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A review by jennifermreads
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord
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.