April and the Dragon Lady [Paperback]

Lensey Namioka (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 13, 1994

April Chen is happily planning to go away to college, and she has a great new boyfriend, Steve. But April, the only girl in the family, must take care of Grandma, and Grandma--the Dragon Lady--hates Steve and has other plans for April. Caught between two cultures, the teenager finally realizes she must find a way to define herself on her own terms. “Sparked by Namioka’s own experiences as an Asian American, April’s first-person narrative rings true with uncertainty, joy, and hope.”--School Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

April Chen, a 16-year-old Chinese American, has a problem: her grandmother. A "dragon lady" of the old school, Grandma belongs to an entirely different world, both culturally and generationally, and her ideas about a woman's place clash with April's more Westernized views. She openly disapproves of April's Caucasian boyfriend and attempts to undermine her plans to go away to college--as a sure token of the author's skill, Grandma comes across as both manipulative and sympathetic; the reader will share April's affection and even her respect for the cunning old woman. Namioka ( Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear ), an altogether accomplished novelist, deftly weaves narrator April's compelling account of her quest for her own path with a well-developed subplot involving the girl's widowed father and his own struggle for independence. Her characterizations are particularly strong: the Chen family members, and especially the feisty, likable April, are thoroughly believable, and her sensitive handling of April's dilemma and eventual solution sheds light on the Chinese American culture in a manner that at times recalls Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club . Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-9-Not Chinese enough for her strict grandmother, April, 16, is trying to forge an identity for herself in contemporary American society. A "Dragon Lady" with traditional beliefs, the elderly woman is shocked at her granddaughter's modern values and horrified by her Caucasian boyfriend. Also, an interest in geology has led April to apply to a distant mining college, an educational goal unheard of in traditional Chinese society. Caught in a clash of cultures, April isn't sure which world she belongs in, and fears her future has been jeopardized by the interference of ancient values. The dilemma of wanting to be respectful of family while pursuing independence is a universal one. From April's self-absorbed older brother to the unbudging (yet not humorless) Grandma, Namioka's strong-willed characters are realistic-all have faults, fears, and dreams. Supporting cast, likewise, adds much to the plot and resolution. Chinese customs add authentic elements to the theme. April's decisions exemplify her desire to succeed and to be accepted by both cultures; compromise may be essential, but her goals are clear. Sparked by Namioka's own experiences as an Asian-American, April's first-person narrative rings true with uncertainty, joy, and hope.
Sharon Korbeck, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Graphia (May 13, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152008861
• ISBN-13: 978-0152008864
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,794,047 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars East meets the West, March 29, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: April and the Dragon Lady (Hardcover)

This story is about a girl whose life is dominated by her grandmother. April,(the girl) is born in America whereas her grandmother was brought up in the East(China). In Chinese culture,the boys are more valuable than the girls. Poor April has to take care of her grandmother. One day,she met a Caucasian boy named Steve. From that day onwards,they became friends. Steve taught her equality and also told her that it's not only her responsibilty to take care of her grandmother. It's also her brother's job.April's grandmother doesn't like her children to marry a Caucasian. April's brother,Harry always give excuses to avoid taking care of Grandmother.

April is forced to cancel a lot of music practise and other things. The whole family has to find a solution. I really pity April. I can't take that big responsibility of taking care of my grandmother. Many other things happen in this story. I find out a lot of hardships April goes through. I really love this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, November 3, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: April and the Dragon Lady (Paperback)

April is Chinese-American. She lives with her father, brother, and grandmother in Seattle, Washington. When the story begins, April is a junior in high school. She plays in her school's orchestra and belongs to the geology club. April loves rocks. She wants to go to school in Colorado to study geology, but there is a big problem - GRANDMA.

Grandma came to live with them when April was small. April's mother was so distraught that she went to work at the local library, until she died two years ago from lung cancer.

In Chinese-American families, the most important family members are the boys. The girls don't count for much. April, growing up in America, is having trouble being submissive, especially to her spoiled, doted-on brother.

When Grandma is diagnosed with diabetes and begins showing signs of senility, it is expected that April take care of her. April is torn between being the good Chinese daughter and pursuing her dreams of going to college and becoming a geologist. Her brother is so self-centered that April has to give up being in the orchestra and belonging to her rock club. Will she have to give up all of her dreams?

I enjoyed reading APRIL AND THE DRAGON LADY and did so in about a week while reading three other books. April is a good character and her fight is interesting. The characters learned a lot during the length of the story about family, love, culture, independence, and giving to others. I highly recommend reading this book.

Reviewed by: Marta Morrison

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars April's Fight for Freedom by J. Rich, March 26, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: April and the Dragon Lady (Paperback)

In April and the Dragon Lady, April Chen faces difficulties trying to break free of her grandmother's control over her life and the customs of the Ancient Chinese.
One of the challenges placed in her path by her controlling grandmother is the right to date Steve, April's Caucasian boyfriend. This is not allowed because of a custom that states that a Chinese woman must marry a Chinese man. Another challenge placed in her path is her grandmother's stubbornness to the old expression "my way or the highway". April faces the challenge of trying to break free of the Chinese customs but still taking care of her grandmother since her older brother Harry won't do anything, her father doesn't pay attention, and her mother is dead. In this book, April also discovers some new things about her grandmother that relate to the way she was brought up. One is that her grandmother is a racist and the other is that she is a sexist. She is racist against anyone not Chinese and she is sexist against women. Throughout the book, April begins to realize that she is neither American nor Chinese si she must stretch herself to cover both areas of her life and to get her grandmother to realize that the world is changing and no one lives by the old ways anymore, she must look deep inside herself and discover who is truly is.
At the end of the book, April has discovered her true self and she receives a token from her grandmother (the Dragon lady) that shows her that she too can change.