From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5?Jim's Grandpop is the meanest man in Chinatown so it is a challenge to describe him for a school essay. However, that problem seems insignificant when an imp, released from an ancient jar in China, starts to harass the boy and his parents. It starts a fire at the sweatshop where Jim's mother works and a panic in the butcher shop where his father works. The boy knows that his grandfather will be the next target. Strangely, the elderly man relishes the fight, hinting that he might be the reincarnation of the Chinese hero Chung Kuei. Although he is old and without magic, Grandpop is still a fighter. Can he stop the imp? Maybe there will be hope if his "native-born, no brains" grandson can team up with this crotchety guardian of Chinese tradition. Yep has written a fast-paced, light adventure that is full of the flavor of San Francisco's Chinatown. The clash of modern and traditional cultures is common among many immigrant groups and perhaps this whimsical look at the conflict will help children value and understand their grandparents. Huang's humorous and lively illustrations capture the personalities and action of the story.?Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
It sounds like a flimsy excuse, but for young Jim it's literally true: An imp really does eat his homework, as well as gets him into further trouble with his mother, his father, and his teacher in Chinese school. Why? Because Jim's ever-crabby grandfather is the reincarnation of legendary imp-fighter Chung Kuei, and the newly escaped imp--with four arms and red eyes, and invisible to everyone else--is bent on avenging centuries of persecution. Once Jim overcomes his reluctance to ask ``Grandpop'' for help, a wild chase through San Francisco's Chinatown ensues, marked by pratfalls, chaos, and transformations. At last Grandpop corners the imp, drives it into a frenzy with a barrage of corny jokes and insults, then stuffs it into a silk pillow. Yep (The Dragon Prince, p. 1316, etc.) telescopes the plot severely; he occasionally checks the pace long enough for a peek into a sweatshop, or a conversation about the younger generation's drift away from traditional culture. Still, readers will not be able to put this light, funny fantasy down. (b&w illustrations, not seen) (Fiction. 9-11) --
Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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