(3) K-3 Max loves his family’s Cantonese food but wishes he could celebrate his birthday at an Italian restaurant. Instead, his extended family gathers at his grandparents’ house where Cantonese specialties—served in blue bowls his grandparents brought from Hong Kong—are on the menu...along with some delicious fusion recipe surprises. Friendly illustrations accompany this celebration of culture and family.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) 4-6 Kevin Lee, a 1990s Chinese Canadian boy, struggles with being invisible among his peers, but somehow lands in the spotlight at the most embarrassing moments. When he brings preserved eggs to middle school for lunch, he becomes a laughingstock and gains the nickname "Egg Boy." Then in gym class he throws a basketball and accidentally hits the substitute teacher, knocking out a tooth. His parents' divorce doesn't make his life any easier: his older sister resents taking on extra responsibilities as she prepares for college, while his mother barely makes ends meet running an alterations shop. When Popo, his maternal grandmother, arrives from China, she reminds him that "today's pain is tomorrow's strength." Xu's coming-of-age graphic novel follows Kevin's ups and downs as he strives to fit in at school, get along with his sister, and help his mom. He takes refuge in a fantasy world of comics depicted by lively, action-packed panels -- a world that later comes to life at an amusement park. Amusing facial expressions and gestures capture the distinctive persona of each character and their interactions. Themes of sacrifice, survival, and love abound in a multidimensional story of navigating the bumpy terrain of family tensions and resilience across generations.

Reviewer: Jerry Dear | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) K-3 In this heartfelt tale, young Angie becomes a vital bridge between her Cantonese-speaking dad and their new home in Canada. She frequently aids her father in navigating various situations, such as ordering meals and crafting signs for his janitorial job. Soon, Angie identifies a business opportunity--creating English signs for the Chinese-speaking business owners in their neighborhood. Her initial projects include a sandwich board for Ms. Fong's canteen and a stern warning sign for the recalcitrant customers of Ms. Lim's shoe-repair shop. However, a hurdle arises when the laundromat owner, Mr. Chu, voices dissatisfaction with Angie's work. This hiccup morphs into a golden moment, as her father speaks with Mr. Chu in his language (Hakka), unveiling linguistic knowledge that surprises Angie and strengthens their bond. This narrative gracefully illustrates the ties that bind a community and positions language as a potent tool that can both separate and unify people, transforming potential misunderstandings into opportunities for growth, collaboration, and even humor. The story is brought to life with cartoon-style art and bilingual dialogues, represented through simplified Chinese characters and italicized English, offering readers a rich, multicultural experience. This tale presents a hopeful perspective on immigrant life, vividly portraying resilience, a spirit of community, and the enduring bond of family, making it a poignant and uplifting read. An author's note explains the story's linguistic context, highlighting the presence of different Chinese languages with some linguistic similarities.

Reviewer: Weileen Wang | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(4) YA Adopted as a baby by Canadian parents, fourteen-year-old Paige wonders about her birth family in China and struggles with her cultural identity. When she gets hit by a train she finds herself transported to a surreal afterlife, where she is given an opportunity to re-live her life. While Paige's teenage voice can feel awkward, her dilemmas are rendered with genuine emotion and sensitivity.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA In 2021 Canada, Miranda is more comfortable in Augmented Reality than in her traditional Chinese family. Tasked with breaking a century-old curse by their dying grandmother and their great-great-grandfather's avatar, Miranda and her dyslexic, hyperactive cousin must save their family with a seventeenth-century geomancer's compass. Hardy melds history, Chinese-Canadian culture, magic, and virtual realities in this fast-paced, unusual story.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(3) YA Since Ray's family emigrated from China to Canada, the teen hasn't been able to live up to his father's expectations. After Dad finds out Ray is gay, he gets kicked out of the house. In his brief time on the streets, he's beaten, robbed, and introduced to prostitution. Ray is a strong and sympathetic protagonist making his way through problem-novel territory.

Reviewer: Randy Ribay

(4) 4-6 Sports Stories series. Each fast-paced book uses a specific sport to center its protagonist. In Dogs, Noah battles a rock-climbing rival and preoccupied dad. In Man, Michael must overcome his small size to contribute to the lacrosse team. In Goals, Vicky tackles the challenges of a new school and soccer team. While the stories are formulaic, the accessible texts are sparked by engaging characters. Glos. Review covers these Sports Stories titles: Rock Dogs, Trading Goals, and Man-to-Man.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) YA Orca Soundings series. Recent immigrant Jason Shen is ostracized from his predominantly homogeneous community. The stoner crowd provides companionship, and Jason doesn't realize the trouble they'll bring him. In Jason's world, adults are unrealistically cruel--"In this country, you reply by speaking!" yells a teacher--and teens get little support. The fast-paced, easy-to-read drama may appeal to mature reluctant readers.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(4) 4-6 Quan describes her family's journey in the 1920s from Toronto to southern China to visit the grandmother she'd never met. Her account, with its vivid, well-chosen details, touches on her own emotions as well as those of her father, though some passages are wordy and a bit sentimental. Watercolor illustrations depict each step of Quan's experience.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Grace Lin. To Yenyee, the Pacific Ocean capriciously changes people's lives. In China, her fisherman father is lost in a storm, despite her tossing in her beloved jade necklace as an offering. After immigrating to Canada alone, she saves a drowning friend, and the sea returns the pendant and indirectly reunites her with her mother and brother. The story is told with lyrical symbolism and complemented by folkloric illustrations.

Reviewer:

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Harvey Chan. These ten original ghost stories, alternately tragic, ironic, and gentle, are informed by two millennia of Chinese tales about wandering souls. Chinese-Canadian archivist and storyteller Yee dramatizes the killing work, the broken dreams, the humiliation, loneliness, heartbreak, and loss experienced by Southern-Chinese immigrants to North America over the past one hundred years. A rough-hewn black-and-white illustration introduces each story.

Reviewer: Margaret A. Chang | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2003

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Wilson. After Ian's parents break up, Ian and his mother leave their farm for the city. Ian feels lonely and homesick, but then he gets to know Mr. Mah, an elderly Chinese man who has also suffered losses. Mr. Mah starts Ian on a garden, and their friendship helps them both make the transition to a new life. The realistic watercolor illustrations for this Canadian story include sensitive portraits of Ian and his older friend.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert