ghostduchess's review
4.0
My daughter loved this book. It was a cute read with a twist ending for the narrator.
dorayangvip's review
4.0
I loved the illustration!
This is a great story to have in any classroom for students.
This is a great story to have in any classroom for students.
sean67's review
4.0
ABC learns that not all she thought about both her cultures is correct, in this engaging book, part of the list of Asian Pacific American literary award winners I am going through.
It was a fine read, and worth thinking about the message as well.
'
It was a fine read, and worth thinking about the message as well.
'
amberinpieces's review against another edition
4.0
A young Chinese-American girl laments the fact that her family’s combination convenience store and Chinese food restaurant is open every day except for Christmas day. Now it is the fourth of July and the nameless girl can hear the commotion of the parade on the street; yet, her family is cooking Chinese food.
Brought up in America, she firmly believes that Chinese food is just not the kind of food one eats on Independence Day. Her family’s focus on tradition is irritating her on this patriotic day and she her desire to escape the store increases with each hour that passes as people come and go, buying things like ice and matches to keep the fun of the holiday going.
Apple Pie 4th of July caught my eye when I was searching for children’s picture books related to the holiday. The cover pops and the design made me curious about the contents of this book.
With its bit of rhyme, this book is interesting in naming only one character, Laura, the one who makes the apple pie. Janet Wong did not name the main character in the book, which allowed more focus on the story and its message, but I found it interesting that the one character named was never part of the action or pictured.
The young girl, as I will continue to call her, believes no one wants Chinese food on this truly American holiday and she grows grumpier when her parents cheerfully produce dish after dish of Chinese-American cuisine. But in the evening when the store starts filling up with people who are in the mood for Chinese food, the girl realizes that being American has a deeper meaning; her understanding grows further when after the store closes, her family breaks from tradition in a small yet significant way.
I guess that is really the lesson: that one can marry two worlds and have the best of both (a subtle lesson that I had to think on for a bit after I finished reading).
Recommended for children ages seven to eleven who want a fun, quick read about America’s birthday.
Read this review in its original format on The Musings of ALMYBNENR here.
Brought up in America, she firmly believes that Chinese food is just not the kind of food one eats on Independence Day. Her family’s focus on tradition is irritating her on this patriotic day and she her desire to escape the store increases with each hour that passes as people come and go, buying things like ice and matches to keep the fun of the holiday going.
Apple Pie 4th of July caught my eye when I was searching for children’s picture books related to the holiday. The cover pops and the design made me curious about the contents of this book.
With its bit of rhyme, this book is interesting in naming only one character, Laura, the one who makes the apple pie. Janet Wong did not name the main character in the book, which allowed more focus on the story and its message, but I found it interesting that the one character named was never part of the action or pictured.
The young girl, as I will continue to call her, believes no one wants Chinese food on this truly American holiday and she grows grumpier when her parents cheerfully produce dish after dish of Chinese-American cuisine. But in the evening when the store starts filling up with people who are in the mood for Chinese food, the girl realizes that being American has a deeper meaning; her understanding grows further when after the store closes, her family breaks from tradition in a small yet significant way.
I guess that is really the lesson: that one can marry two worlds and have the best of both (a subtle lesson that I had to think on for a bit after I finished reading).
Recommended for children ages seven to eleven who want a fun, quick read about America’s birthday.
Read this review in its original format on The Musings of ALMYBNENR here.
libraryjen's review
2.0
I'm not quite sure what the author was trying to convey. The whole story has a negative note to it and it's just not clear what the point is. The illustrations are nice.
missy_littell's review
4.0
A young girl watches the 4th of July pass her by while spending the day at her family's store. Unsure of where she and her family fit into this American holiday, she is sure no customers will want Chinese food on this day. But she is surprised when customers come in droves for dinner. The day has a satisfying ending when she and her family can enjoy apple pie and fireworks together after a busy evening selling food.
brookerhi's review
3.0
Apple Pie 4th of July is one of those books that does well to remind us that America is a country of absolute diversity. It tells the tale of a young Chinese American girl and the frustration she experiences on the 4th of July holiday, which her family does not celebrate in the traditional way. The work takes us on the girl’s emotional journey from displeasure to astonishment to contentment, as she learns that there is no one way to be “American.”
The theme that “it is our differences that make us American”, is unveiled throughout the work as the girl goes from feeling that her family does not fit in to the American way, to learning that her assumptions about what is “American” were misconstrued. This book teaches the important lesson that America is one of the world’s most diverse countries and every American’s contributions help define the American way.
There is a build up of frustration throughout the book, as the young girl expresses her discontentment that her family is making Chinese food that no one will want to buy, on the 4th of July. However, the young girl is in for a surprise when the “Americans” begin streaming through her store door in search of Chinese food. The ending is satisfying, with the girl spending the evening with her parents and her neighbors, enjoying Chinese fireworks and American apple pie.
The writing style is choppy – it doesn’t flow from page to page or from sentence to sentence at that – instead it follows speech and thought patterns. However, the text does a good job of evoking emotion, as do the illustrations, which are phenomenal in conveying the young girl’s feelings. The use of large blocks of vibrant color makes a bold statement, which is in step with the message that the girl is trying to convey about her family and America. Strong lines and shapes, in addition to color, pull the reader in to the story.
The work is effective in conveying its central message – that there is no one way to be American – and can be used to teach about the diversity of our country. It has a place in story time, as the illustrations are bold, and the writing style would transfer well to a read-aloud. The book is an essential purchase for all libraries as it is a highly-acclaimed, award-winning book.
The theme that “it is our differences that make us American”, is unveiled throughout the work as the girl goes from feeling that her family does not fit in to the American way, to learning that her assumptions about what is “American” were misconstrued. This book teaches the important lesson that America is one of the world’s most diverse countries and every American’s contributions help define the American way.
There is a build up of frustration throughout the book, as the young girl expresses her discontentment that her family is making Chinese food that no one will want to buy, on the 4th of July. However, the young girl is in for a surprise when the “Americans” begin streaming through her store door in search of Chinese food. The ending is satisfying, with the girl spending the evening with her parents and her neighbors, enjoying Chinese fireworks and American apple pie.
The writing style is choppy – it doesn’t flow from page to page or from sentence to sentence at that – instead it follows speech and thought patterns. However, the text does a good job of evoking emotion, as do the illustrations, which are phenomenal in conveying the young girl’s feelings. The use of large blocks of vibrant color makes a bold statement, which is in step with the message that the girl is trying to convey about her family and America. Strong lines and shapes, in addition to color, pull the reader in to the story.
The work is effective in conveying its central message – that there is no one way to be American – and can be used to teach about the diversity of our country. It has a place in story time, as the illustrations are bold, and the writing style would transfer well to a read-aloud. The book is an essential purchase for all libraries as it is a highly-acclaimed, award-winning book.
kbilan71's review against another edition
4.0
The young, Chinese-American girl in Apple Pie on the 4th of July is at odds with her parents because they have not closed their Chinese food/convenience store for the holiday. The girl insists that her parents do not understand American tastes and that no one wants Chinese food on the 4th of July, but she is proven wrong at 5 o'clock, when all the hungry people start lining up! Sweet story about the generational and cultural gaps between children and their parents, particularly as can occur in immigrant families.
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