Wednesday, February 15, 2023

The Pearl Hunter and Light a Candle

Beck, Miya T. The Pearl Hunter
February 7th 2023 by Balzer & Bray/Harperteen
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
 
Kai and Kishi are twins growing up in a world base on Japan in the Tokugawa period (1603–1867), in a family of divers who collect mussels and oysters containing pearls. Their mother is very strict, especially after the death of her sister, Hamako, in a diving accident. Kai bristles at this and doesn't think the rules make sense, but Kishi is more careful and is a better diver. When a ghost whale (bakekujira) carries off Kishi, Kai must work to rescue her sister. She almost succeeds, but the whale wakes up and almost drowns. She is rescued by Ryujin, the dragon king, but would rather die and join her sister. Ryujin takes her to Benzaiten, the protector of pearl divers, who will decide Kai's fate. Kai begs Benzaiten to help her rescue her sister, and she agrees: if Kai can bring her a pearl from Dakini, the Fox Queen, Benzaiten will save her sister. Kai starts off on her journey, newly imbued with the ability to fly, to Sky Mountain, but is injured and is saved by Ren. Ren is also being held captive by a group of bandits. They take her to General Takagi, who takes her in. Kai is treated well by the women in the family, but anxious to get back to her quest. Luckily, Ren sneaks into the compound and rescues her, and they manage to escape with horses, which help in their journey. Once they find Dakini, however, it isn't easy to make her part with the pearl. Will Kai and Ren be able to fulfill their quest before Kishi is lost forever?
Strengths: The details about Kai and Kishi diving were fascinating, and I would have enjoyed a book that detailed their ordinary life engaging in this pursuit just as much as Kai's adventure! This is a solid hero's quest, and is peopled with interesting magical creatures and destinations. Their seem to be more Indian, Chinese or Korean fantasies, so seeing one with Japanese cultural connections is great. Kai's relationship with Ren is interesting, and her desire to save her sister is compelling. The cover is very attractive as well, so this book will not struggle to find readers. 
Weaknesses: I wish the time period had been stated at the beginning of the book; there was definitely a medieval feel, with carts and villages, but I was distracted trying to pin down a time period. That's more of a "me" issue, especially with a fantasy, but it would have strengthened the world building to have more specifics about time and place. 
What I really think: This read a bit like a Japanese version of Levine's 2001 The Two Princesses of Bamarre, which used to be very popular in my library, and reminded me a bit of Lim's 2017 The Crystal Ribbon. This will be popular withe fans of the Rick Riordan Presents, especially with this great cover. 

Lee, Jean Kuo. Light a Candle: A Story of Chinese American Pioneers on Gold Mountain (I Am America)
January 1, 2023 by North Star Edition
Copy provided by the publisher

It's 1864 in La Porte, California, and Emma Fong lives with her parents, who run a local Chinese store, and her brother. She goes to school at the local church, where her teacher, Ms. Lilley, is inclusive and advocates kindess for everyone. This is important when students like Mable refer to Emma as "China Mary" and don't necessarily want to be friends with her because they have been told by their families that Chinese people are not desirable to have in the community. Emma's father is a well respected business and community leader, but when a new teacher comes to town, problems arise. He is also running the town newspaper, and announces that the school will only serve the white families. Since Emma is a good scholat who likes school and values education, this is a blow. Her father  manages to get a tutor for her and her brother, but the school situation is just the beginning of the intolerance that surfaces in the community. When the Pacific Railway is set to be constructed and ten thousand Chinese workers are expected to be involved, the community thinks it might be best to not have any Chinese in the area. Emma and her family fight against this, and manage to make a difference in the way their community is seen. 
Strengths: Remember the 1990s Scholastic Dear America books? Still have an unusual number of those in your library that are devolving into piles of paper flakes? Replace them with these Jolly Fish Press titles with more diverse characters. This title in particular would be a great companion to Yee's Maizy Chen's Last Chance, since it elaborate on the Chinese American experience in the 1860s. Emma is a great character who is aware of the world around her and not willing to suffer injustice. Her diary entries are printed so that modern children can read them. I did like that there were sympathetic characters like Ms. Lilley, so that Emma's world didn't seem as bleak as it probably was. There are historical notes and a timeline of Chinese American history at the back, as well as some black and white photos. 
Weaknesses: A prebind of this slight volume runs $17, although paperbacks run around $9. 
What I really think: I've already purchased Brave Bird at Wounded Knee, If the Fire Comes, and United to Strike, and they have circulated well with my students, who are attracted by the shorter length (138 pages) and the appealing covers .

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