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shicklin's review
4.0
Great story about Shirley Temple Wong moving to America, and what it means to be an American (Jackie Robinson and the World Series). The ups and downs of growing up, and friendship.
jennifermreads's review against another edition
2.0
The letter came. Her father had been gone for so long that just the act of the letter arriving made the house buzz with excitement. But as young Shirley watched the letter be read, she saw her mother smile, her grandmother cry, and her grandfather get angry. What could possibly be in the letter that caused all of those emotions? Shirley’s father wanted her and her mother to come to him in America!
This title crossed my radar because a group of fifth graders who are visiting my library will be reading this story for school. I wanted to be prepared in case they asked questions – and maybe even try to book talk it during their visit. I was intrigued by the title: what could Jackie Robinson possibly have to do with the Year of the Boar?
What I took away from the book was the knowledge of why the teacher picked it for her class. There are lots of little lessons contained in this slim volume and it would be a great jumping off point for discussions about other cultures, America and immigration, and even the presidency.
What disappointed me is that those discussions would be necessary to completely understand what is contained between these pages. The entire first chapter assumes knowledge of Chinese culture that is probably not had by the intended reader. Not a good deal is actually explained; context is needed, explanation is desperately necessary. Once past this initial chapter though, readers can grow with Shirley, learn as she learns.
A big concern for me though is that this story is not riveting enough to hold the attention of a youngster. One would need a considerable curiosity about other cultures and immigration to be engrossed with this tale. I was just not as enchanted with it as others have been. Has its time come and gone? Maybe not as a teaching tool but probably as a title that a youngster would pick up without it being an assignment.
This title crossed my radar because a group of fifth graders who are visiting my library will be reading this story for school. I wanted to be prepared in case they asked questions – and maybe even try to book talk it during their visit. I was intrigued by the title: what could Jackie Robinson possibly have to do with the Year of the Boar?
What I took away from the book was the knowledge of why the teacher picked it for her class. There are lots of little lessons contained in this slim volume and it would be a great jumping off point for discussions about other cultures, America and immigration, and even the presidency.
What disappointed me is that those discussions would be necessary to completely understand what is contained between these pages. The entire first chapter assumes knowledge of Chinese culture that is probably not had by the intended reader. Not a good deal is actually explained; context is needed, explanation is desperately necessary. Once past this initial chapter though, readers can grow with Shirley, learn as she learns.
A big concern for me though is that this story is not riveting enough to hold the attention of a youngster. One would need a considerable curiosity about other cultures and immigration to be engrossed with this tale. I was just not as enchanted with it as others have been. Has its time come and gone? Maybe not as a teaching tool but probably as a title that a youngster would pick up without it being an assignment.
happytreereads's review
3.0
3.5 stars
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i would have rated this higher because i really did enjoy this book, and the illustrations are so sweet, but it felt just a bit disjointed. still, the pros far outweigh the cons, and it made my heart happy. <3
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i would have rated this higher because i really did enjoy this book, and the illustrations are so sweet, but it felt just a bit disjointed. still, the pros far outweigh the cons, and it made my heart happy. <3
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crafalsk264's review
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Shirley Temple Wong (age 10 in the format of how the Chinese count years) and her mother come from China to join her father in 1947 Brooklyn. Her engineer father came to America 4 years earlier to work and prepare a home for them. Shirley gets placed in the fifth grade but she is smaller than her classmates and doesn’t speak English so she has a hard time making friends until she gets in a fight with Mabel, the biggest, strongest girl in the fifth grade. Mabel comes to respect Shirley and brings her to play on her stickball team opening a whole new world for Shirley—baseball. Her mania for baseball finds a focus on the Dodgers and their newest player, Jackie Robinson. Shirley is soon a star player and becomes a valued team member. The team gathers at the local store to listen to each of the Dodger games throughout the summer. Although the Dodgers lose their last game in the play offs, Shirley becomes overwhelmed by the promise that Robinson will visit their school and Shirley is selected to present the key to the school to him.
This book is set in the post-war 1940s and written in 1984. Therefore there is a certain datedness to the text in terms of sensitive content and language. But the themes of the book shine through: the immigrant experience and challenges such as customs, food, and language; the loneliness of feeling different from those around you; the effect a friendship can have on a person’s life and the importance of having a role model who embodies the best of the traits that you aspire to have. The characters are likable but could be more fully developed. As a middle grade book, the issues are dealt with in a simplistic but successful manner. The book is described as a quasi-autobiography. I am prompted to look for an adult version of her story. The strength of the book lies in presenting topics to open discussions with a middle grade reader. Recommend to readers of historical, middle-grade fiction featuring topics such as school, sports, baseball, Brooklyn, Jackie Robinson and immigrant life.
compass_rose's review
5.0
Read aloud with 13yo and 10yo and we all loved it, even the kid who isn't in love with baseball. A springboard for many discussions on immigration, Chinese culture, baseball, racism, self-worth, 1940s Brooklyn, etc. A well told tale, with humor, grit and sympathy.
bethgiven's review
4.0
I have a weakness for books about China and Chinese people who immigrant to America, so it's no surprise, really, that I ended up enjoying this book. Shirley Temple Wong leaves Chungking for Brooklyn, where the Dodgers are everyone's favorite team and Jackie Robinson is breaking records and cultural barriers. While I do think a lot of the hard parts of being an immigrant were probably glossed over (a lot), this is a children's book and I thought it was appropriate for the age. The characters are endearing (I ended up loving Shirley, her family, and especially Mabel!); the writing is very good. I enjoyed it, even as an adult.
If you like this book, you should also check out the series by Grace Lin: [b:The Year of the Dog|215014|The Year of the Dog|Grace Lin|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344269960s/215014.jpg|1907171] is the first one.
If you like this book, you should also check out the series by Grace Lin: [b:The Year of the Dog|215014|The Year of the Dog|Grace Lin|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344269960s/215014.jpg|1907171] is the first one.
lady_mair's review against another edition
3.0
While the context (Chinese girl moves to America in 1940’s) is quite fascinating, the simplistic prose and convenient plot points don’t do the book any favors. “In the Year” is pleasant enough to knock off in one afternoon, but I don’t think I’ll be back for a re-read.