Ian Wallace (4) (1950–)

"Chin Chiang" is a beautifully illustrated book full of detailed pictures of Chinatown, and I really wanted to like it, but Chin Chiang's anxiety about the dragon dance (and whoever heard of a dragon that could be danced, even in rehearsal, by two people) seemed contrived, and when the old lady introduced herself to the little boy Chin Chiang BY NAME, it was too bizarre to credit. I literally shuddered with horror at that plot twist! It's hard to convey how much of a Chinese cultural taboo show more there is on older people's personal names, but suffice it to say that a sane Chinese-Canadian old lady would say "Call me Aunty" or "Call me Granny" or at most "My name is Aunty (Last-Name)". A woman of the elder generation who would introduce herself to a youngster as Pu Yee (incidentally, the name of the last emperor of China, what's with that?) would do anything, absolutely anything. I would not have been surprised, given her obvious instability, if she had been any kind of deviant, up to and including a serial killer who kidnapped little boys and rendered them down for Chinese medicinal ingredients. I couldn't get around that telling detail and despite my children's Chinese-Canadian heritage, I never read this book to them. show less

Reads as if mythopoeic, also as if #ownvoices. I trust the history, the details revealed in the art of clothing, tools, housing, etc, and also of the biology of the tidal sea cave and the art of the ancestors. Too bad there's no note, but I still believe this is worthy of status as a classic, and of reprints to keep it in libraries.

Especially good for educators, of course, and not just of 'exotic cultures.' Really good example of strong (but not spunky or kick-ass) women, authentically show more holding to traditions to nourish their bodies and spirits. show less

This thought-provoking Christmas story is set on the Canadian prairies during the 1930s. André and Elise’s father leaves home in search of work. After he leaves, the children’s mother insists that they set an extra place at the table each dinnertime. It is Christmas night when a mysterious stranger arrives, shares their meal and performs true magic.

Ian Wallace's version of "Hansel and Gretel" is a more modern and slightly different version than the original. The mother of Hansel and Gretel decided it would be a good idea to abandon her children in the woods because they didn't have enough food to feed them. The father was against this idea, but the mother insisted. When Hansel and Gretel are lost in the woods, they come across a house made of candy and cake and are invited in by an older lady who seems to be nice. After the children show more fall asleep, the lady, who is an evil witch, locks up Hansel and orders Gretel to feed him in order to fatten him up so the witch could eat him. When the witch orders Gretel into the oven, she shows Gretel how to climb in and Gretel then locks the oven behind her causing the witch to burn to death. The children escape and find their way home where they have found out their mother has passed away. The children brought back pearls and jewels from the witch's house and they are able to live happily ever after with their father. I think something that caught my attention was that the evil witch died and so did Hansel and Gretel's mother. I think this is accurate because their mother was an evil person as well, wanting to abandon her children in the woods. I don't think this is a good story to read to young kids because it's definitely a dark and twisted story. I do believe the moral of the story is don't trust strangers. It's very easy for someone to pretend to be someone they're not just in order to get you to do what they want. show less