An American Face [Paperback]

Jan Czech (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Jessie, adopted from Korea, eagerly waits for the day he will get his American citizenship and, he thinks, an American face. The big day brings more surprises than Jessie expects.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-An endearing story of an adopted Korean boy becoming a U.S. citizen. Jessie believes that he will get an "American face" when he becomes a citizen and eagerly awaits the big day, constantly telling his cat that soon he will look like everyone else in his world. When the big moment occurs, Jessie does not get a new face, but he does get a nice surprise, which helps him reach an understanding and acceptance of his uniqueness. The text and accompanying illustrations on each double page are framed by wide colorful borders that link objects to where Jessie is at the time: a grocery-store page has food floating around its borders; the school page, crayons, paints, and books; and when he goes to a baseball game, hot dogs, etc. When Jessie becomes a citizen, all of these objects combine for a special All-American border. A compassionate book, with obvious usefulness.
Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The naive premise of this noteworthy book begins with Korean-born Jessie's belief that when he attains American citizenship, he will actually receive a new face--an American face. Having been adopted by American parents, the five-year-old thinks he can't be American without looking like his idea of one. With eager anticipation, he counts the days until his transformation. When he sees other people who look different, like the man with a turban around his head, he assumes they are waiting for their citizenship day and their new faces, too. The soft, realistic illustrations surrounded by a border support the little boy's sometimes outrageous musings--the judge standing before shelves full of an array of American faces to pick from, or the woman, who resembles his dentist, preparing to replace his face. This selection, good for larger collections, will be useful for children sorting out the ramifications of changing their citizenship or for others trying to understand an immigrant child's difficult adjustment to a new life. Shelley Townsend-Hudson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Child & Family Press (February 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878687181
• ISBN-13: 978-0878687183
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,389,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even Kermit the Frog knew "it's not easy being green.", June 20, 2000

By 

sixoldcats "kids, cats & computers" (Greensboro, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An American Face (Paperback)

My adopted Caucasian son, raised in a family where he was a minority among 8 Asian-born adoptees, believed for a long time that if he ate enough "pop" (rice), he would "be Chinese" when he grew up. His faith was unshakable. Being different from his siblings in his family was difficult for him. He turned 21 last week, and despite having eaten rice every day, his "American Face" hasn't changed. Jesse, the 5-year-old hero in Jan Czech's story struggles with being different from his family and peers. For Jesse, it's not rice, but becoming an American citizen that might change everything for him. It doesn't, of course. It's important for adults to be able to remember back to the days when the most important thing in life was SAMENESS above all else. Individuality came later. Jan Czech's poignant book reminds us all of that. While the unconditional acceptance and love of adoptive parents may make us temporarily color blind, this simple story book is a good reminder that the rest of the world is not thus blinded. It's a good lesson for us all.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Language Disagreement, January 25, 2001

By 

CarlyJ (Mass.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An American Face (Paperback)

I read the review that thought that the language of Jan Czech's book was inappropriate. Then I read the other reviews that said that Jan Czech's book was helpful. After reading "An American Face" I have learned the perspective that Ms. Czech was coming from. I don't think that Jan Czech's intentions were to promote children to tease others who are different. But the words of "slanted eyes" and "flat nose" are not inappropriate words. They are descriptions, if you were to look in the mirror how would you describe your face? It's not hard right? Now take those descriptions and try to make them politically correct so that no teasing by children can be made. It's hard, isn't it? Jan Czech is trying to show children, of different races, that no two people look alike.(NOT EVEN TWINS! there is always something different.) Through this book, Jan is showing adults and children that the people of America don't ALL have "AMERICAN FACES", no one does. Can you tell me EXACTLY what an "AMERICAN FACE" looks like? No. It's not possible, there is no one description. You can't say white, black, or tan with big, small, or medium eyes, with a big, small or medium nose, with small, medium or large lips, with small ears or large ears, with blonde, blue, green, brown, black red, or purple hair, with white or yellow teeth, with straight or crooked teeth. Jan is trying to show that through this book. Jan Czech is describing the character in the story the best way she knows how. So how can that be inappropriate, if no one in America can honestly say what a TRUE "AMERICAN FACE" looks like?! Children get teased when they are young. No one can protect them from that. Not even their parents. Jan's book is trying to show people that just because they are "different" doesn't mean that they are not apart of America.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In Response to "So What Now?", November 10, 2005

By 

C. Lee (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Face (Hardcover)

"So What Now?" - Well, now - you have identified the problems that children 'who are different' face. This book may not illustrate Jessie's way to handle these problems, but unfortunately there is no ONE correct way to handle any of the conflicts Jessie faces. As an adopted Korean, I KNOW that each one of those situations are hard to deal with when you are "different". But, NOW is when you show your children that "Yes, this could happen" BUT "remember that you ARE NOT any different from other children in Nationality - YOU ARE AMERICAN." For Parents - REMEMBER: America has never been one ethnicity or another. We are built on DIVERSITY. We must NEVER let children believe that they are inferior. Being conformed to a particular way of life, is NO life to live UNLESS we have something DIFFERENT to SHARE with others. "Similarities in interests CREATES friendships, Differences in Culture holds them together."
Jessie's struggle is hard to deal with as a child and a parent but his struggle is a reality. There is no one way to tell a child how to handle any of those conflicts. The ONLY thing a parent of an adopted child can do - IS SUPPORT YOUR CHILD, BE THERE FOR HIM/HER, AND REASSURE HIM/HER THAT BEING DIFFERENT IS GOOD.