Grade 3-5–This story is set in the early part of the 20th century, when Chinese immigrants to the Pacific coast struggled to keep the ancient art of Chinese opera alive. Motherless Wei lives with his father and grandfather, both of whom are opera singers. Ba always plays the part of a brave, powerful general; Grandfather, following Chinese tradition that kept women off the stage, used to play female roles. Although Wei longs to follow them onto the stage, Ba believes that there is no future for his son in this dying art form and refuses to instruct him. However, Grandfather secretly teaches young, high-voiced Wei the women's songs he sang long ago. After Grandfather returns to China, Ba's troupe hits hard times, and a shortage of performers forces him to play both general and lady. Using the skills Grandfather taught him, Wei coaches his father for the unfamiliar role, and then shares in his success on opening night. The illustrations, done in oils on textured canvas, realistically depict the characters as they look offstage, as well as in their traditional costumes and makeup. Double-page, soft-focused paintings, executed in muted colors, convey the mood of nostalgia and loss inherent in this backstage tale. Pair this story with Aaron Shepard's Lady White Snake (Pan Asian, 2001) and films of Chinese opera to introduce this art form, so central to traditional Chinese culture.–Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams
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From Booklist
Gr. 2-5. Wei Lim lives in "a large city by the Pacific ocean" with his grandfather and father, Ba, a singer in a Chinese opera troupe. Ba does not want Wei Lim to follow the family tradition, as he sees no future for Chinese opera in their adopted country. However, Grandfather teaches Wei Lim the melodies, movements, and techniques. When his father struggles to learn a new role, Wei Lim coaches him, recalling his grandfather's lessons. The concise, well-paced narrative presents background about Chinese opera without turning the story into a lesson. Instead, the focus is always on Wei Lim and his relationship with his father. The realistic paintings work well with the text, and readers will be fascinated by Ba's metamorphosis as he takes on one of the women's roles in the production. The artwork also provides a vivid contrast between the family's simple home and clothing and the rich pageantry and dazzling costumes of Chinese opera. An excellent choice for music and multicultural studies, this is also a poignant father-and-son story. Linda Perkins
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