Bibliography:
Lin, Grace. 2006. THE YEAR OF THE DOG. New York City, NY: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-06000-3.
Plot Summary:
Pacy is a young Taiwanese-American girl who learns what the real meaning behind Year of the Dog is and what it means for it to be a year of luck. Over the course of the year Pacy makes a new friend who she identifies with, she writes a book, enters the science fair and goes to a convention in hopes of connecting with more Taiwanese-American children. With the help of her new friend and her parents childhood stories she's able to weather disappointment and self-discovery.
Critical Analysis:
I think the main character Pacy is such a wonderful young girl, she has such a kind spirit and is a good representation of what a young girl should be. She's close to her family, she has nice friends and she weathers the ups and downs of life with dignity. I love the relationship Pacy has with her two best friends, she has normal young girl conversations with them, spends the night at each others homes and they rely on one another. She has a wonderful relationship with her parents who are always telling her stories from their childhood to help keep things in perspective for her. She goes through a difficult time with mean girls at a Taiwanese-American convention but weathers it fine with the help of her parents.
There are not any major descriptions of what Pacy looks like in terms of features other than dark hair but since you know she's of Asian decent it's just an understanding that she looks different than Caucasian children. She does mention seeing another girl at school that is Asian because Pacy is accused of taking a second lunch by the lunch lady but it turns out to be a new girl at school named Melody who is also Taiwanese.
The most emphasis on Pacy's families heritage comes in terms of the food they eat and their celebrations like New Year and the birth of a baby. I loved the families trip to New York City to go to Chinatown and the Asian Market, I'm very curious about Asian candy now. I had no idea that eggs can be dyed using red envelopes, again very informative and educational. I can always appreciate a book that incorporates educational aspects about another culture.
Grace Lin, the author of The Year of the Dog, did a great job writing this book by sticking to what she knows and that is the life of a Taiwanese child growing up in the United States. The way Grace Lin wrote on behalf of Pacy was brilliant, you felt like the story was truly being told from a child's perspective. I didn't feel the story was all that exciting which is a common problem with Asian influenced books but it was fun with little bits of educational information thrown in about Taiwanese traditions. I also love the little illustrations that Grace Lin included within the story. There is a picture of a row of grandmothers that is beyond adorable, they are these cute little ladies, exactly as you would picture them, wearing long dresses, hair pulled back in a bun held by chopsticks and their sweet little smiles.
Critical Analysis:
I think the main character Pacy is such a wonderful young girl, she has such a kind spirit and is a good representation of what a young girl should be. She's close to her family, she has nice friends and she weathers the ups and downs of life with dignity. I love the relationship Pacy has with her two best friends, she has normal young girl conversations with them, spends the night at each others homes and they rely on one another. She has a wonderful relationship with her parents who are always telling her stories from their childhood to help keep things in perspective for her. She goes through a difficult time with mean girls at a Taiwanese-American convention but weathers it fine with the help of her parents.
There are not any major descriptions of what Pacy looks like in terms of features other than dark hair but since you know she's of Asian decent it's just an understanding that she looks different than Caucasian children. She does mention seeing another girl at school that is Asian because Pacy is accused of taking a second lunch by the lunch lady but it turns out to be a new girl at school named Melody who is also Taiwanese.
The most emphasis on Pacy's families heritage comes in terms of the food they eat and their celebrations like New Year and the birth of a baby. I loved the families trip to New York City to go to Chinatown and the Asian Market, I'm very curious about Asian candy now. I had no idea that eggs can be dyed using red envelopes, again very informative and educational. I can always appreciate a book that incorporates educational aspects about another culture.
Grace Lin, the author of The Year of the Dog, did a great job writing this book by sticking to what she knows and that is the life of a Taiwanese child growing up in the United States. The way Grace Lin wrote on behalf of Pacy was brilliant, you felt like the story was truly being told from a child's perspective. I didn't feel the story was all that exciting which is a common problem with Asian influenced books but it was fun with little bits of educational information thrown in about Taiwanese traditions. I also love the little illustrations that Grace Lin included within the story. There is a picture of a row of grandmothers that is beyond adorable, they are these cute little ladies, exactly as you would picture them, wearing long dresses, hair pulled back in a bun held by chopsticks and their sweet little smiles.
Review Awards and Excerpts:
Starred Booklist Review
Starred Booklist Review
2006 ALA Children's Notable
2006 Asian Pacific American Librarian Association Honor
2006 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) GOLD Winner
2007-2008 Texas Bluebonnet Award Masterlist
Connections:
- For each year that children were born we'd research that year and see what animal year it is and what it means in the Chinese culture.
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