Orange Peel's Pocket
PreSchool-Grade 3—Following a classroom discussion about China, a Chinese-American adopted child, nicknamed Orange Peel by her parents, realizes that she knows little of her birthplace. After school, she and her mother set off in their neighborhood to discover her heritage. She visits the tailor, an antique store, a florist, a noodle shop, and an ice-cream place, all with Chinese proprietors. Each one gives her a tiny history lesson and, as she leaves, secretly drops a memento into the pocket of her dress. The next day she is ready to use her trinkets to tell her class about her homeland. Lewis again handles the subject of an adopted Chinese girl with tenderness, providing both a simple history lesson and a way for adoptive parents to discuss the search for their child's background. The story is equally accessible to preschool listeners and early readers; young audiences will enjoy guessing what each adult slips into the pocket. Zong's slightly abstract people, painted with realistic, warm-hued acrylics, depict a sunny cheerfulness that matches the tone of the story.—Angela J. Reynolds, Annapolis Valley Regional Library, Bridgetown, NS, Canada(c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.