Intended Audience: Tweens
Genre: Real life drama
Notes for Parents: There’s nothing that should concern parents
The Back Cover
Eleven-year-old
Wen has spent most of her life in a Chinese orphanage, where the only person
she would call “family” is her best friend, Shu Ling. All Wen has ever wanted
is to be adopted. But when Wen’s lucky day finally comes, and she is whisked
off to a suburb of Boston, she realizes she had no idea what she was getting
into. Learning English is hard, and
using that English to make friends with the girls at school, or to tell her new
parents that she loves them, seems almost impossible. But the worst part is
knowing that Shu Ling remains back at the orphanage, alone. Before she left,
Wen made a promise to find Shu Ling a family of her own. But promises aren’t
always so easy to keep, and time is running out…
What the cover
doesn’t tell you:
The
story is less about Wen trying to fit in and more about her desperate attempts
to find Shu Ling a home in America.
What’s good?
Quick
and easy to read, this is a touching story about a Chinese orphan who finds a
home in America. Her attempts to fit into such a different culture from her own
is compelling, as are her stories about what life was like in China. Her race
to find her friend a home is a harrowing one that kept me reading. The
characters are likeable and easy to care about.Best Part: the end.
What isn’t good?
The
simplicity of the story means there isn’t a lot of depth. There is enough told about
the characters and situation to care, but not enough to feel truly engaged.
While the problems were presented as complex, in the end, everything came
together quite easily.Worst part: nothing was terrible.
Recommendation þþþoo
The
story is poignant but simple, clearly aimed at middle school readers. I enjoyed
it, and recommend it to anyone looking for an easy yet emotional story.Peacock, Carol Antoinette. Red Thread Sisters. New York: Scholastic, 2012.
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