Thief of Hearts
By Laurence Yep
Published by HarperCollins Publishers
“Any kid caught between cultures will relate to Stacy’s search for home.” —Hazel Rochman, Booklist
Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N
Description
Stacy Palmer almost never thinks about being Chinese American, As far as she’s concerned, she’s just like everyone else.
Then Hong Ch’un comes to Stacy’s school from China. Stacy and Hong Ch’un don’t exactly get along, but when Hong Ch’un is accused of stealing and runs away, Stacy vows she must try to find her.
With her family’s help, Stacy searches the tiny back streets of San Francisco’s Chinatown. There, she gets a glimpse of what it was like for her Chinese mother, growing up in a different culture. And for the first time in her life she realizes her true heritage-and finally understands what it means to be Chinese American.
Reviews & Accolades
“Yep’s sequel to his superb Child of the Owl touches lightly, and with gentle humor, on issues of identity, communication among generations, racial stereotyping, and cross-cultural understanding…[a] warm depiction of a mixed-race child in a changing world, combined with a page-turning mystery, should guarantee a wide audience.” —Margaret A. Chang, School Library Journal
“…[Stacy's] comments are eloquent, much more interesting than the plot, with its slight detective story and sudden awakenings. Any kid caught between cultures will relate to Stacy’s search for home.“ —Hazel Rochman, Booklist
“A strong portrait of a child finding her present in the past.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“…this novel demonstrates Yep’s ability to weave cultural history, mythology, family relations, and an entertaining plot together into one well-crafted story.” —Children’s Literature
Groups Represented
Chinese
Chinese-American
Themes
Cultural identity, immigration, memories, cross-cultural understanding
Setting
San Francisco, CA
Author Research
TBA
Engagement Projects
Leave a comment and let us know how you use this title!
