Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story [Hardcover]

Paula Yoo (Author), Lin Wang (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

The true story of Chinese American film star Anna May Wong, whose trail-blazing career in Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s broke new ground for future generations of Asian American actors.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-Although Wong's days were filled with backbreaking work as she helped in her family's San Francisco Chinese laundry, her daydreams were replete with visions of life as a film star. Anna saw every movie she could, and eventually, despite her parents' opposition, she became a movie extra. As a young woman in the 1920s, beautiful and unusually tall, she was given supporting roles, but, distressed by the stereotypical characters Chinese actors were forced to portray, she decided to pursue her career in Europe. When she returned to Hollywood in 1935, she discovered that nothing had changed. After a visit to China, Wong returned to the U.S. with a renewed determination to eliminate the old Asian stereotypes that had become film standards. Her efforts yielded her some wonderful roles and helped open doors for other Asian-American actors. This is an excellent introduction to a one-time celeb little known to today's children. Yoo explains Wong's circumstances with clarity and portrays her hardships and triumphs in concise, easy-to-follow prose. Lin Wang's acrylic and watercolor illustrations are the perfect complement to the well-written text, precise in their realistic detail and particularly adept in their portrayal of both facial expressions and textures. They provide a vivid portrait of Wong's changing lifestyles, from that of her impoverished childhood surroundings to the elegant luxuries that her fame made possible. Readers will be entranced by the actress's rags-to-riches story, and her efforts at confronting racial discrimination will resonate with all ethnic minorities. An author's note fleshes out the biography, making this a fine choice for both school and public libraries.–Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
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About the Author

Paula Yoo is a Lee and Low author.

Lin Wang is a Lee and Low illustrator.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Lee & Low Books (May 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600602592
• ISBN-13: 978-1600602597
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 11.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,228,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book + inspiring underdog story!, July 6, 2009

By 

M. Ferrari (california) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story (Hardcover)

My daughters loved this story and the color pictures (especially the part about Anna's childhood and her daydreams where she imagined herself as the heroine in a Hollywood movie). An inspiring bio about someone my kids didn't know of before.
Also, it says for ages 9-12, but my 7-year-old liked it as much as my 11-year-old.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For Young People, December 21, 2010

By 

MMR "Mary" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story (Hardcover)

This is a book written for children and it serves it's purpose well. It is a "picture book" and in the local library is in the juvenile/child section of the library.

If you are an adult looking for a biography of Anna May Wong, this is not it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Biography, May 1, 2010

By 

Jyotsna Sreenivasan "Gender Equality Bookstore" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story (Hardcover)

I had never heard of Anna May Wong before I read this biography. She was one of the earliest Chinese-American movie stars. She was born in Los Angeles in 1905, and started working as an actress in the 1920s, during a time when movies portrayed Chinese people in a demeaning way. Because her family was poor and relied on her earnings, she played these kinds of parts for many years and became a successful actress. In 1936, Anna May visited China and learned as much about the culture as she could. While there, she vowed never again to act in a movie that portrayed the Chinese in a negative light. Starting in 1937, Anna May Wong accepted only roles that showed her character in a positive light. This picture book relates Anna's ambitions and struggles using text and pictures appropriate for children six years and older. I have included this title in my online Gender Equality Bookstore.