Author:Yong Chen
Title: A Gift
Illustrator: Yong Chen
Readability: 3.2
Genre: Picture Book
Subgenre: Multiculturalism
Theme: Even when your not close to your family there are ways to feel them close
Primary and Secondary Characters: Amy, Mom, Uncle Zhong, Uncle Ming, Aunt Mei
Award(s) date of publication: 2009
Publishing Company: Boyds Mill Press
ISBN number: 978-1-59078-610-9
Summary:
A gift is a story about a girl named Amy and her mother who are Chinese and lives in America. Amy begins to explain to the reader that her mother is homesick from China because it is Chinese New Year and all her family will be celebrating without her. Amy has never met her mother's brothers and sisters but knows a lot about them from letters and her and her mother's stories.
One day package came with a letter and a small box. The letter read that Uncle Zhong was working the field when he found a stone, like the ones you find by the river side. That night he brought the stone to town to Uncle Ming who saw a dragon inside the stone. Ming worked through many days carving and polishing the stone until the dragon was free. Uncle Ming showed Aunt Mei the dragon and she turned it into a necklace for Amy. It was Amy's New Year present from China.
Use in the Classroom:
Students could research about New Year customs from around the world and how they differ from the ones in the United States. Also, the students could also research what animals symbolizes what in China. Students could write about how they communicate with family that does not live close enough to visit.
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