Cilla Lee-Jenkins--This Book Is a Classic

February 1, 2018

Gr 3-5-Cilla Lee-Jenkins is back. The spunky protagonist readers first met in Cilla-Lee Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire is now writing "a classic" with a focus on family traditions. Cilla, who is biracial, Chinese and White, is now in the third grade, and Gwendolyn, her baby sister whose arrival Cilla was dreading in the first book, is beginning to crawl. Cilla is an observant child which is an important quality for an aspiring author. She recognizes and is curious about the differences between her Chinese American grandparents and her White grandparents, and she wonders about her place in a biracial family. While Cilla is trying to understand how families work, she's increasingly jealous that her "best best friend," Colleen, is beginning to share jokes and playdates with another classmate. Cilla loves the traditions she shares with Colleen, but she experiences a few bumps and bruises on the path to learning that it's possible to welcome new friends. The most important event of Cilla's third grade year is her Auntie Eva's upcoming wedding, a celebration that gives Cilla many opportunities to explore traditions and adventure. Cilla loves her aunt and is committed to being a "perfect flower girl" at the wedding, but, as she learns, weddings are also the perfect settings for drama. Cilla's year is full of lessons about family and friendship, and Tan successfully gets into the head of an inquisitive and exuberant young girl. Wulfekotte's gentle line drawings enhance a jubilant story that will leave young readers wanting to hear more about Cilla's adventures. VERDICT A strong choice for most collections.-Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2018
Nine-and-a-half-year-old budding author Cilla Lee-Jenkins returns with her newest work--a Classic, replete with Romance, Adventure, and Drama.What with learning about Chinese wedding traditions in preparation for Auntie Eva's wedding, trying to prevent a classmate from stealing her best friend, and helping her baby sister "find her destiny" (and learn to say "Cilla"), Cilla has no shortage of adventures for her second book. Some readers may already know Cilla from Tan's first book, Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire (2017), and her effusive, humorous narration immediately sets newcomers at ease ("And even though my mom said there wasn't anything for me to do, I was a BIG help anyway"). Cilla's blended family reflects the reality of many children; her experiences as a multiracial child navigating different traditions with her Chinese grandparents and white grandparents ring true. Cantonese speakers will especially enjoy Cilla's ardent efforts to speak the language. The book may be a bit long for some who might otherwise enjoy Cilla's escapades, making it a cozier choice for a family read-aloud or a more tenacious young reader. Wulfekotte's intermittent pencil-sketch illustrations add lightness and humor--perhaps leaving readers wishing there were more of them.This family story feels like a modern classic. (Fiction. 7-10)

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