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daumari's review against another edition
4.0
I 100% still think Ivy could've been the main character, or at least it would've also been okay to make Julie Chinese-American. I sort of get it, as it wouldn't be #ownvoices (and as Megan McDonald grew up in the '70s she's writing what she knows otherwise, I think), but so many times throughout this I really questioned why we were following Julie, not Ivy as the Lings prepare for Chinese New Year.
It's briefly Christmas time at the beginning of the book, and the first one as a split family. Tracy is still cool towards Dad and Julie wonders if they can ever recapture feeling like a family again. The Lings' Chinese New Year celebration is a test for that. Julie helps her friend get ready for the holiday, and I figure out that this series actually spans 1975-1976 (but also finally noticing that all the American Girl years end in 4) because Ivy tells her that the new year is the year of the dragon... which in this decade, started on January 31, 1976.
I very much worried that Chinatown/Chinese New Year would be portrayed as some kind of weird Other, but it's handled pretty okay though the girls getting lost could be spooky. Pleasantly surprised to learn that Ivy is a fourth generation American like me (albeit 15 years before I was born, so like one of my second cousins I suppose at the same generational level), and like many who live in the San Francisco Chinatown, Cantonese (not sure if Toisanese because I didn't see any specific words or references, and Julie's definitely not going to ask gung-gung if his father hailed from the Sze Yup region).
Not a ton of 1970s specific things here- maybe the getting crafty for decorating the tree at Mom's apartment?
It's briefly Christmas time at the beginning of the book, and the first one as a split family. Tracy is still cool towards Dad and Julie wonders if they can ever recapture feeling like a family again. The Lings' Chinese New Year celebration is a test for that. Julie helps her friend get ready for the holiday, and I figure out that this series actually spans 1975-1976 (but also finally noticing that all the American Girl years end in 4) because Ivy tells her that the new year is the year of the dragon... which in this decade, started on January 31, 1976.
I very much worried that Chinatown/Chinese New Year would be portrayed as some kind of weird Other, but it's handled pretty okay though the girls getting lost could be spooky. Pleasantly surprised to learn that Ivy is a fourth generation American like me (albeit 15 years before I was born, so like one of my second cousins I suppose at the same generational level), and like many who live in the San Francisco Chinatown, Cantonese (not sure if Toisanese because I didn't see any specific words or references, and Julie's definitely not going to ask gung-gung if his father hailed from the Sze Yup region).
Not a ton of 1970s specific things here- maybe the getting crafty for decorating the tree at Mom's apartment?
threeara's review
3.0
Loved the switch from Christmas to Lunar New Year for this holiday American Girl book, but it did not change my feelings that Ivy should be the main character of the series.
dianametzger's review against another edition
4.0
Read to Isabel: Really enjoyed that even though this book had no real 70s touchstones, except for a bit about Nixon, it mostly touched on Chinese culture—specifically Chinese New Year and exploring Chinatown in San Fran. Wonderful details.
calistareads's review against another edition
3.0
Hmm, I got this for New Year's and this is about Chinese New Year's. I did learn a whole lot about Chinese New Year I found interesting and the title is misleading as I was looking for New Year's.
This book deals with some issues. Divorce and anger and a new culture. I think for a 7-9 year old, this could be a good book and for me it was ok. It is set in the '70s when divorce was not as normal. The time is Christmas break until the Chinese New Year at the end of January.
I gave it an extra star for the good information it gives about the culture of Chinese New Year's. I won't be reading more of this series.
This book deals with some issues. Divorce and anger and a new culture. I think for a 7-9 year old, this could be a good book and for me it was ok. It is set in the '70s when divorce was not as normal. The time is Christmas break until the Chinese New Year at the end of January.
I gave it an extra star for the good information it gives about the culture of Chinese New Year's. I won't be reading more of this series.
kimberlyjerger's review
2.0
*2
I picked up this book in preparation for a children’s program on Lunar New Year I am running online in mid-February at the library. While I didn’t really learn anything new about Lunar New Year, it was an okay read for the holiday season.
This third installment in the American Girl: Julie series details Julie’s first Christmas following the divorce of her parents and, later, the celebration of Chinese New Year with Julie’s best friend, Ivy.
Overall, the plot was lackluster; not much happened, and there was especially little unique to the 1970s described. The novel is essentially split between Julie’s Christmas celebrations with her parents and Julie joining Ivy and her family for Chinese New Year. An interesting introduction to Chinese New Year celebrations for middle-grade readers, but with little nuance thereafter.
I picked up this book in preparation for a children’s program on Lunar New Year I am running online in mid-February at the library. While I didn’t really learn anything new about Lunar New Year, it was an okay read for the holiday season.
This third installment in the American Girl: Julie series details Julie’s first Christmas following the divorce of her parents and, later, the celebration of Chinese New Year with Julie’s best friend, Ivy.
Overall, the plot was lackluster; not much happened, and there was especially little unique to the 1970s described. The novel is essentially split between Julie’s Christmas celebrations with her parents and Julie joining Ivy and her family for Chinese New Year. An interesting introduction to Chinese New Year celebrations for middle-grade readers, but with little nuance thereafter.
sarahschem's review
3.0
This book is about how Julie and her friend Ivy go to a Chinese New Year parade in China Town. A few days before the holiday Julie, Ivy and, Ivy's mom go to China Town to buy food. While they are shopping Julie and Ivy wander into another shop. Ivy's mother gets very worried and goes searching for them. After the girls are found they all go back home. I liked this book but, other ones from the series are better.
panda_incognito's review
1.0
In 2007, I gave up on the Julie series after reading this book, and I can see why. There is almost no plot, and even though the story teaches children about Chinese New Year traditions, it does so in a didactic way. In this book, Ivy and her family are token characters who only exist to educate Julie and the reader about their cultural practices, and the book is shallow and dull.
Also, Tracy's meltdown at a fancy restaurant over Christmas is unrealistic and ridiculous. She is fifteen years old, and far too mature and image-conscious to make a scene like that. The purpose that it plays in the story is to illustrate how challenging it is for divorced families to celebrate holidays together and find a new sense of normal, but it is completely unbelievable, especially since the reader still has no information about why the parents split.
Tracy is extremely angry with her dad, but it is never clear why. She claims that he is the reason that the rest of the family had to move out, but it's impossible for the reader to evaluate this claim or come to their own conclusion about the nature of the relationships, since the author never explains what led to the divorce, or how the separation happened. Is it Mr. Albright's fault? Is Tracy just being dramatic and unfairly blaming him? We'll never know. This entire series revolves around a divorce that goes 100% unexplained, and it's hard to take any of the emotional drama seriously when there is no background or context provided.
Also, Tracy's meltdown at a fancy restaurant over Christmas is unrealistic and ridiculous. She is fifteen years old, and far too mature and image-conscious to make a scene like that. The purpose that it plays in the story is to illustrate how challenging it is for divorced families to celebrate holidays together and find a new sense of normal, but it is completely unbelievable, especially since the reader still has no information about why the parents split.
Tracy is extremely angry with her dad, but it is never clear why. She claims that he is the reason that the rest of the family had to move out, but it's impossible for the reader to evaluate this claim or come to their own conclusion about the nature of the relationships, since the author never explains what led to the divorce, or how the separation happened. Is it Mr. Albright's fault? Is Tracy just being dramatic and unfairly blaming him? We'll never know. This entire series revolves around a divorce that goes 100% unexplained, and it's hard to take any of the emotional drama seriously when there is no background or context provided.
calistareads's review
3.0
Hmm, I got this for New Year's and this is about Chinese New Year's. I did learn a whole lot about Chinese New Year I found interesting and the title is misleading as I was looking for New Year's.
This book deals with some issues. Divorce and anger and a new culture. I think for a 7-9 year old, this could be a good book and for me it was ok. It is set in the '70s when divorce was not as normal. The time is Christmas break until the Chinese New Year at the end of January.
I gave it an extra star for the good information it gives about the culture of Chinese New Year's. I won't be reading more of this series.
This book deals with some issues. Divorce and anger and a new culture. I think for a 7-9 year old, this could be a good book and for me it was ok. It is set in the '70s when divorce was not as normal. The time is Christmas break until the Chinese New Year at the end of January.
I gave it an extra star for the good information it gives about the culture of Chinese New Year's. I won't be reading more of this series.