CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 22, 2011
"In her not-to-be-missed debut, Lai evokes a distinct time and place and presents a complex, realistic heroine whom readers will recognize, even if they haven't found themselves in a strange new country. (Historical fiction/verse. 9-12)"
An enlightening, poignant and unexpectedly funny novel in verse is rooted in the author's childhood experiences.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: May 12, 2009
"A neat match with Gary Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars (2007) and Michael Kaufman's 1968 (2008). (author's note) (Historical fiction. 9-14)"
When 13-year-old Lyza cleans her grandfather's attic and finds a bundle of papers marked "For Lyza Only," she's propelled into a modern-day search for pirates' treasure.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2009
"A memorable debut. (Historical fiction. 10-14)"
Matt Pin's story, told in first-person verse, opens with the evacuation of refugees near the end of the Vietnam War.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 11, 2008
"Good fun. (Fiction. 7-10)"
This summer Jake has opted to go with his mother and little brother to visit his Korean grandmother in his old neighborhood in Los Angeles, thus exempting himself from tightly scheduled camps and lessons.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: June 1, 2007
"All in all, a pleasing portrait of the healing that can follow an all-too-common childhood trauma. (Fiction/poetry. 7-11)"
First-person free-verse poems describe the emotional journey made by one little girl when her family is forced to move.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: March 1, 2007
"Readers living with a disability or trying to understand others seem like the target audience, but Josie's voice has a universal appeal. (Fiction. 9-12)"
Josie's cerebral palsy has made her an outsider at school, but at home she is one of three strong women with a rewarding routine.
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