Namioka, Lensey. 1995. Yang the third and her impossible family. Ill. by Kees de Kiefte. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0316597260

PLOT SUMMARY

In this sequel to Namioka’s Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear, the focus of the story shifts from “Fourth Brother” to “Third Sister”, Yingmei. Yingmei is trying hard to find her place in America after her family’s move from China. Although Yingmei is not shy, she is finding it difficult to find a best friend at school, and, has begun going by the name “Mary” to the other students. After seeing the resemblance between Holly Hanson and the princess on her candy box, Yingmei decides that Holly will be her new friend. It seems no matter how hard she tries to be friends with Holly, Yingmei’s family continues to embarrass her by their lack of knowledge about Americans and their customs and traditions. When Holly is worried about finding a home for a kitten, Yingmei volunteers to take her home without her parents’ knowledge. Yingmei continues to use the kitten as a conversation-opener with Holly, and finds herself accepted in the group, even though she is not sure she likes Kim, Holly’s best friend since kindergarten. With Kim’s help, Yingmei begins to see Holly, not as a princess, but as a spoiled child that she is not certain she wants to be associated with. Through her discovery of herself and her place in her new home, Yingmei rediscovers her respect for her family and her culture and receives a new respect for herself as well. The occasional pen and ink illustrations by de Kiefte highlight the personality of the characters, from Older Sister who is defiantly proud of her Chinese heritage, to Fourth Brother who enjoys being called “Sprout” by his American friends. Readers will find clues to a rich cultural heritage as they laugh along with the exploits of Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

“Since coming to this country, we have tried our best to do everything properly, but when Mother heard that preparing a Thanksgiving dinner involved roasting a turkey, she was horrified” (Namioka, 1995). Although most of the Yang family tried their best to fit in their new home, the cultures and traditions of the much younger United States make fitting in seem almost impossible. Throughout this story, Namioka relates Chinese traditions in a way that will inform readers without overwhelming them.

The form of address that Namioka uses throughout the book to refer to the siblings in the Yang family brings to mind a more traditional form of address than is typically seen in Chinese American families. From Oldest Brother and Second Sister to Fourth Brother and Third Sister, the children never use the names that they were given and are only called by their names by their new American neighbors.

When Yingmei shows embarrassment at her father’s speech patterns—“Where we live, the lice glows near the liver” rather than the rice grows near the river, Namioka is giving rise to the same stereotypes that have kept Asian Pacific Americans feeling foreign in the United States. Yingmei shows embarrassment at her family throughout the story, all for exhibiting a stereotypical behavior. Oldest Brother is more interested in music and school than in playing sports, making him a “nerd” to the American boys. Second Sister prefers to dress in her “Chinese clothes” including cloth shoes with a hole in them. Only Yingmei and Youngest Brother seem to escape these stereotypes by Americanizing themselves, occasionally by giving up pieces of their heritage.

The occasional illustrations by de Kiefte show the Yang family with varying hairstyles rather than typical ones, and physical characteristics such as face shape and body type are different between the members of the family. Other characters are also shown as individuals, although without added detail that would make identification of characters easier for readers.

Although Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family does not show the wit and humor that is evident in Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear, Namioka continues her story of the Yang family in a way that will endear them all to readers and make them look forward to the next installment of the Yang family.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

School Library Journal. Yingmei (a.k.a. Mary) Yang, the third of four children, tries to communicate the dichotomous feelings of a young Chinese girl, newly immigrated to the U.S., who is working hard to fit in, but whose efforts seem to be held back by the mannerisms and traditions of her family, the musical Yangs. Torn by her feelings of both pride and embarrassment for them, and yearning to win the friendship of a popular blonde schoolmate, Mary agrees to take one of Holly’s cat’s kittens, although she knows her family does not want pets because they fear animals would damage their expensive instruments.

Booklist. In Namioka’s popular comedy about a newly arrived Chinese family in Seattle, Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear (1992), the focus is on the immigrant son who prefers baseball to playing the violin with his musical family. Now the point of view switches to that of his sister Yingmei (Mary), who is desperately trying to be an American. Unfortunately, her family keeps disgracing her in public. Even while Mary is studying table manners and learning phrases and trying to make it with the in-crowd, her mother thinks it’s polite to compliment a guest on being old and fat, her father mispronounces words, and her sister dresses Chinese.

CONNECTIONS

A recurring theme in multicultural literature about Asian Pacific Americans is the adjustment to a bicultural way of life—respecting your history without compromising your present. This story can be used to discuss ways that students can be more accepting of other cultures as well as using multiculturalism to explore other ways of life.   

Look for these other stories about Chinese Americans:

Wong, Janet. Apple pie 4^th of July. ISBN 9780152025434

Wong, Janet. This next New Year. ISBN 9780374355036

Lin, Grace. Bringing in the New Year.  ISBN 0375837450

Lin, grace. Fortune cookie fortunes. ISBN 0440421926

Namioka, Lensey. Half and half. ISBN 0440418909

Bruchac, Joseph. 2002. Seasons of the circle: a Native American year. Ill. by Robert F. Goetzl. New York: BridgeWater Books. ISBN 0816774676

PLOT SUMMARY

Joseph Bruchac shares with readers time-honored traditions of several Native American tribes, beginning in January, when “Maliseet hunters follow the tracks of the moose through crusted snow” and ending in December, when “a Lakota elder tells stories of when earth was young.” In an author’s note at the beginning of the book, Bruchac details the importance of the circle, the seasons, and the traditions that the included tribes follow each year. Also included is a pronunciation guide and more detailed explanations of the customs and their importance to the tribes. Readers will also find a map of the United States with locations of the various tribes labeled. The extraordinary paintings that illustrate the text provide a more intimate look at the customs and traditions that pervade the culture of Native Americans. Each two-page spread shows both traditional and modern peoples celebrating the seasons of the year, the phases of the moon, and the way of life that has kept them strong throughout history.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

Throughout Seasons of the Circle, Bruchac uses a lyrical, almost poetic tone to inform readers of various traditions and cultures celebrated by North American Native American tribes. Each month is detailed with a different tribe paying tribute to Mother Earth and the traditions and cultures that make them each a community. Although Native American dialect is not used in relating the traditions, the author did provide additions to the book, one of which is a meaning and pronunciation of tribal names. In this guide, Bruchac gives more information about each season as well as the tribal customs that are used to celebrate and honor the specific time of year. Another informative addition is the list of Moon Names by month for the Mohawks, Lakotas and Suquamish tribes. The names given by each tribe more effectively describe the time of year and the happenings during that time.

The illustrations by Goetzl complement the expressive text and honor each tribe and their customs with respect. The earth tones used in each two-page spread remind readers that Mother Earth plays a very important role in the lives of all Native Americans. Although readers will see similarities in facial features between the tribes, Goetzl portrays the Native Americans with varying body types and facial features. The skin tones of the characters, although typically darker, cover a variety of shades, providing added individuality for the illustrations. Additionally, the hairstyles of the characters are not identical. Although some Native American men are seen with feathers in their hair, most are shown with hoods, hats, or short hair as one would expect to see today. The women are also portrayed with different body types and hairstyles, some with no adornments, others with braids, and still others with ponytails or pigtails.

Characters of many ages are shown, from young babies being held by mothers to aged men and women sharing their years of experiences with younger tribal members. Additionally, the clothing styles and settings of the illustrations portray both traditional and modern representations of the tribes. Although the general environment of the illustrations leans toward the rural, many of the settings also show buildings and other urban sights, illustrating without words that although there is a history of celebrating seasons, the traditions do not prevent the Native Americans from contributing to society today while still staying true to their culture and heritage.

Together, the text and illustrations meld to provide readers with a respectful and informative look at several Native American tribes and their people. This book is a wonderful addition to libraries and will provide readers with a brief overview of a calendar year and the seasons that mark the circle of time.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Booklist. From Maliseet hunters following moose tracks in the snow in January to a Lakota elder’s winter tales during a cold December evening, this lyrical tribute to American tribal nations cuts across the seasons. Pictures of Lenape women gathering sap from trees in April, Apache celebrating a girl’s journey into womanhood in July, and Menominee harvesting rice as they paddle through the cool September water sweep across double-page spreads to make this book both pleasing to look at and informative.

Kirkus Reviews. The prolific chronicler of Indian culture for children tries to distill a complicated set of cultural signals into the great circle of the seasons. In doing so, this package falls victim to its own reductionism and in the end serves up little more value than as an introduction to young children of the different tribes and key moments in their years.

CONNECTIONS

Readers can compare the year of Native Americans with customs and traditions celebrated during their own calendar year. This could also be used in a unit or discussion of calendars around the world.

Look for these other Native American books by Joseph Bruchac:

Bruchac, Joseph. Code talker: a novel about the Navajo marines of World War II. ISBN 9780142405963

Bruchac, Joseph. Skeleton man. ISBN 9780064408882

Bruchac, Joseph. Sacajawea: the story of Bird Woman and the Lewis and Clark expedition. ISBN 9780439280686

Bruchac, Joseph. First strawberries: a Cherokee story. ISBN 9780140564099

Bruchac, Joseph. Between Earth & sky: legends of Native American sacred places. ISBN 9780152020620