Kids' Books We Love
Book reviews from Youth Services

The Year of the Dog: A Novel

  Lin, Grace

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Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
Number of Pages: 134
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Genres:

Realistic fiction
School story

Material Type/Location:

Youth Fiction

Reading Level:

2-3
4-5

Awards:

ALA Notable Books
Voice of Youth Award Nominee

Why I liked this title:

This is a very sweet coming-of-age story that follows Taiwanese-American Pacy over the course of a year - The Year of the Dog. As the story unfolds, Pacy's family is about to celebrate Chinese New Year and explain to her that the Year of the Dog is about making friends and finding yourself. Narrated in an almost diary-like first person format with dozens of delightful illustrations (as drawn by Pacy), Pacy concentrates on making friends with Melody, the only other Taiwanese-American girl in school, and struggles to discover where her talents lie. I enjoyed the many anecdotal flashbacks told by the mother that help Pacy connect with her own Taiwanese heritage and family's history.

Reviewed by: David Nelson on 4/8/2009

Similar Titles:

The Year of the Rat : A Novel by Lin, Grace
Peiling and the Chicken-fried Christmas by Chen, Pauline