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Indlæser... In the Beautiful Countryaf Jane Kuo
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Bliv medlem af LibraryThing for at finde ud af, om du vil kunne lide denne bog. Der er ingen diskussionstråde på Snak om denne bog. Anna's parents have purchased a restaurant property in California and the family moves from Taiwan to Duarte, CA, hoping for a new life "in the beautiful country" that is America. But they struggle to make money because of the seller's deception about the restaurant's potential, business is slow, and vandalism adds to their costs. The family doesn't quite fit in at the Chinese church and Anna is bullied at school. Anger, frustration, exhaustion, and fear batter the family until they reach the point that they decide it is time to sell and return to Taiwan. Amidst the darkness of being strangers in a strange land are small moments of light: friendships with Richard and Terry, fellowship at the Chinese church, a trip to Disneyland, a new friend at school. Heartwrenching and hopeful. Beautifully written, with strong emotions that shine through. I particularly loved that even while Anna's parents were struggling with their business and with each other, they gave her coping strategies that seemed to help. Also that Anna is sophisticated enough to see that there is a cycle of hurt that gets expressed in bullying and hatred, and finds her own way out of that cycle. Powerful. Love that it is based on the author's own experiences. A novel in verse of a year in the life of Zhang Ai Shi (Anna), who moves with her parents from China to California in hopes of a better life. The restaurant they've bought, however, isn't as profitable as they were led to believe, and vandals repeatedly target them; they also struggle with the language, and at school, Anna is bullied by racist classmates. Connecting with other immigrants at church helps somewhat, but even better is their friendship with grocery clerk Terry and her family. After a year during which none of them are sure if they'll stay or go, Anna's English improves, Terry's husband Don scares away the vandals, and Anna's mother begins putting her own spin on American recipes, causing business to pick up. See also: Front Desk by Kelly Yang Quotes I don't know what it means to miss a place. This is the only place I've known. (8) Years from now when I look at [my cousin] Mei, will I see what my life would have been like if I'd never left? (20) Sometimes we don't get to choose how we say goodbye. (21) I'd like to have friends but I'll settle for being left alone. (78) I have the words, I just don't have the courage. (81) And a person, can a person feel two different emotions, can a person be both grateful and sad, at exactly the same time? (117) I see what my life would have been like if we'd never left. (181) The secret to making friends is not to care so much about what other people think. (265) The secret to getting people to like you is to like yourself. (265) ingen anmeldelser | tilføj en anmeldelse
HæderspriserNotable Lists
Juvenile Fiction.
Juvenile Literature.
HTML: For fans of Jasmine Warga and Thanhhà Lại, this is a stunning novel in verse about a young Taiwanese immigrant to America who is confronted by the stark difference between dreams and reality. Anna can't wait to move to the beautiful countryâ??the Chinese name for America. Although she's only ever known life in Taiwan, she can't help but brag about the move to her family and friends. But the beautiful country isn't anything like Anna pictured. Her family can only afford a cramped apartment, she's bullied at school, and she struggles to understand a new language. On top of that, the restaurant that her parents poured their savings into is barely staying afloat. The version of America that Anna is experiencing is nothing like she imagined. How will she be able to make the beautiful country her home? This lyrical and heartfelt story, inspired by the author's own experiences, is about resilience, courage, and the struggle to make a place for yourself in the wor No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Indlæser... GenrerMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.6Literature English (North America) American fiction 21st CenturyLC-klassificeringVurderingGennemsnit:
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Anna is the American name the 11-year-old daughter of the family assumes for herself after the move. If her parents are struggling to stay afloat financially, she is struggling to fit in at school. The other students are racist bullies, and she only knows rudimentary English at the start.
The book recounts the journey the family goes through during their first year in the States through Anna’s eyes. Along the way Anna learns what usually tends to lie at the root of bullying, and by the end things might not look so bleak anymore.
This was a really quick read, and I’m sure it would be a helpful book for any middle grade aged children to read and learn empathy. ( )