Review of 'Pao' by Kerry Young

Pao

Kerry Young

3.5*

I recently received this ARC to review and I have to admit that the synopsis on the back did not immediately capture my interest. Despite my initial disinterest this book ended up being an unexpected delight. Pao tells the story of Pao, a young boy who flees to Jamaica with his mother and brother after his father is killed in the Chinese Civil War. Upon arrival they are taken in by his father's friend Zhang Xiuquan who teaches Pao to follow in his footsteps as a mafia figure in his town of Kingston. However Pao is quite unlike the stereotypical gangster. His sensitive nature and careful strategical approaches to matters of business and the heart are modeled after the sage advice immortalized in The Art of War, written by the ancient Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun Tzu. Set against the backdrop of post-colonial Jamaica, the reader gets a sense of the changing economical and political conditions that contribute to the course and direction of Pao's life. This global and historically accurate context gives the plot and characters a realistic quality which makes this book a genuinely entertaining read.

Review of 'Beautiful Child' by Torey Hayden

Beautiful Child

Torey Hayden

4*

"Torey Hayden deserves the kind of respect I can't give many people. She isn't just valuable, she's incredible. The world needs more like Torey Hayden." - Boston Globe

"Torey Hayden gives one hope for the future of public schools, indeed for the future of the human race." - Harold Kuschner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People

This book was required reading for the Accomodations & Adaptations in Early Childhood Education course that I'm currently taking. This book is Hayden's account as a special educator working with a child named Venus who did not speak or seem to hear others speak to her. Hayden's reflective and conversational style of writing made this a quick read despite the bleak and depressing subject matter. As a future teacher it is important for me to read about others' experiences working with children who have special needs because it is likely that I will teach children with disabilities throughout my career even though I am not studying to be a special education teacher. Reading Hayden's account showed me that it is not safe to assume that a child is unteachable or unreachable.



Review of 'Chocolat' by Joanne Harris

Chocolat

Joanne Harris

4*

"Part fairy tale, laden with high farce and tongue-in-cheek humor drenched with savage wit and bursts of wisdom, suffused with lush detail and finely drawn interesting characters..."  - Philadelphia Inquirer

"Harris writes with verve and charm...If Colette and Hawthorne had collaborated, the result might have been this serious delight."  - The New Yorker

I was completely surprised at how quickly and deeply I fell in love with this story and the characters within. The author's delectable descriptions of Vianne's chocolate concoctions enveloped me in a dreamy, sugar-coated haze through which I became acquainted with the townspeople of Lansquenet, France and their need to break free from the stiff confines of religious tradition and hypocrisy. Armed only with chocolate treats and generosity, Vianne and her daughter Anouk become the catalysts of long-overdue change and reconciliation that the little town so desperately needs.

The imagery of sweets and the touches of magical realism in this story reminded me very much of a Sarah Addison Allen novel. I became so fond of the characters within this story that it felt as though I were saying goodbye to my dear friends as I read the final words of the bittersweet ending of this book. I would highly recommend this story to anyone who has a penchant for all things sweet and endearing.