I loved this book so much I don' know where to begin. From start to finish the author has crafted a whirlwind of descriptions so vivid I feel like I have been to this store and spent a day with this family and this town. On the first page we are met with all the sounds of the town. Clip clop clop goes the milkman on his mule. Church bells, a rooster crowing. It continues- thread arranged like schools of fish in glassy water. The colors of the rain forest, parrot green, mango yellow, iguana green, hot pepper red. The sound of the rain, the gas lamps, the clicking of papa's abacus at the end of the day. I also like the way the author signals to us that this family has escaped hardship and that, despite having successfully made a home in Guatemala City, they still miss aspects of China. May be a relatable aspect for children who feel home is somewhere else. My favorite element of the book is the way different cultures are depicted intermingling through the exchange of language and culture. There's no sense of mistrust or lack of understanding. People seem to get along like a well-oiled machine and there's not a sense of tolerance but instead of celebration. A beautiful and refreshing depiction of the juxtaposition of cultures. The illustrations are brightly detailed and joyful. This book would fit perfectly into a writing lesson on descriptive language or multi-ethnic identity. ( )

This book provides an interesting peek into the life of a young Chinese immigrant whose family fled to Guatemala from a war in China. I particularly enjoyed the description of mixed cultures mingling through their daily lives. It was also interesting reading about the activities the children in Guatemala City were doing during the day the story took place. The colors in the illustrations were catchy and detailed with rich culture. ( )

Amelia Lau Carling tells and depicts a tale of a young girl living in Guatemala. The child is a member of a family of Chinese immigrants who own a "Chinese store" in their new country. The author takes us through a typical day in the store describing items that were for sale as well as the customers who could be seen there. Some customers are native Guatemalans, others Chinese immigrants and one family is from a nearing Indian tribe. A lovely story of cultures blending together. Would be a great read aloud for older elementary students learning about immigration and cultural diversity. The book is very wordy for a younger class read aloud, would have to condense down for lesson. ( )

This book is about a Chinese family that own a Chinese store in Guatemala city. The little girl is telling the story of her parents and the customers that come in, as well as the people that set up there little spots outside the store that sell different things. For example, pictures and candy. During the middle of the day, at lunch time, the older kids come home from school and so friends stay for lunch. They close the store for this so they can all eat together and then reopen when they are done and go back to business.

Lee & Low republished these out-of-print editions in both English and Spanish.

In 1938, the author’s parents fled their village in China before the Japanese invaded at the advent of World War II. Settling in Guatemala City, they raised their six children in the back of a grocery store, which sold all sorts of sundries.

Through detailed watercolor drawings, the author shares her memories of a typical day spent playing in the store with her brothers and sisters, meeting Mayan Indians who came from their faraway village to buy colorful thread, and interacting with Guatemalan and Chinese patrons. By the end of the book, readers will have a clear idea of what it was like for a hardworking Chinese immigrant family to make their way in a new world.

I would have preferred to have both the Spanish and English versions in a single book, rather than in two different books, as it would’ve been easier for children learning each language to see the opposite language as they practiced.

Recommended for ages 6-10.
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