use of a second language in the book. A book may contain non-English words and phrases for authenticity purposes. Most authors provide an pronunciation key and dictionary list for meaning. The use of these non-English phrases and words can help a non-English student to excel in school because the words may have familarity to the student. It also teach English students the use of the language.
History of Asian American Literature
The history of Asian American
literature began around the 1940's or before. Books about
Asia orAsian Americans were written by non members such as Pearl Buck. There were many
Japanese Americans who wrote autobiographies about their experiences in the concentration
camps in the United States. The first Chinese author to achieve financial success and was a
mentor to many other Asian writers was C.Y.Lee who wrote The Flower Drum Song in 1955
which was made into a broadway play by Rogers and Hammerstein, and a motion plicture by
20th Century Fox..
In 1976, an evaluation was conducted on literature in print to see how Asians were portrayed. They found them severely lacking in illustrations and characterization. They found Asians in illustrations were drawn exactly the same without regard for cultural or feature distinctions. They also failed to portray Asians living in contemporary United States wearing modern clothing or modern housing. There were call for Asians to write about their experience and for illustrators to better portray Asian Americans.
Since that time, Asian American literature has been authored by those of Asian descent. There are some like Frank Chin author of Donald Duk and anthologies of Asian literature who analyze the literature for authenticity in portrayal of Asian Americans. Today there is a lot of literature covering the ethnic groups of Chinese and Japanese, but the other groups of Filipino, Korean and other minorities remain neglected.
Booktalk. Amy Tan and Her Work
Amy Tan
Biography: Amy Tan who critical acclaim for her book Joy Luck Club (1989) which was made into a motion picture. Amy Tan is a second generation Chinese who lived in California whose original degree and career was in linguistics. She received her degrees from San Jose City College. In 1985, she joined the Writer Workshop at University of California and began to sell stories. Her stories were offered to be published, and she collected them to form the Joy Luck Club which received the ALA Notable Books Award 1990, and other national awards. The second book The Kitchen God's Wife (1991) was based on her mother's life in China. Her mother never told Amy her life story until Amy convinced her it was worth telling. Amy Tan then published some childrens stories such as the The Moon Lady. Recently she has published The Hundred Secret Senses 1995 which has yet to be reviewed or receive any awards.
Tan, Amy The Joy Luck Club New York: Ivy 1989 Awards: ALA Notable Books 1990, ALA Best Book for Young Adults 1990 Summary: This book is the story of eight Chinese women. Four are mothers who each had different hardships, that forced them to leave China. Four are the daughters who each face their own struggles in their everyday living. Each chapter is a vignette of each women viewpoint of events. The first main character is the daughter Jing Mei "June" Woo whose mother passed away and is asked to join the Joy Luck Club and play Mah Jong with her adoptive aunts. Her mother started the Joy Luck Club and selected the players from people at church. Also June's mother struggled to find the lost twins she had to leave behind in China.
Evaluation: This book was really good. At times, I was confused as to which daughter and mother was telling the story. The vignettes were powerful stories. It is a good mother daughter story. It also gives insight into Chinese culture and the events around World War II. I personally would recommend it to an English class reading list, and possibly recommend an alternative for men. The movie was excellent, and followed the book as well.
One of the strengths of Amy Tan's novels is that it gives the reader an understanding of Chinese society and its effect on women before the Communist regime. Although the book is considered fiction, Amy Tan in the Life magazine article dated April 1991, indicated that characters and their sufferings are based on the women's lives in her family. Her mother wanted her families' lives particularly of her grandmothers, and aunts, who lived before 1930's be kept secret because some were considered concubines, or were unloved. Part of the problem was the Chinese society they lived in, and it was interesting to note that one of Amy Tan's uncles joined the Communist regime to overthrow the society structure that had destroyed his mother's life.
Tan, Amy The Kitchen God's Wife New York: Ivy 1991
Awards: ALA Notable Books 1992; Booklist Editors Choice 1991
Summary: This is the story of Chinese mother daughter relationship. The daughter is struggling with her marriage, career and multiple sclerosis. The daughter, Pearl had never told her mother because strained relationships. Her mother, Winnie Louie, a widow has also kept secrets about her past in China, and finally tells the daughter her story after her Helen, her business associate or supposed sister-in-law threatens to tell Pearl everything if she didn't. The mother recounts her life in China, and how she was married to an evil man. It also details her struggle to get out of the marriage.
Evaluation: This is a mother daughter story. It gives insight in Chinese culture and the times around World War II. Amy Tan is a powerful writer and it is a difficult book to read knowing the suffering this mother went through. It also carries a universal theme of the importance of mother daughter relationships.
Other Asian American Book Reviews
Mori, Kyoko Shizuko's Daughter New York: Fawcett Juniper 1993
Awards: An ALA award book.
Summary: Shizuko, a Japanese wife and mother, commits suicide. Why did she commit suicide? Why couldn't she get a divorce? These questions are answered in the novel and it has something to do with Japanese culture and law. The daughter, Yuki, struggles on through life without her mother. Not only does she have deal with the loss, but now, she has to deal with her stepmother, Hanae and her father who takes sides against his own daughter.
Evaluation: This novel is very good in examining human relations in Japanese culture. Its hard to understand that divorce laws go against women in some cases because they could lose their children. It is also hard to understand how important honor and respect of family and parents is in Japanese culture.
The novel also examines peoples reaction in the loss of a loved one. Some people try to hold on to personal effects, but the daughter found a way through her sketch book. It was interesting that the father after destroying everything of his exwife, saved the sketchbook and sent it to his daughter. Shizuko actually drew different parts of her life in the sketchbook.
Choi, Sook Nyul Year of the Impossible Goodbyes New York: Dell 1991
Awards: ALA Best Book for Young Adults 1991
Summary: Why are the Korean people such a cursed race? During World War II, the Korean people were under the Japanese people, and were treated as slaves and servants of the Japanese people. They took everything that could be manufactured, and even consumed the people. This is a story of a Korean family told in a young girls viewpoint which showed the oppression experienced by the Korean people. Sookan, a young Korean girls tells the story of her life under the Japanese and then the Russians.
Evaluation: This story could have been told in Europe, but it took place in Korea. Key elements of a totalitarian state were the same in Korea as in Germany- i.e. the education, serving our great leader. The novel explains Korean culture and what happened during World War II. It would be interesting to assign this novel to students who have pre-existing knowledge of the Holocaust and German unification, and how Korean occupation compares to it. It could also lead to compare Korean culture with Chinese or Japanese culture.
Laurence was born in San Fransico in 1948 and is a 3rd generation Chinese American. He lived in the West End which was predominatly African American but he commuted through Chinatown to go to school.Through a requirement of a school teacher, he began sending his stories to publishers before the age of thirteen. At age eighteen his first story was accepted. In 1970, he graduated from the University of California. Yep's first novels were actually for science fiction for children at Harper and Row, but he came to realize his characters and settings were based on the dual worlds of his life as Chinese American and places such as Chinatown. Since that time, he has produced many children and young adult literature about Chinese Americans, and has even included stories that his father has told. One the books that has received the Newbery was Dragonwings.
Yep, Laurence Child of the Owl New York: Harper and Row 1977
Summary: Casey, a young girl who has lived on the road with her gambling father has been forced to move in with her grandmother in Chinatown. Although she is Chinese American, she knows nothing about her Chinese heritage, and her grandmother begins to teach her the Chinese culture and way. She begins to try to examine her identity, by examining Chinese culture, her dead mothers life and her own.
Evaluation:The book is about a relationship between granddaughter and grandmother. Its also about discovering one's roots and the importance of helping a family member.
1. Bucher, Katherine T. Multicultural Literature Update: Native Americans and East
Asian American' Virginia Resolves Fall 1993 (Eric Doc)
A bibliography of Native American and East Asian Literature.
2. Buckingham, Betty Jo & Johnson, Lory Native American, African American, Asian American and Hispanic American Literature for Preschool through Adult-Annotated Bibliography prepared for the Iowa State Dept. Of Education, (56 pgs) 1994 Eric Document: ED 371764
The bibliography list works by authors in the Asian-American population. It covers literature by authors of Chinese, Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, East Indian, and other Asian ancestry. The non-fiction materials are in the order that they might appear in a library based on the Dewey Decimal Classification system; the fiction follows. Each entry gives author if pertinent, title publisher if known, and annotation. Other information includes designations for fiction or easy books; interest level; whether book is in print and designation of heritage of author.
3.. Hamlen, Bard-Rogers From the Far East to Near West: Teaching Asian American Literatures; Paper present to Annual Meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English 1994 Eric Document ED 378583
This article talks about teaching Asian literature on the college level particularly at Lesley College and about the considerations in the teaching it.
<4>4. Harris, Violet and Others Multi cultural Literature Language Arts; V 70 n3 p. 215-24 March 1993The magazine is a theme issue on Multiculturalism and the Language Arts. The article reviews 23 recently published works of multi cultural literature (African-American, Asian and Asian-American, Native American, and Hispanic literature) Discusses some issues related to multi cultural literature and includes a 58 item list of other multi cultural literature.
5. Pang, Valerie-OKA and Others Beyond Chopsticks and Dragons: Selecting
Asian-American Literature for Children; Reading-Teacher; V46 n3 p. 216-24
November 1992
This article offers guidelines for book selection that reflect an awareness of cultural diversity. Discusses 19 books with accurate and sensitive depictions of Asian Americans.
6. Schirmer, John Cognitive Development Assignment: Building Bridges between
Chinese Americans and Elementary School Classrooms May 7, 1991
Eric Document
This paper discusses how it is time to build bridges between Chinese Americans and the larger society. Chinese Americans have been living in the United States since the times of the California Gold Rush and have made many contributions. The article details the history of Chinese immigrants and their contributions. It also list examples of books to use in the study of Chinese -Americans.
General Reference Sources
Berger, Laura Standley ed et al. Twentieth Century Young Adult Writers
Washington DC: St James Press 1994
Chu E. And Schuler, C. V. Our Family, Our Friends, Our World: An Annotated Guide to Significant Multicultural Books for Children and Teenagers New York: R. R. Bowker 1992
Jenkins, E.C. and Austin M.C. Literature for Children about Asian and Asian Americans:
Analysis and Annotated Bibliography
Westport CT: Greenwood Press 1987
Books for and about Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, and Korean
Miller, Lynda Cultural Cobblestones: Teaching Cultural Diversity Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press 1994
Ramirez, Gonzalo and Lee, Jan Multiethnic Children's Literature 1st edition: Albany NY: Delmar 1994
Spencer, Pam(compiler) What do Young Adults Read Next: A Readers Guide for fiction for Young Adults Washington DC: Gale Research 1994
Tiedt, Pamela L and Tiedt, Iris M.Multicultural Teaching: A Handbook of Activities, Information, and Resources Boston: Allyn & Bacon 3rd Edition 1990
Zia, Hel and Gall, Susan B. editors Notable Asian Americans New York: Gale Research 1995
Anthologies
Chan, Jeffrey Paul editor The Big Aiiieeeee!
NAL, 1991 ISBN 0452010764 High School level
This anthology of Chinese and Japanese American literature contains memoirs, fiction, drama, and poetry.
Traditional/Folk Literature
Dragon Tales: A Collection of Chinese Stories
Beijing: Chinese Literature Press, 1988
Folk Stories of the Hmong Collected by Norma J. Livo and Dia Cha Libraries Unlimited 1991 ISBN 087287-854-6 This collection attempts to preserve the oral traditions of passing on culture and history Hmong, people of Burma, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Judge Rabbit and the Tree Spirit; a Folktale from Cambodia
Childrens Press 1991
Judge Rabbit is a frequent character in Cambodian tales. The adventure is usually written in
bilingual format.
O'Donnell, James Japanese Folk Tales illustrated by Kasumi Nagao, Caldwell, ID: Caxton Printers 1958
Fiction
Baillie, Allan Little Brother
Viking 1992 ISBN 0-670-84381-4 (Middle School)
Eleven year-old Vithy is chased through the Cambodian jungle by the Khmer Rouge. He is able to reach a refugee hospital and find the promise of a better life.
Betancourt, Jeanne More than Meets the Eye Bantam: 1990
Chin, Fran Donald Duk
Coffee House 1991
Summary: Donald Duk hates his name, and he'd much rather be Fred Astaire than being a 12
year old growing up in San Francisco's Chinatown
Choi, Sook Nyul Year of the Impossible Goodbyes
New York: Dell 1991
Awards: ALA Best Book for Young Adults 1991
Summary: Why are the Korean people such a cursed race? During World War II, the Korean
people were under the Japanese people, and were treated as slaves and servants of the Japanese
people. They took everything that could be manufactured, and even consumed the people. This
is a story of a Korean family told in a young girls viewpoint which showed the oppression
experienced by the Korean people. Sookan, a young Korean girls tells the story of her life under
the Japanese and then the Russians.
Choi, Sook Nyul Echoes of the White Giraffe
Houghton Mifflin 1993
Summary: Sequel to Year of Impossible Goodbyes .As Sookan adjusts to life in the refugee
village in Pusan, she clings to her hope that the civil war will end and her family will be reunited
in Seoul.
Christopher, Matt Shortstop from Tokyo
New York: Little Brown and Co.1988 Grades 6-8
Hideko (Sam) Suzuki immigrates from Japan and plays shortstop in Little League. (Melting pot
novel.
Garland, Sherry, Shadow of the Dragon
New York: Harcourt Brace 1993
Summary: High school sophomore Danny Vo tries to resolve the conflict between the values of
his Vietnamese refugee family and his new American way of life. He loses a cousin to some
neighborhood skinheads.
Garland, Sherry Song of the Buffalo Boy
Harcourt 1992 (Middle School to High School)
Summary: In Vietnam, a teenage Amerasian girl must flee her village to avoid a forced marriage.
Reaching Ho Chi Minh City, she tries to find out about her mother and her American father.
Garrigue, Sheila The Eternal Spring of Mr. Ito
New York: Bradbury 1985
Summary: The fate of a 200 year old bonsai tree is decided by a young girl and an old Japanese
Canadian gardener who resists being interned at a camp after bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Gibson, Jamie Hello My Name is Scrambled Eggs
New York: Lothrop and Shepard 1985(Vietnamese American) Grades 6-8
Harvey Trumble is looking forward to his new playmate that will come to the United States
when his family sponsors a Vietnamese family. However, Tuan Nguyan has mind of his own
and doesn't exactly want to do the things Harvey wants to do.
Haugaard, Eric Christian The Boy and the Samaurai
Boston: Houghton Mifflin 1984
Summary: Sequel Samurai's Tale.
Haugaard,Erik Christian Samurai's Tale
Boston: Houghton Mifflin 1984
Summary: Story of Marakamu, son of samurai knight who is orphaned and captured by enemies
of father.
Kogawa, J. Itsuka
Anchor Books, 1992 (Asian American;Canadian) (High School)
Summary: Internment literature. Follows the life a Japanese-Canadian woman and the group
who belongs to who are fighting for compensation from the Canadian government for internment
of Canadian citizens of Japanese decent during World War II.
Lee, C. Y. (Ching-Yang Lee) Flower Drum Song
Farrar 1957
Summary: The novel that became a Rogers and Hammerstein play and smash film.
Lee, C. Y. (Ching-Yang Lee) (Chinese American).Gate of Rage: A novel of one family trapped
by the events at Tiananmen Square Morrow 1991
By the author of the Flower Drum Song.
Lee, C.Y. )(Ching-Yang Lee) The Second Son of Heaven: A Novel Morrow 1990
Lee, Gus China Boy NAL/ Dutton 1991 (Grade 10-Adult)
Awards: Book of the Month Club
Biography: Gus went toWest Point and then flunked out because of a class. He then went to
University of California to Law School in 1976 and became an senior deputy attorney in
Sacremento. At the request of his daughter, he began to write a family journal which became the
best seller China Boy. In 1993, he left law to spend more time with his family and also to
become a novelist after the success of China Boy.
Summary: Although he is from an aristocratic Chinese family, Kai Ting becomes street smart to survive in America. Uncle Shim, a teacher and Mandarin Scholar wants to teach Kai classical learning of Chinese, but Kai has instructors who want to teach him boxing. (Bklist 12/1/92)
Lee, Gus Honor and Duty Ivy Books, 1994 (High School)
Summary: Sequel to China Boy. The story follows Kai Ting through ordeals at West Point as the only Chinese American in the school.
Lee, Marie G. Finding My Voice New York: Houghton Mifflin 1992 (Middle School -High School)
Summary: Ellen feels pressures from all sides. From her Korean parents, there is pressure to go to Harvard. From her classmates and some teaches, there is pressure caused by simmering racism. Ellen grows up in a small Minnesota town.
Lord, Bette Bao In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson New York: Harper & Row 1984 (intermediate reading level)
Summary: Fictionalized story of author's life growing up in Brooklyn, NY
Matsubara, Hisako Cranes at Dusk
Summary: Young Saya has difficulty adjusting to changes in her country Japan after World War II
Mori, Kyoko Shizuko's Daughter
New York: Fawcett Juniper 1993
Awards: An ALA award book.
Summary: Shizuko, a Japanese wife and mother, commits suicide. Why did she commit suicide?
Why couldn't she get a divorce? These questions are answered in the novel and it has something
to do with Japanese culture and law. The daughter, Yuki, struggles on through life without her
mother. Not only does she have deal with the loss, but now, she has to deal with her stepmother,
Hanae and her father who takes sides against his own daughter.
Namoika, Lensey Island of Ogres
Harper and Row 1989
Summary: An adventure story of medieval Japan features three ronin (retired samurai) as they
struggle for power on an island (11-14)
Namoika, Lensey The Samurai and the Long-Nosed Devils
Mckay 1976
Summary: Two sixteenth century Japanese ronin take on the job of protecting a Portuguese
missionary and his soldier companion.
Namioka, Lensey Yang the Youngest and his Terrible Ear
Boston: Little Brown Grades 6-8
Summary: When his family moves to Seattle from China, Yingtao must help attract student to
private music lessons.
Neville, Emily Cheney The China Year
New York: Harper Collins 1991 (Grades 7-9)
Summary: Henrietta Rich's father announces his plans to teach in China for a year and bring his
family with him. Henrietta makes it to Beijing, China but finds it crowded, and lacking in
necessities that she enjoyed in America. Then she meets Li, an English speaking Chinese who
shows here the other side of China. Henrietta grows to appreciate her friendship with Li and
China. (Booklist May 1, 1991, SLJ May 91)
Paterson, Katherine Of Nightingales that Weep
New York: Crowell 1974
Award: ALA Notable Child Book Award
Summary: During the Keike-Genji civil wars , Takiko, daughter of famous samurai becomes
personal servant of musician.
Paterson, Katherine Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom
New York: Lodestar 1983
Summary: A riveting novel set in mid-nineteenth century China follows two young peasants who
are caught up in a patriotic religious movement dedicated to overthrowing the Manchu overlords.
Paterson, Katherine the Master Puppeteer Summary: 18th century Japan, a boy is son of starving puppeteer
Ritchie, Rita The Golden Hawks of Genghis Khan
ill by Lorence F. Bjorklund Dutton 1958.
Summary: Tale of Mongol Supremacy
Savin, Marcia The Moon Bridge
New York: Scholastic 1993 Intermediate
During World War II, Ruthie sees the racism that her friend Mitsuko Fujimoto faces from their
San Francisco neighbors. Then Mitsuko vanishes (Bklst 12/1/92)
Say, Allen Grandfather's Journey
Houghton, Mifflin 1993 (Childrens book)
Award: Caldecott Award 1994
Summary: A Japanese American man recounts his grandfathers journey to America which he also undertakes, and the feelings of being torn between two countries.
Sung, Betty Lee Mountain of Gold New York: MacMillan 1967
Surat, M. M. Angel Child, Dragon Child New York: Scholastic 1983
Tan, Amy The Joy Luck Club New York: Ivy 1989
Awards: ALA Notable Books 1990, ALA Best Book for Young Adults 1990Summary: This book is the story of eight Chinese women. Four are mothers who each had different hardships, that forced them to leave China. Four are the daughters who each face their own struggles in their everyday living. Each chapter is a vignette of each women viewpoint of events. The first main character is the daughter Jing Mei "June" Woo whose mother passed away and is asked to join the Joy Luck Club and play Mah Jong with her adoptive aunts. Her mother started the Joy Luck Club and selected the players from people at church.
Tan, Amy The Kitchen God's Wife
New York: Ivy 1991
Awards: ALA Notable Books 1992; Booklist Editors Choice 1991
Summary: This is the story of Chinese mother daughter relationship. The daughter is struggling
with her marriage, career and multiple sclerosis. The daughter, Pearl had never told her mother
because strained relationships. Her mother, Winnie Louie, a widow has also kept secrets about
her past in China, and finally tells the daughter her story after her Helen, her business associate
or supposed sister-in-law threatens to tell Pearl everything if she didn't. The mother recounts her
life in China, and how she was married to an evil man.
Tan, Amy The Hundred Secret Senses
New York:G.P. Putnams Sons 1995
Summary: Olivia's life changed when her Chinese father dies. When her father dies, he makes
his American wife promise to bring to the United States his daughter, Kwan from a previous
marriage. Kwan comes to live with Libyah and takes over as mother for Kwan while her Olivia
enjoys life with a new husband. From Kwan she learns Chinese and a new way of viewing the
world. She even takes a trip to China with Kwan and her husband.
Tran, Khan-Tuyet The Little Weaver of Thai-Yen Village
Revised Children's Book Pr. 981 Grades 2-9
Summary: Hien, a young Vietnamese girl, loses her family in the war and is brought to U.S.
Where she must struggle to adjust. Fifth World Tale Series
Tsukiyama, Gail The Samurai's Garden
New York: St. Martins 1994
Tsukiyama, Gail Women of the Silk
New York: St. Martin, 1991 9-Adult
Summary: Called the best first novel of 1991. A girl enters the world of the women of silk' in
1926. These women created the much sought after fabric.
Watkins, Yoko Kawashima So Far from the Bamboo Grove
New York: Lothrop 1986
Summary: A Japanese family from Korea struggles to return to their homeland after World
War II.
Yee, Paul Tales from Gold Mountain: Stores of Chinese in New World New York: MacMillan Grade 6-8
Yep, Laurence Child of the Owl
New York: Harper and Row 1977
Summary: Casey, a young girl who has lived on the road with her gambling father has been
forced to move in with her grandmother in Chinatown. Although she is Chinese American, she
knows nothing about her Chinese heritage, and her grandmother begins to teach her the Chinese
culture and way. She begins to try to examine her identity, by examining Chinese culture, her
dead mothers life and her own.
Yep, Laurence Dragonwings New York: Harper Collins, New York 1975
Yep, Laurence Mountain Light
New York: Harper and Row 1985
Summary: Sequel to Serpents Children. Cassia's friend Squeaky deals with problems by
clowning around. Squeaky goes to America, but discovers more problems.
Yep, Laurence The Rainbow People
New York: Harper Collins Grades 6-8
Twenty Six stories from the 1930's. The stories are organized into five Chinese traditional
themes which are Tricksters, Fools, Virtues, and Vices in Chinese America.
Yep, Laurence Serpents Children
New York: Harper and Row 1984
Summary: Rebel family tries to help drive out the English in nineteenth century China. Story of
Cassia, freedom fighter.
Yep, Laurence The Star Fisher
Morrow 1991
Summary: A young girl learns to cope with being part the only Chinese-American family in a
West Virginia town in the 1920's
Yoshikawa, Eiji Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan translated by William Scott Wilson (Adult) New York: Kodansha 1967
P>Uchida, Yoshiko The Happiest Ending New York: Athenum 1985Biography Yoshiko Uchida (1922-1992) was a childrens author and Japanese American. She was born in Berkley, CA and received her degrees there. At her college graduation, she received her degree and then escorted to a concentration camp. She was able to leave in 1943 and taught. She also had an opportunity to visit Japan and discover her roots. She wrote the novel The Happiest Ending and she also wrote a memoir of her experiences in The Invisible Thread: A Memoir. Her book is an example of many internment books that have been written on the experience.
Summary: When twelve year old Rinko learns that a neighbor's daughter is coming from Japan to marry a stranger twice her age, she sets out to change this arrangement and in the process gains new insights into love and adult problems.
Aimor, John and Wright, Peter Manzanar
Photography by Ansel Adams: Time Books 1988
Over 100,000 Japanese were imprisoned between 1942-45. They were interned at concentration
camps because of local bigotry, political ambition, and military incompetence.
Chin, Steven When Justice Failed: Fred Korematsu Austin, TX: Steck Vaughn Co. 1993 Grades 6-8
Huynh Quang Nhuong (SE Asian American) The Land I Lost New York: Harper Collins 1986; Peter Smith 1992 Grades 4-7
Ishikawa, Yoshima (Japanese American) Strawberry Road
Translated by Eve Zimmerman, New York: Kodanska 1991 (Grades 9-up)
A best seller in Japan, this is a chronicle of Ishikawa's life as a teen-aged migrant worker in 1965
and of his struggles to get an education and to make sense of life in America. An amusing and
instructive look at America.
Kikumura, Akemi (Japanese American) Promises Kept: The Life of an Issei Man
Chandler and Sharp 1991
Summary: Biography of the author's father.
Knaefler, Tomi Kaizawa Our House Divided: Seven Japanese American Families in World
War II Honolulu: Univ of Hawaii 1991 (HS to Adult)
Summary: Members of seven families were in Japan, Hawaii and the continental United States
when World War II began.
Lord, Bette Eighth Moon
New York: Harper and Row 1964
Summary: The true story of a young girl's life in Communist China
Mayberry, Jodine Filipinos
New York: Franklin Watts
Introduces Filipino culture and contributions of Filipinos.
Paul, Wesley Marathon Runner
New York: Lippincott 1979 (primary)
Summary: Biography of a nine-year-old Wesley Paul who distinguished himself as a
record-breaking marathon runner.
Stern, Jennifer Filipino Americans New York: Chelsea House Grades 6-8
Sone, Monica (Japanese American) Nisei Daughter
Univ. Of Washington 1979 Grades 9-Adult
Summary: Author describes her own childhood in Seattle along the waterfront, her family's
evacuation and camp experience during World War II and her life thereafter.
Uchida, Yoshiko Desert Exile
Univ of Washington 1982
Summary: Follows the war internment of a Japanese-American family. True story, quick read.
Uchida, Yoshiko (Japanese American) The Invisible Thread: A Memoir
New York: Simon and Schuster 1991 Grades 6-10
Summary: Yoshika Uchida faced with the humiliation of prejudice and interment in a
concentration camp during World War II found an "invisible thread that linked her to her
Japanese heritage" and gave her courage and patience. She became a premier Japanese American
writer for children and youth.
Whelan, Gloria Goodbye Vietnam
Random House 1992
Summary: The seemingly impossible dream of escaping Vietnam for Hong Kong and freedom
challenges a refugee family's courage and perseverance. Jr High-High school
Wong, Jade Snow Fifth Chinese Daughter New York: Harper and Row 1945
Yep, Laurence Michael (Chinese American) 1948- The Lost Garden
Simon and Schuster 1991 Grades 6-12
Summary: Yep focuses on his childhood and youth in this welcome literary autobiography
which deals with growing up American as a Chinese raised in a black, Hispanic and White
neighborhood. Yep offers his personal insights on life and writing. He shares the sources for his
inspiration, including his father's stories of life in China and his own experiences growing up as
a Chinese American.
Ashbranner, Brent & Melissa Into a Strange Land
Dodd Mead 1987
Summary: Simple factual account of 750,000 Cambodian Refugees. Some had been split from
families and were the only survivors.
Auerback, Susan Vietnamese American
Rourke 1991 Level Upper Elem, Middle School
Looks at the life and struggles of one of America's newest immigrants. (SLJ 2/92)
Dowdell, Joseph and Dorothy The Chinese Helped Build America New York: Simon & Schuster Inc. 1972
Graff, Nancy Price Where the River Runs
Little, Brown, 1993 ISBN 0316322873 Upper Elem-Middle
Summary: A photographic essay about a Cambodian immigrant family of the 1990's that tries to
hold on to its ethnic heritage while learning to be American (Booklink July 1993)
Hayslip, Le L Child of War, Woman of Peace
New York: Doubleday & Co 1993
Summary: Subject Vietnamese Conflict 1961-1975, Personal Naratives; this is the second
installment of the author's experience in Vietnam.
Hayslip, Le L. When Heaven and Earth Changed Place: A Vietnamese Woman's Journey from
War to Peace; NAL Dutton, 1993
Summary: The authors memoirs of growing up in Vietnam.
Houston, Jeanne Wakatsuki and Houston, James D. Farewell to Manzanar; Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1973
Meltzer, Milton The Chinese Americans New York: Crowell 1980
Moore, David R. Dark Sky, Dark Land: Stories of the Hmong Boy Scouts of Troop 100 Eden Prairie MN Tessera 1989
O'Brien, David J. And Fugita, Steven S. The Japanese American Experience Bloomington, IN: Indiana University 1991
Rutledge, Paul J. The Vietnamese Experience in America
Indiana Univ. 1992 (Adult) (305.8)
Summary:Based on first hand interviews, this concise interpretation of Vietnamese experience in
America begins with the fall of Saigon in 1975, and details flight asylum in U.S.
Shimer, Rice Bowl Women
Stanley, Jerry I am an American: A True Story of Japanese Internment
New York: Crown 1994
Summary: Story of Japanese internment. It contains pictures taken by the federal government
including some by Ansel Adams. The book also follows the experience of Shi Nomura.
Sung, Betty Lee An Album of Chinese Americans New York: Franklin Watts 1977 (Primary Level)x
Yep, Laurence American Dragons: Twenty-Five Asian American Voices
Movies
The Karate Kid Director: John G. Avildsen
Release: 1984 Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corp.; Delphi II Productions
Country: USA Running time: 127 min.
Synopsis: Daniel and his mother move from New Jersey to California. Daniel encounters
problems at school where he is constantly taunted by a gang. Then Mr. Miyagi the maintenance
man teaches Daniel the art of Karate so that he can seek his revenge on the gang in the Valley
Karate Championship.
The Karate Kid II Director: John G. Avildsen Release: 1986
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corp.; Delphi II Productions
Country: USA Running time: 127 min.
Synopsis: Daniel and Miyagi go to Okinawa because Miyagi's father is dying. Daniel learns
Miyagi's past and how he has to face Sato whom Miyagi dishonored. Daniel meets a beautiful
girl in Okinawa who show him about the life in Okinawa and even the tea ceremony
Shogun Director: Jerry London Release: 1980
Production: Paramount Pictures, Toho, Asahi National Broadcasting, Jardine Matheson
Company Country: USA, Japan
Synopsis: An Elizabethan sailor is shipwrecked in Japan. He becomes the protege of a
middle-aged warlord and joins the samurai warriors. Based on James Clavell novel.
The Last Emperor Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Release: 1987 / Production Co.: Yanco Films, Tao Film Country: People's Republic of China, Italy/ Running time: 163 film lengthSynopsis: The Story of Pu Yi, the last Chinese Emperor from his childhood when he ascend the throne at the age of three until his death in 1967.
The Killing Fields; Director: Roland Joffe Release Year: 1984
Production: Goldcret Films and TV, Enigma film and TV
Country: Great Britain - Running time: 142 min.
Synopsis: Based on the article The Death and Life of Dith Pran' by Sydney Schanberg. In 1973,
reporter Schambert arrives in Cambodia. He is assisted by Dith Pran., a native and they become
friends. After the fall of Phnom Penh, Dith Pran is imprisoned by the Khmer Rouge, along with
Schanberg and other journalists who are released by his intervention.
Cast: Sam Waterston - ; Hain S. Ngor ; John Malkovich
Dragon, The Bruce Lee Story
Director: Rob Cohen Release: 1993; Running Time 121 min Production: Universal Pictures, Old Code Productions Cast: Jason Scott-Lee; Lauren Holly; Robert Wagner Michael Learned; Nancy Kwan; Kay Tong LimFlower Drum Song Director: Henry Koster Producer: Ross Hunter Release: 1961 / Running Time: 133 Film / Country: USA Production: Universal- Int'l and Ross Hunter
Synopsis: Romantic musical set in San Francisco's Chinatown. From the muscial Rodgers and
Hammerstein. Based on original novel by C.Y. Lee
Cast: Nancy Kwan - Linda Low; James Shigeta- Wang Ta;
Miyoshi Umeki - Mei Li; Jack Soo- Sammy Fong
Brenda Hoffman holds a Master of Education degree with a major in
Seconday Education. She is a school library media specialist.
Project for LSEM 626 Online Information Systems.
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