end of the book there was a recipe for fortune cookies so you can make your own. Greatbook for advanced 9 year old readers to 15. This is also enjoyable to read aloud if you want to read to the younger kids.
