Good Luck Gold and Other Poems [Paperback]

Janet S. Wong (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

These poems reflect the author's sense of deep family ties and the bittersweet experiences of growing up as a Chinese American.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6?Most of the 42 poems in this collection give readers insight into the experiences of Chinese-American children. Starting with the "Good Luck Gold" of charms on a bracelet, they explore feelings about food, language, shopping, the importance of grandparents, and holidays. A number of the selections reflect on serious themes such as racism, the death of loved ones, divorce, and illness, all of which represent universal experiences. A variety of poetic forms are used, including rhymed poetry and free verse, a vivid haiku about a family eating with chopsticks, a dialogue between a Korean-American and another child about being American, and a question-and-answer poem in which a grandmother talks about why she wears jade. Children who live in cities with Chinese-American populations will recognize some of the images described?the ducks hanging in grocery-store windows, dim sum stands, parades with firecrackers and dragons. For others, these pieces provide an introduction to the sights and sounds of Chinese-American neighborhoods.?Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming, Laramie
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Fresh, honest, and not at all reverential, these poems are simple dramatic monologues about growing up Asian American. The lines are short and very easy to read; the voices are strongly personal. The ethnicity is strongly individualized, but whether the subject is food, family, or immigration, Wong moves beyond stereotype. This Asian isn't quiet and good at math ("Me. I like to shout"). The pain of being an outsider and the sting of bigotry are both individual and universal ("Ching chong Chinaman / Those kids over there / are laughing at me"). In a scene in a railroad caf{‚}e, where no one will serve a Chinese child and her father, she pulls him by the hand to get out of there. "We're not equal. We're better," she says. Hazel Rochman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (October 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416964525
• ISBN-13: 978-1416964520
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,425,513 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Janet S. Wong (www.janetwong.com) is an award-winning author of 23 books for young readers and teens. One of the most distinctive things about her body of work is its variety: from picture books about family (THE TRIP BACK HOME, BUZZ) to poetry books about yoga and driving (TWIST and BEHIND THE WHEEL) to chapter books about friendship (ME AND ROLLY MALOO, MINN AND JAKE) to a "Meet the Author" book about writing (BEFORE IT WRIGGLES AWAY). Her fans span the entire age range, from toddler to adult.

Janet Wong's latest projects are eBooks designed specifically for the Kindle. Janet is particularly excited about eBooks because of their affordability and also because they make poetry easy to find. "Poetry is buried in the 811 section of the library," Janet says, "where you're not likely to stumble on it. But you can type 'poetry' into your Kindle and dozens of titles (with free samples, even) will magically appear." Her first eBook is ONCE UPON A TIGER: New Beginnings for Endangered Animals, which features illustrated poems and nonfiction notes about familiar animals such as the tiger and also unusual creatures such as the axolotl. Her second eBook is a group effort, a forthcoming anthology called POETRY TAG TIME (to be available in April 2011) which she compiled with children's literature professor Sylvia Vardell. It features a connected chain of 30 poems by 30 of the best poets in the world.

When Janet Wong is not writing, speaking at teacher conferences, or sharing writing tips with children in schools, she spends most of her time trying to grow blueberries at her home in Princeton, NJ.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Multicultural insights, December 2, 2001

By 

Lori Divine (Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Good Luck Gold and Other Poems (Hardcover)

This book of poems, with their multi-cultural insight, was a wonderful read. Janet Wong showed me through her poetry, of what life was like growing up Chinese-Korean in an American society. I never had a chance to see what life was like for that section of society. I have known Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Brazilians, African-Americans, and Indians, but each culture is different. I enjoy seeing the differences and appreciating the insights of different people.
Most of the poems are short, yet so much is conveyed in those few lines. Poems like, A Belated Birthday, shows a depth of sadness, as only three lines are used. Other poems are fun and show a sense of humor; Speak Up is one such poem. It is written in a conversation format and made me want to read it with another person.
I am not one to normally read poetry, but this book is one I will read again.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars funny and serious and lots in between, August 17, 2000

By 

monnie p (naples, florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Good Luck Gold and Other Poems (Hardcover)

A lot of books of poems are full of just funny poems, or only serious poems, but this book has a great mix of both! I can find poems for all my feelings here!