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Summary
Summary
Lucy Wu, aspiring basketball star and interior designer, is on the verge of having the best year of her life. She's ready to rule the school as a sixth grader and take over the bedroom she has always shared with her sister. In an instant, though, her plans are shattered when she finds out that Yi Po, her beloved grandmother's sister, is coming to visit for several months -- and is staying in Lucy's room. Lucy's vision of a perfect year begins to crumble, and in its place come an unwelcome roommate, foiled birthday plans, and Chinese school with the awful Talent Chang.
Notes
Wendy Wan-Long Shang is the author of THE GREAT WALL OF LUCY WU, which was awarded the Asian/Pacific American Library Association Award for Children's Literature. She lives with her family in the suburbs of Washington, DC.
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Lucy knows that sixth grade is going to be the best year ever: she finally gets her own room now that her older sister is off to college, and she and her friend Madison are ready to rule the basketball courts. But Lucy's parents put a glitch in those plans when her father returns from a business trip to China with Lucy's great-aunt, who will visit until Christmas. Lucy again has a roommate, and resents this elderly lady who does not speak English and cooks only Chinese food for a family used to pizza and burgers. To make matters worse, her parents insist that she attend Chinese school on Saturday mornings, which means forgoing basketball practice. She is busy with her suburban American life and doesn't feel the need to converse in Chinese or to dwell on Chinese traditions. Slowly, though, she comes to appreciate all that Yi Po has lived through and the quiet ways that her great-aunt shows her love for the family. When Lucy is bullied by a popular girl, she thinks about what her brother told her about Yi Po's life during China's Cultural Revolution and determines that she will act with similar courage and conviction. Lucy is an engaging character, and Shang skillfully weaves in Chinese history and legend as she brings the relationships between Lucy and her family and friends to life. Fans of Grace Lin's Year of the Dog (2006) and Year of the Rat (2008, both Little, Brown) will enjoy meeting this feisty protagonist as she learns to dismantle some walls she has built around herself.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Sarcastic, attention-seeking, and prone to whining, Lucy Wu has a big personality and plenty of opinions. She is convinced that her sixth-grade year will be the best yet: she's looking forward to having her own bedroom when her older sister leaves for college, and to the upcoming basketball season. Instead, it is one disappointment after another. Her parents invite her late grandmother's long-lost sister, Yi Po, from Shanghai to visit for a few months and share Lucy's room, and instead of basketball practice, Lucy may be forced to attend Chinese school ("The Chinese part of my life just doesn't make sense sometimes," Lucy complains). Additionally, she is dealing with a secret crush and avoiding a bully. First-time author Shang effortlessly interweaves the multiple threads of her story, as Lucy grows tremendously (and rewardingly) while learning about China's turbulent history and the value of sympathy and strength. Bolstered by frequent use of Chinese language and proverbs, this is a realistic and amusing portrait of family dynamics, heritage, and the challenge of feeling like an outsider-even in one's own family. Ages 8-12. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Excerpts
Excerpts
From The Great Wall of Lucy Wu At the end of the report folder aisle stood Talent Chang, steering a cart overflowing with school supplies. A huge econo-pack of tape was preparing to fall off the tip of a mountain of colored pencils and manila folders. "Hey, Talent," said Madison cheerily. "Don'tcha think you're getting carried away," I asked. "Even for you?" Madison elbowed me gently. Talent laughed. "I'm not shopping for myself, of course. I completed my shopping as soon as the school list became available." I imagined her breathlessly checking the school website until the supply list was posted. "I'm here with my parents. They're helping start a Chinese school." She looked at me. "It's going to be on Saturday mornings. You should come." Arrgh. That was so Talent. Such a know-it-all. Not would you like to come or maybe you'd be interested. Just assuming she knew everything and what everyone should do. "No thanks," I said, as if I were refusing a piece of gum. "Madison and I have basketball practice on Saturday mornings." This year, if the team made it to regional's, we got to stay overnight in a hotel. I think I would have chosen laundry-folding classes over Chinese school just to get back at Talent. "Lucy," Talent scolded, "Chinese school is much more important than basketball." "Really?" I raised my eyebrows as high as they would go, pretending to be surprised. "Do you need to speak Chinese to play basketball?" If she says that I need help on how to be Chinese, I'm going to wrap those eight rolls of tape around her mouth. Excerpted from The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.