by Victoria Chang (Author)
In this beautiful novel in verse, a Chinese-American girl contends with school bullies, tries to solve the mystery of her sister's strange illness, and finds strength and validation at the local tennis court.
Frances Chin, a 10-year old Chinese-American girl, lives in the suburbs of Detroit with her immigrant parents and older sister, Clara. At school Frances copes with bullies and the loneliness that comes with not quite fitting in. At home, she feels a different kind of aloneness. Her parents are preoccupied with work and worry about Clara, whose hair is inexplicably falling out. But, with the help of her friend Annie, Frances is determined to play Nancy Drew and solve the mystery of Clara's condition.
She also faces the everyday challenges and unexpected thrills of being a tween, especially when she receives encouragement from a tennis coach. Although she struggles to speak up, Frances's powerful inner voice resonates in gorgeous imagery and evocative free verse.
"Love and more love to Victoria Chang for her lyrical and gentle prose poems that, in excavating a deep secret, usher readers beyond shame and into the warmth of understanding." --Thanhhà Lại,
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Gr 3-7--Frances Chin is a Chinese American girl living in Detroit with her family. Her older sister Clara is losing her hair, and Frances wants to help her. She attempts to find the wig Clara wears to school but does not return home wearing, she observes her sister to see what could be making her hair fall out, and she tries to stay out of her parent's way as they try to find solutions. Chang's novel in verse thoughtfully addresses hair loss in children, being an immigrant in the United States, and the plight of kids who are worried but do not have the words to share their concern--whether they are too scared or too shy or just do not know what to say. Frances deals with isolation from her peers (she has only one real friend), and struggles connecting to other children who make fun of her and her sister because of their appearance and ethnicity. Frances lives in the shadow of her sister, and she has talents that her parents do not recognize because they are not strictly based in academic excellence. Her time on the tennis court allows her to be herself and forget about her worries--but that time is not always supported by her parents. VERDICT Chang speaks to readers who quietly observe the world and reminds those who do not to look around and to be kind. Thoughtful, heartbreaking, and honest, this is a must-purchase for middle grade shelves.--Lia Carruthers, Gill St. Bernard's School, Gladstone, NJ
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