by Janet S. Wong
Illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
Genre: Fiction
Summary: A young, feisty Chinese-American girl tries to teacher her parents a lesson about "Americans". While all the store close on the forth of July, her parents are working at the restaurant cooking food for customers. As the parade passes and people are celebrating, the business is slow. She is convinced that Americans do not want to eat Chinese food on such a holiday. At the end of the story she finds that the restaurant is busy with customers until the store closes where she watches fireworks and participates in the celebration.
Notes: There is a strong theme in this story that emphasizes inclusion. The US is a diverse country and Janet Wong expresses how everyone is a part of being American. That you can celebrate the 4th of July and still eat Chinese food. I like the character in this book and the poetry is witty. However, I do not agree with her analysis of the 4th of July and being Chinese American in the US. The 4th of July is very symbolic of freedom in our country but yet the very foundations of this country was never built on such for all peoples. This is a false lie that needs to be let known. All people cannot take part in the privileges of being an American. We need to find literature (especially written from an Asian-American perspectives) for young children that can critically analyze the effects of White Supremacy and it's effects on the Asian community. We also need to find a strong voice that is forward thinking towards dismantling the systems that limits us and isolates us from other disenfranchised groups.
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