Synopses & Reviews
A humorous and heartwarming debut about split cultural identities, and all the ways life fails to go according to plan for sixth-grader Lucy Wu.
Lucy Wu, aspiring basketball star and interior designer, is on the verge of having the best year of her life. She's ready to rule the school as a sixth grader, go out for captain of the school basketball team, and take over the bedroom she has always shared with her sister. In an instant, though, her plans are shattered when she finds out that Yi Po, her beloved grandmother's sister, is coming to visit for several months -- and is staying in Lucy's room.
Lucy's vision of a perfect year begins to crumble, and in its place come an unwelcome roommate, foiled birthday plans, a bully who tries to scare Lucy off the basketball team, and Chinese school with the annoying know-it-all Talent Chang. Lucy's year is ruined -- or is it?
A wonderfully funny, warm, and heartfelt tale about the ways life often reveals silver linings in the most unexpected of clouds.
Review
Praise for THE GREAT WALL OF LUCY WU
Winner of the 2011-2012 Asian/Pacific American Library Association Award for Children's Literature
"A delightful story about assimilation and family dynamics . . . sure to appeal to young readers struggling with issues of self-identity, whatever their heritage." --LOS ANGELES TIMES
"[T]hought-provoking, funny, and incredibly heartwarming." --BOOKLIST
"In this humorous and heartfelt novel, debut author Wendy Wan-Long Shang has crafted a poignant and engaging story about learning who you are, and what matters, in the most unexpected ways." -- ASIAN AMERICAN PRESS
"[A] realistic and amusing portrait of family dynamics, heritage, and the challenge of feeling like an outsider." --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"[G]enuinely touching." --KIRKUS REVIEWS
"A unique look at the power of family." --DISCOVERY GIRLS MAGAZINE
Synopsis
Lucy Wu, aspiring basketball star and interior designer, is on the verge of having the best year of her life. She's ready to rule the school as a sixth grader, go out for captain of the school basketball team, and take over the bedroom she has always shared with her sister. In an instant, though, her plans are shattered when she finds out that Yi Po, her beloved grandmother's sister, is coming to visit for several months -- and is staying in Lucy's room.
Lucy's vision of a perfect year begins to crumble, and in its place come an unwelcome roommate, foiled birthday plans, a bully who tries to scare Lucy off the basketball team, and Chinese school with the annoying know-it-all Talent Chang. Lucy's year is ruined -- or is it?
A wonderfully funny, warm, and heartfelt tale about the ways life often reveals silver linings in the most unexpected of clouds.
About the Author
Wendy Wan-Long Shang is the extremely grateful recipient of a Work-in-Progress Grant from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. THE GREAT WALL OF LUCY WU is her first book. She lives with her family in suburban Washington, DC.