Henry Chow and Other Stories

Gr 9 Up—The common thread in this far-ranging collection is that it features characters of Asian heritage. Most of the 13 selections are set in Canadian cities, but some take place in other countries and deal with cultural and social conflicts beyond assimilating in North America. In the amusing "The Boy Who Faked Kung Fu," a boy is typecast as a stereotypical Asian at his English boarding school. When a snowball is lobbed his way, he automatically assumes the attacker is the school bully, and his bogus kung fu skills are revealed in a public brawl. "Working the Corner" in downtown Vancouver shows teens outside the traditional high school framework. Shelley turns a trick "just this once" and can't turn back. Hard-core, bleak, and tragic, this story reveals the universal self-exploitation of needy young women. With its broad range of themes, this collection should appeal to a variety of readers.—Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY