By Terry Hong
Special to AsianWeek
Raymond’s Perfect Present
By Theresa On Louie, illustrated by Suling Wong (Lee & Low Books, a New Voices Award Honoree)
A lovely, poignant story about a young boy who grows flowers on the windowsill of the city apartment he shares with his mother, hoping to surprise her when she finally returns from the hospital after a prolonged illness.
Ghosts for Breakfast
By Stanley Todd Terasaki, illustrated by Shelly Shinjo (Lee & Low Books, a New Voices Award Honoree)
A humorous, adorable tale set in a Japanese American farming community in the 1920s, about a father and son who go out to Farmer Tanaka’s fields in search of the ghosts that have frightened their three visitors.
Exploring Chinatown:
A Children’s Guide to Chinese Culture
By Carol Stepanchuk, illustrated by Leland Wong (Pacific View Press)
A kid-friendly overview of Chinese life in the Americas, including food (of course), health remedies, reading and writing, family values, arts and religion.
The Chinese Americans
By Marissa Lingen
The Japanese Americans
By Jennifer Contino
The Korean Americans
By Tamra Orr (all Mason Crest)
Three titles from the We Came to America series from a new publishing house devoted to young adult books — some fabulous stuff, too! For the most part, all three are an admirable effort, although I have to wonder about completely idiotic comments like, "Pearl S. Buck wrote several books that helped explain the mystery of the Far East to her Western readers." Do I hear "inscrutable," anybody?
The Khan’s Daughter: A Mongolian Folktale
By Laurence Yep, illustrated by Jean and Mou-Sien Tseng (Scholastic, paperback release)
Lively tale of a poor man’s son who wins the hand of the Khan’s daughter through pure luck, faith and eventually humility, in spite of demons, enemy armies, a mysterious warrior, and of course, the toughest of them all — the future mother-in-law.
Apple Pie 4th of July
By Janet S. Wong, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Harcourt)
Delightful, delicious story of a little girl whose parents own an always-open store (except for Christmas) that offers Chinese food, even on the Fourth of July. Certain that no one wants chow mein and sweet and sour pork that day, she laments that her parents "do not understand all American things." Fireworks are Chinese, her father reminds her. And by dinnertime — surprise! — hungry customers line up for Chinese food to go.
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