May 102013
Apple Pie Fourth of July
Shocked that her parents are cooking Chinese food to sell in the family store on an all-American holiday, a feisty Chinese American girl tries to tell her mother and father how things really are. But as the parade passes by and fireworks light the sky, she learns a surprising lesson.
List Price: $ 7.00
Price: $ 2.11
A fun (and tasty) multicultural story,
“Apple Pie 4th of July” combines a story by Janet S. Wong with pictures by Margaret Chodos-Irvine. The story is narrated by an Asian-American girl whose family runs a Chinese restaurant. She is annoyed at her folks for keeping the store open on July 4th: “No one wants Chinese food on the Fourth of July, I say.” But is she right or wrong? Read the book to find out!
The enjoyable story is perfectly complemented by Chodos-Irvine’s colorful illustrations, which have an elegantly stylized quality to them. I especially liked the pictures of the family at work in the restaurant. “Apple Pie” is a wonderful story about entrepreneurship, and about how different cultural traditions contribute to the unique mix that is the United States.
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|Apple Pie + Egg Rolls = America,
This story is told by an Asian-American girl whose family owns a Chinese food restaurant. The narrator is frustrated and discouraged by the separation of American culture and her own culture. (“No one wants Chinese food on the Fourth of July, I say.”) However, as five o’clock arrives, so do a few surprises.
Wong’s simple tale and Chodos-Irvine’s striking illustrations combine to form an endearing story about how the combination of different cultures forms the true culture of America.
Reading Level: Grades 1-2
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|A Multitude of Functions in the Classroom,
“Apple Pie 4th of July” (2002) by Janet S. Wong (“This Next New Year”,”Buzz”) could have a multitude of functions in your classroom, depending on the age of your students and your subject. For older students in Language Arts (3rd-5th), this book will provide an example of character development. In this story, a Chinese-American girl tells her Chinese parents that their customers do not want to eat Chinese food on the 4th of July. The girl believes that people only want American food like apple pie on such an American holiday. Her parents continue with their plans of offering Chinese food in their market. Your students will enjoy reading about this girl and discovering whether or not she is correct. You will appreciate the manner in which Ms. Wong develops this character. Since the girl’s parents were born in China, this book will function as an introduction to immigration for younger students (K-2). As the girl is living within two cultures, this book will serve you well in a unit on multiculturalism (K-2). You should include in any discussion the colorful illustrations by Margaret Chodos-Irvine and the fact that the girl is dressed in red, white and blue. The illustrations depict a cultural blend of the traditional 4th of July parade and fireworks with Chinese main characters and foods.
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