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Title details for The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin - Available

The Year of the Dog

#1 in series

by Grace Lin
Nancy Wu
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available

It's the Chinese New Year and Pacy and her family in New York are preparing a delicious dinner in celebration. When Pacy asks about the Year of the Dog, Mom says it's a lucky year, and will be a good one for making new friends. Pacy and her two sisters Lissy and Ki-Ki all go to the same school. But they're the only Asian American students. Then one day Melody arrives. She's an Asian American too, and they become friends, bonding over their shared love of yummy Chinese food. As the year progresses, Pacy's luck holds strong as she overcomes the many challenges grade school-aged children face. Of her charming book that seamlessly blends contemporary American and traditional Chinese cultures, children's author Grace Lin says "I wrote it because this was the book I wished I had growing up." Young listeners from any background will find a lot to love about this book. "Lin does a remarkable job capturing the soul and the spirit of books like those of Hayward or Maud Hart Lovelace, reimagining them through the lens of her own story, and transforming their special qualities into something new for today's young readers." –Booklist, starred review

  • Creators

  • Series

    Pacy Lin

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 11, 2015

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781449899363
      • File size: 86979 KB
      • Duration: 03:01:12

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Young Pacy, who is known as Grace outside her Taiwanese-American family, is navigating the challenges of growing up "different" in an upstate New York community. Nancy Wu brings this memoir alive, giving the listener insight into an unfamiliar culture. She gives an American accent to Pacy and Chinese accents to her parents, illustrating how quickly the children of immigrants become assimilated into their new culture. As Pacy tells stories of her mother's childhood experiences, which often parallel her own struggles, Wu's authoritative voice introduces listeners to Chinese culture, also letting them see the commonalities among families of all cultures. N.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      January 2, 2006
      Lin, best known for her picture books, here offers up a charming first novel, an autobiographical tale of an Asian-American girl's sweet and funny insights on family, identity and friendship. When her family celebrates Chinese New Year, ringing in the Year of the Dog, Pacy (Grace is her American name) wonders what the coming months will bring. Her relatives explain that the Year of the Dog is traditionally the year when people "find themselves," discovering their values and what they want to do with their lives. With big expectations and lots of questions, the narrator moves through the next 12 months trying to figure out what makes her unique and how she fits in with her family, friends and classmates. Pacy experiences some good luck along the way, too, winning a contest that will inspire her career (Lin's fans will recognize the prize submission, The Ugly Vegetables
      , as her debut children's book). Lin creates an endearing protagonist, realistically dealing with universal emotions and situations. 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. Ages 8-12.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Kim Mai Guest's tone and pitch in this autobiographical novel perfectly complement young Grace's account of an important year in her life. The story spans the Chinese Year of the Dog from family New Year celebration preparations through discovering friendship with another little girl who, with her own family, comes to celebrate the next New Year with Grace's. Listeners hear stories of Chinese and Chinese-American memories, universal realizations about belonging, the power of traditions, and the joy of making new friends. Guest judiciously paces each story carefully and provides finely crafted voices for the adult members of Grace's. family, both female and male. A lengthy epilogue includes a conversation with the real-life person Pacy's best friend in the audiobook is based on, who is now Lin's editor. F.M.R.G. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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