A review by the_naptime_reader
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, by Bette Bao Lord, Marc Simont

4.0

This is another one of the books that I selected and read ahead of time to use this spring for literature circles that all have to do with immigration (the first was [b:Maggie's Door|288143|Maggie's Door|Patricia Reilly Giff|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320548339s/288143.jpg|967161] which deals with a girl immigrating from Ireland). This is the story of a girl with many names: Sixth-Cousin, Bandit, Shirley Temple Wong, whose family immigrates from China to New York City in the 1940's. What I really like about the book is that it shows us both the before life in China, a little of the journey, and then a LOT of the adjustment to a new life in America(The other book that I read focused mostly on the journey). This is the part that I think gives students in my class a closer look into the experience of an "outsider" who wants to be on the "inside" at school, in the neighborhood, and as an American in general. The book is funny, sweet, but also doesn't shy away from showing some bullying and the sadder parts of being isolated in a new country. The book is heart-warming and touching. This is an older book, so there are some cultural elements that are perhaps a bit more outdated, but with some background building students can easily access the concepts. The writing itself is rich, fully of imagery and description.