Tea with Milk Written and Illustrated by Allen Say
Say, A. (1999). Tea with milk. Walter Lorraine Books.
ISBN: 9780395904954
Summary:
May is an young girl born to Japanese parents, living in California. When she graduates, her parents decide she'll go back with them to Japan. May hates being forced to follow traditions she never had to deal with growing up, and her parents are determined to marry her off as a proper Japanese lady. When May rebels and finds a job in a city, her parents are disappointed. May creates a life for herself, and eventually meets Joseph, a young man who feels as out of place as May does. They bond and eventually decide to embrace where they are, and each other. At the end of the book, readers find out that this is the origin story of Allen Say's parents.
Analysis:
The illustrations of the book are almost better than the story. The beautiful watercolor depicts the traditions of Japanese culture with clarity, and it's so vivid readers will think they are looking at slightly blurry photographs. The author creates understanding within his writing by giving both the actions and expressions of May as she experiences a culture shock by being inserted directly into the center of her native culture. The ending of the story brings in the theme of creating home where you are, that home isn't a place but a feeling.
When reading this book, children will be able to understand the family traditions through both the illustrations and the ways May's parents respond to her actions. The emphasis on being a proper Japanese lady is what drives May's actions, and students can gain knowledge about the value of tradition and family respect.
Review Excerpt:
SLJ-
"This is a thoughtful and poignant book that will appeal to a wide range of readers, particularly our nation's many immigrants who grapple with some of the same challenges as May and Joseph, including feeling at home in a place that is not their own."
Connection:
Here is a wonderful analysis package that can be purchased on TeachersPayTeachers. This is not my own TPT shop, but I feel like this hits all the wonderful points of the story and would be great to accompany the book.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Lin, G. (2009). Where the mountain meets the moon. Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers.
ISBN: 978-0316038638
Summary:
Hardworking Minli spends her days working in the valley of the Fruitless Mountain and her nights listening to her father's tales of the Man in the Moon. Her mother does not want Minli's father filling her head with nonsense, but Minli believes every wordy he tells her. One day she decides to go on a quest to find the Man, she meets and befriends others while outsmarting foes, all to help those she cares about through an epic adventure.
Analysis:
This story is a wonderful blending of the author's childhood stories. The illustrations are appropriate for the targeted age group, but also celebrate the history of Chinese culture. Each page is as precious as the story that accompanies it. The blending of Lin's childhood stories is told in a way that mimics "The Wizard of Oz" but with cultural markers that make it unique. The themes of trusting others, and family connection are strong within the writing, and the story unfolds in a way that students can spend time connecting to the characters.
I was very excited to read this after we watched a Ted Talk by the author about how she created this story. She wanted to see herself in these tales, once she realized that she had continuously pursued a 'non-Asian' lifestyle as a child. She embraced who she was and created a beautiful story.
Review Excerpt:
Kirkus-
"Minli emerges a stalwart female role model who learns the importance of family, friendship and faith during her amazing journey"
Connection:
This is a video of the author, Grace Lin, reading from her novel:
Here is the Ted Talk where I first learned of this book, and was introduced to the author:
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
Lu, M. (2014). The young elites. G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers.
ISBN: 9780399167836
Summary:
Adelina lives in a world where being a malfetto, a changed child, is a bad thing. After the plague killed a large majority of children, the ones left behind were changed. Most were disfigured, and others had some kind of strange ability. Adelina both survived and did not end up with any ability, but her changed physical appearance makes her father feel like maybe she is a malfetto who doesn't know it yet. When his abusive behavior triggers her repressed abilities, it sparks an adventure that reveals a whole new world of similar children, the world of The Young Elites. When Adelina's already fragile trust in others is broken, her vengeful heart takes over, and her actions begin to destroy all that she holds dear.
Analysis:
Marie Lu has been quoted to say that she feels a responsibility to carry the 'diversity torch' in her writing, but also doesn't believe that all diverse authors or authors of color should feel obligated to do so. She also wants a world where a 'diversity panel' at an author's convention no longer segregates diverse authors from others; she hopes that one day panels are just naturally diverse, which is how her writing comes across. This series embraces the anti-hero, the villain, the darkness that most redeemable characters overcome. Her characters are naturally diverse, with little to no obvious issues in differences. In this novel, the differences are manifested in a commonality: the children left behind by the plague are different, and special abilities that shouldn't exist are now present. They are separate now because of their common issue, but the issue isn't their race or culture--it's the after effects of the plague. This first book in the series is very well put together to create a character unlike most YA main characters, and her writing style is so clear and captivating. It is a must read for YA fantasy readers.
Review Excerpt:
Booklist-
"Part bildungsroman, part origin story, this explores the idea that what damages you gives you strength, but often with a price."
Connection:
I have a personal connection to this novel in a way, as I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Marie Lu four years ago at a promotional tour for her Warcross books.
Any of her books would be a fun addition to a library collection or personal bookshelf. Her writing is one of my favorite to encounter in the YA book world.
Click the photo to be connected to her Amazon author page:
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho
Illustrated by Dung Ho
Ho, J., & Ho, D. (2021). Eyes That Kiss in the Corners (Later Printing ed.). HarperCollins.
ISBN: 9780062915627
Summary:
This story is of a girl who notices how her eyes look different from other people in her world, but that her eyes are just like the powerful women in her life. She celebrates the women who have the same eyes as she does, and loves that her little sister's eyes are like hers. It is a story of three generations of women and their traditions.
Analysis:
This story beautifully celebrates both Asian-American culture and generations of women whom the narrator looks up to. The concept of comparing her eyes to the glow of warm tea brings in cultural norms of enjoying tea with family members, and the mentioning of oolong pools opens questions for all kinds of readers who aren't familiar with them. The writing is simple enough for young readers to understand, but the author's diction make it beautiful for even adults who are reading this book with their children. The illustrations bring the words to life so that young readers can make connections to the similes throughout the writing.
Review Excerpt:
SLJ-
"Expertly paired, the text and illustrations amplify each other superbly, in an important addition to every library serving young children and their families."
Connection:
Here is a beautifully penned letter from the author about this book: Click the photo to read.
