panda_incognito's review
4.0
3.5 stars, rounded up.
This collection of biographical profiles features colorful, energetic illustrations and detailed information about each Asian American it covers. The writing is engaging and is solid overall, but there are a number of typos and grammar errors, and there are some confusing transitions in the text. Since this started as a Kickstarter project, it's understandable why it didn't have enough editorial support, but it could be improved in future printings.
Although I greatly enjoyed this as an adult reader, I'm not sure what age group it's aimed it. The author sometimes simplifies or translates phrases that young readers might not know (e.g., "postpartum depression" becomes "sadness after childbirth"), but he also uses other phrases and references other concepts that children are unlikely to be familiar with. Many, many profiles mention the impact of 9/11 on the subjects (ranging from racial profiling at airports to general economic effects), but the author never once explains what happened on that day. He just names 9/11 and assumes that readers will know.
There are also some occasional adult references, including multiple sex-related titles named as Mindy Kaling's past and current projects. I see no reason to name projects like The Sex Lives of College Girls or Good in Bed to an elementary audience, if they really are the intended audience for this book. There's just no reason to bring it up.
This book has lots of great, inspiring stories in it, profiling a number of well-known and lesser-known Asian American achievers from different eras and different fields of influence. I would recommend this with the above caveats, and would encourage parents to read this with children or take note of things to discuss with them.
This collection of biographical profiles features colorful, energetic illustrations and detailed information about each Asian American it covers. The writing is engaging and is solid overall, but there are a number of typos and grammar errors, and there are some confusing transitions in the text. Since this started as a Kickstarter project, it's understandable why it didn't have enough editorial support, but it could be improved in future printings.
Although I greatly enjoyed this as an adult reader, I'm not sure what age group it's aimed it. The author sometimes simplifies or translates phrases that young readers might not know (e.g., "postpartum depression" becomes "sadness after childbirth"), but he also uses other phrases and references other concepts that children are unlikely to be familiar with. Many, many profiles mention the impact of 9/11 on the subjects (ranging from racial profiling at airports to general economic effects), but the author never once explains what happened on that day. He just names 9/11 and assumes that readers will know.
There are also some occasional adult references, including multiple sex-related titles named as Mindy Kaling's past and current projects. I see no reason to name projects like The Sex Lives of College Girls or Good in Bed to an elementary audience, if they really are the intended audience for this book. There's just no reason to bring it up.
This book has lots of great, inspiring stories in it, profiling a number of well-known and lesser-known Asian American achievers from different eras and different fields of influence. I would recommend this with the above caveats, and would encourage parents to read this with children or take note of things to discuss with them.
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