An Mei's Strange and Wondrous Journey [Hardcover]

Stephan Molnar-Fenton (Author), illustrator Vivienne Flesher (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

"I was born on a train as it passed through a long, dark tunnel." So begins An Mei's journey, one that takes her from the steps of an orphanage in Wuhan, China, "across and ocean so wide I thought it would never end, " to the very different world of New England.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set against the backdrop of Flesher's (Lullaby Raft) dreamy pastels this touching picture book was inspired by Molnar-Fenton's own experience adopting a baby girl from China. An Mei, who was left by her mother "on the stone steps of the Wuhan orphanage" finds her way to a loving family in America. In prose filled with lovely images ("Ice drew pictures on the windowpanes, and snow wrapped a blanket around the branches of the bamboo tree"), Molnar-Fenton's inaugural children's book relates the story from the baby's point of view, thus tapping into readers' empathy and effectively communicating An Mei's fear and excitement. The story's delicate, tranquil mood is sustained by Flesher's graceful artwork, whose fluid lines and warm, feather-soft shadings plumb the story's emotional depths. Whether depicting An Mei cradled in her Chinese mother's arms, staying her first night in her new home or planting twin bamboo trees on her sixth birthday, the pastels?and the tale they reflect?clearly come from the heart. A strange and wondrous journey indeed. Ages 4-7. (Mar.) FYI: An afterword explains a bit about adoption in general and the process in China in particular.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2?Speaking in the first person, a six-year-old Chinese-born girl tells the story of her adoption by European-American parents. She recalls her birth and her mother's last loving gesture, painting a red dot on her forehead as she leaves her baby on the steps of the Wuhan Orphanage. Lying in her crib there, An Mei meets her adoptive father, "a man with a bushy black beard and skin the color of an oyster shell." They fly across the wide ocean in a plane, and are greeted at the end of their journey by "a woman with eyes as round and gray as pearls." Fearful and distant at first, An Mei settles into her new home and at long last calls the man and woman "Daddy" and "Mommy." An afterword explains, clearly and sensitively, the "special circumstances" that cause Chinese parents to offer their daughters for adoption. The poetic language uses repeating metaphors drawn from nature to mark important milestones in An Mei's physical and emotional journey toward safety, love, and belonging. The deliberately naive paintings, impressionistic and richly colored, are suffused with affection for their subjects and form a perfect counterpoint to the lyrical text. Touching gently and lovingly on deep feelings of abandonment and belonging, this story makes a good offering for any young child, especially one who has made An Mei's wondrous journey.?Margaret A. Chang, North Adams State College, MA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN; 1st edition (March 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789424770
• ISBN-13: 978-0789424778
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #424,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Telling an Adoption Story, December 28, 1999

By 

linda d. rotunno (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Mei's Strange and Wondrous Journey (Hardcover)

Even if you do not have an internationally adopted child, but especially if you do, this is a beautiful and wonderfully told adoption tale. The text is both lyrical and telling, and written in a way that celebrates both An Mei's Chinese birth mother and her American adoptive parents. Because it is written in the child's voice, my adopted Korean daughter found it easy to express her feelings about her own adoption story and to find comfort in knowing that other kids have similar questions and feelings.

As important as the text, the illustrations in this book are incrediably beautiful and soothing. They tell the story of abandoment and new-found love in an honest but non-threatening way.

We continue to enjoy this book at home and I have given it as a gift to a number of friends who have Chinese-born daughters.

I highly recommend An Mei's Journey for both children and adults.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars DO NOT BOTHER, July 10, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: An Mei's Strange and Wondrous Journey (Hardcover)

DO NOT BOTHER to buy this . Every other book that I bought in this area was better.I am an adoptive father and looked forward to finding something in this area by a man, since most of the stuff available seems to be written by mothers. But this book focused almost entirely on the writer-father's imagination of the babby's sensory experiences and the writer's strained imagery. Strangely self absorbed . Strangely unemotional .I returned it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Mei's Strange and Wondrous Journey, June 22, 2000

By 

WAYNE JONES - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Mei's Strange and Wondrous Journey (Hardcover)

Having adopted 2 daughters from China, this book tells exactly ones thoughts, and what one has to do while in China. It is a warm story, based on a true life experience. This book is a keepsake and is a must for anyone thinking of adopting from china.