Laurence Yep book entitled "Angelfish"

Yep, L. (2001). Angelfish. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

I recently finished reading Angelfish by Laurence Yep. I have never read anything written by Yep, but I will definitely look into more of his work. This is one of the best children's books about cultural diversity that I have ever read. It would appeal to older elementary school students and up. The story is centered on a girl named Robin that is one-half Chinese. She lives in California and is heavily involved in ballet, which consumes most of her free time. Robin accidentally breaks a window at the Dragon Palace Fish Store. Since she does not have the money to replace it, she makes an agreement to work part-time in the fish store until she has worked off the debt of the window. Robin and Mr. Tsow, the fish store manger, do not get along. Mr. Tsow is constantly insulting Robin because she speaks Cantonese and discourages her from taking part in ballet. Mr. Tsow speaks Mandarin Chinese, which he believes is the only true Chinese dialect. He is rude to Robin on a daily basis and explains to her that she is only one-half of a person, neither Chinese nor white. Robin decides to try her best to help Mr. Tsow change his narrow-minded viewpoints about her Chinese background and the importance of ballet. While trying to discover the "true" Mr. Tsow, Robin learns about the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

I would rank this book 10 out of 10 points! The story held my attention and I felt like I knew the characters personally. My favorite part of Angelfish was how Yep made a connection between the flowing movements of an Angelfish to the art of ballet. I also thought it was interesting how Yep included a great deal of facts about Chinese traditions and history. The facts are seamlessly woven into the story.

An important part of my life that has influenced my reaction to this book is the close relationship that I had to my grandmother. Robin, the main character, also has a strong relationship to her grandmother and they spend a great deal of time together. The out-going personality and actions of Robin's grandmother reminded me of my late grandmother. I can definitely connect to Robin based upon the way that she respects and loves her grandmother.

I have never read any other works by Yep. However, after reading and enjoying Angelfish, I plan to explore more of his works. I have never read a children's chapter book that is based upon the Chinese culture. I have read very few picture books that were based upon the Chinese culture. This particular story was unlike any other book about cultural diversity that I have read. It had a realistic and interesting storyline that would appeal to young readers and ordinary characters that children can easily relate to.

After finishing Angelfish, I learned that children's literature can address cultural diversity in a way that can appeal to the interest of children. An author can use a wonderful storyline and detailed characters, while still helping teach readers to embrace and respect all cultures. The cultural message can be gently woven throughout the story and make a tremendous impact on the reader. I walked away from this story with two important messages. First, we should never judge anyone based upon their cultural background. We should respect and embrace other cultures. Secondly, we should never give up on reaching out to someone. For example, Robin never gave up on breaking through to the "real" Mr. Tsow. Although it may take a long time and a great deal of patience, we must be persistent and strong like Robin. People can be hiding behind a mask of many problems and it may take a while to make them feel comfortable enough to emerge from behind their troubles.

Laurence Yep has written other novels that also reflect the Chinese-American culture. Some titles include Ribbons, The Amah, Dragonwings, Dragon's Gate, and The Cook's Family.