Way Home Looks Now

From the award-winning author of THE GREAT WALL OF LUCY WU comes a beautifully written and poignant story of family and loss, healing and friendship, and the great American pastime, baseball.

Twelve-year-old Peter Lee and his family are baseball lovers, who bond over back lot games and talk of the Pittsburgh Pirates. But when tragedy strikes, the family flies apart and baseball no longer seems to matter. Is that true? Peter wonders if just maybe the game they love can pull them together and bring them back, safe at home.

Praise for The Way Home Looks Now :

* "This is a fine story of family, loss, growing up and learning to play baseball, raised to a higher level by gracefully incorporated themes of feminism and kindness." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Shang (The Great Wall of Lucy Wu) skillfully balances the different aspects of Peter’s life, robustly characterizing his friendships and his time at school and home. Issues of sexism, racism, and struggles with depression are handled deftly in scenarios grounded in reality, including an ending that’s hopeful without being pat." -- Publishers Weekly, starred 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

"Thought-provoking, funny, and incredibly heartwarming." -- Booklist

"A realistic and amusing portrait of family dynamics, heritage, and the challenge of feeling like an outsider." -- Publishers Weekly

"Genuinely touching." -- Kirkus Reviews

"A unique look at the power of family." -- Discovery Girls Magazine

Twelve-year-old Chinese American Peter Lee and his family always shared a passion for baseball, bonding over backlot games and the Pittsburgh Pirates. But when a devastating tragedy strikes, the family flies apart and Peter's mom becomes paralyzed by grief, drifting further and further from her family.
Hoping to lift his mother's spirits, Peter decides to try out for Little League. But his plans become suddenly complicated when his strict and serious father volunteers to coach the team. His dad's unconventional teaching methods rub some of Peter's teammates the wrong way, and Peter starts to wonder if playing baseball again was the right idea -- and if it can even help his family feel less broken. Can the game they all love eventually bring them back together, safe at home?
Acclaimed author Wendy Wan-Long Shang brings her signature warmth, gentle humor, and wisdom to this poignant story of healing and loss, family, and the great American pastime, baseball.

Wendy Wan-Long Shang is the author of THE GREAT WALL OF LUCY WU, which was awarded the Asian/Pacific American Library Association Award for Children's Literature. She lives with her family in the suburbs of Washington, DC.