Yang the Eldest and His Odd Jobs [Paperback]

Lensey Namioka (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

The Yang family is known for its talented musicians. The best in the group is Eldest Brother, Ying Wu, who spends most of his time practicing his violin. Everyone thinks he will become a famous violinist someday. But Ying Wu has to stop practicing when his violin begins making strange sounds. He needs a new violin, and now for the first time he must find work to pay for it. The trouble is that as Ying Wu goes from job to job, his family wonders and worries if his love for music is being replaced with his eagerness for earning money.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-When Eldest Brother's violin develops a loose sound bar, he falls in love with the beautiful new instrument in Mr. Vitelli's shop. However, violins cost several thousand dollars. With the help of his brother and sisters and some family friends, he tries a variety of ways to earn money, including baby-sitting, telemarketing, waiting tables, and construction work. As he struggles to find a good-paying job, his family is disappointed to see his interest in music being replaced by an obsession with earning money. It takes the efforts of his concerned younger siblings to help restore Eldest Brother's passion for music. Told from the perspective of his youngest sister, Mary, the engaging and believable story is filled with sympathetic characters and humor. Set in modern-day Seattle, it also explores many of the cultural differences between China and America that the Yang family must face. Namioka does a skillful job of conveying the importance of Eldest Brother's talent to his family, and she never resorts to simple or contrived solutions to the problems raised. This is a satisfying sequel to Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear (Dell, 1994), Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family (Yearling, 1996), and Yang the Second and Her Secret Admirers (Little, Brown, 1998), but stands just fine on its own. Readers will enjoy following Eldest Brother's often funny working experiences, and will sympathize with Mary's concern over her brother's transformation into a "normal teenage boy." There's not a wrong note here.
Ashley Larsen, Woodside Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In this fourth installment in the well-received Yang family series, readers learn that the Yangs left their homeland to escape discrimination and find more freedom. The downside of their move, however, is that in China, a talented violinist like First Brother would have his musical studies subsidized by the government. In the U.S., when First Brother needs a new violin, he must pay for it himself. Sympathetic Third Sister narrates the story, amusing readers with accounts of First Brother's attempts to earn money by baby-sitting, fiddling at street fairs, waiting tables, and more. While absorbed in First Brother's money-raising efforts, readers learn about the Yang family's Chinese culture and the musical background that is so important to them. Sibling support is vital to First Brother, who, weary from working too hard, injures his hand and misses the opportunity to purchase his desired violin. Children will be entertained and enriched by their time spent with the bicultural, musically talented, and supportive Yang family. The illustrations were not available for review. Ellen Mandel --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Yearling; First edition (April 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044041802X
• ISBN-13: 978-0440418023
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,577,278 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A VERY THOUGHTFUL AND FUNNY BOOK, June 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Yang the Eldest and His Odd Jobs (Hardcover)

I've long been a fan of Lensey Namioka's books, especially her mysteries featuring the two Japanese samurai, Zenta and Matsuzo. However, her new series of books featuring the irrepresible Yang family have proven to be delightful. I thought this installment, featuring the eldest Yang child, was thoughtful and well-written. It tells of the problems that eldest children have to go through (I'm one myself) and how hard work can overcome the worst of odds- like when Yang the Eldest injured his finger, which is absolutely devastating to any violin player. This novel illustrated the cultural differences that exist between China and America and the lives of a family of Chinese immigrants trying to make it in America.