THE YEAR OF THE DOG
by Grace Lin
Image Credit: www.bookpage.com
1. Bibliographic
Lin, Grace. The Year of the Dog: A Novel. New York: Little, Brown, 2006. Print. ISBN 0316060003
2. Plot Summary
Grace is a Taiwanese/Chinese American who is celebrating "the Year of the Dog." Grace, as known as Pacy, knows that this means a year of good luck. Grace becomes friends with Melody who is also a Taiwanese/Chinese American and these two friends share many things in common including life in America, school, and friendships.
3. Critical Analysis
In THE YEAR OF THE DOG, the main character of the story is Grace who is growing up in America. Many of the people at her school see her as Chinese and she doesn't seem to fit in with Americans. The Chinese see her as too American and therefore she is faced with trying to find where she belongs. We also see reference to FIVE CHINESE BROTHERS when Grace and her friend Melody go to the library and ask for a Chinese book. "Those aren't real Chinese people, though...Your brother doesn't have a ponytail." With this event the reader is told that not all Chinese people look the same. Grace and Melody become good friends and find that each one of them is different and valuable. Grace finally understands that she is accepted in America when she gets an applause for a munchkin part in the Wizard of Oz play and when the book she writes about a Chinese American girl get fourth place in a contest.
There were many culture markers present in the story including Grace's mom telling of past events that happened to her when she was growing up in China. We also learn of various food that is eaten by Chinese people including tofu, rice pudding, and fired dumplings. The reader is introduced to a "Red Egg" party to welcome the new baby of the family. When Grace's mom tells her stories of growing up in Chinese, we learn about the school inspector, women binding their feet, how her mother had to learn to adjust to living in America. A few Chinese words were in the text and the meaning of the words could be found a sentence or two later in the text.
Illustrations in the book included various drawings by the main character of the story. The drawings were all back and white, but included details to help the readers see how fried dumplings look, their thanksgiving dinner, and how to color an egg red.
This is a wonderful story for any child who is having a hard time fitting in with others. I would recommend the book to children in 3rd to 5th grade and advanced second graders. I would also like to read the sequel THE YEAR OF THE RAT.
In THE YEAR OF THE DOG, the main character of the story is Grace who is growing up in America. Many of the people at her school see her as Chinese and she doesn't seem to fit in with Americans. The Chinese see her as too American and therefore she is faced with trying to find where she belongs. We also see reference to FIVE CHINESE BROTHERS when Grace and her friend Melody go to the library and ask for a Chinese book. "Those aren't real Chinese people, though...Your brother doesn't have a ponytail." With this event the reader is told that not all Chinese people look the same. Grace and Melody become good friends and find that each one of them is different and valuable. Grace finally understands that she is accepted in America when she gets an applause for a munchkin part in the Wizard of Oz play and when the book she writes about a Chinese American girl get fourth place in a contest.
There were many culture markers present in the story including Grace's mom telling of past events that happened to her when she was growing up in China. We also learn of various food that is eaten by Chinese people including tofu, rice pudding, and fired dumplings. The reader is introduced to a "Red Egg" party to welcome the new baby of the family. When Grace's mom tells her stories of growing up in Chinese, we learn about the school inspector, women binding their feet, how her mother had to learn to adjust to living in America. A few Chinese words were in the text and the meaning of the words could be found a sentence or two later in the text.
Illustrations in the book included various drawings by the main character of the story. The drawings were all back and white, but included details to help the readers see how fried dumplings look, their thanksgiving dinner, and how to color an egg red.
This is a wonderful story for any child who is having a hard time fitting in with others. I would recommend the book to children in 3rd to 5th grade and advanced second graders. I would also like to read the sequel THE YEAR OF THE RAT.
4. Reviews Experts
~KIRKUS REVIEW (12/2005): "Elementary school readers will enjoy the familiar details of school life and the less familiar but deliciously described Chinese holiday meals. Interspersed with the happenings of daily life are her mother's stories of Pacy's grandparents' lives and her own struggles as a new immigrant. Occasional black-and-white drawings by the author enliven the text. This comfortable first-person story will be a treat for Asian-American girls looking to see themselves in their reading, but also for any reader who enjoys stories of friendship and family life."
~PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (1/2006): "The well-structured story, divided into 29 brief chapters, introduces traditional customs (e.g., Hong Bao are special red envelopes with money in them, given as New Year's presents), culture and cuisine, and includes several apropos "flashback" anecdotes, mainly from Pacy's mother. The book's inviting design suggests a journal, and features childlike spot illustrations and a typeface with a hand-lettered quality. Girls everywhere, but especially those in the Asian-American community, will find much to embrace here."
~KIRKUS REVIEW (12/2005): "Elementary school readers will enjoy the familiar details of school life and the less familiar but deliciously described Chinese holiday meals. Interspersed with the happenings of daily life are her mother's stories of Pacy's grandparents' lives and her own struggles as a new immigrant. Occasional black-and-white drawings by the author enliven the text. This comfortable first-person story will be a treat for Asian-American girls looking to see themselves in their reading, but also for any reader who enjoys stories of friendship and family life."
~PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (1/2006): "The well-structured story, divided into 29 brief chapters, introduces traditional customs (e.g., Hong Bao are special red envelopes with money in them, given as New Year's presents), culture and cuisine, and includes several apropos "flashback" anecdotes, mainly from Pacy's mother. The book's inviting design suggests a journal, and features childlike spot illustrations and a typeface with a hand-lettered quality. Girls everywhere, but especially those in the Asian-American community, will find much to embrace here."
5. Connections
~Students could research more about Chinese celebrations including "The Year of the Dog"
~Read the sequel THE YEAR OF THE RAT
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