The Year of the Book By Andrea Cheng

Anna loves to read more than just about anything. She almost doesn't even mind that she has no friends at school, because she can always count on her books and her adult friends - the crossing guard, her teacher, the elderly man in a wheelchair whose apartment Anna's mother cleans. But when her former friend Laura reaches out to her, Anna learns that taking a chance with people her own age is important, too.

In simple and honest language, THE YEAR OF THE BOOK perfectly captures the comfort that books can bring to a lonely life. Though Anna wishes the girls in her fourth grade class were more accepting of her differences, she also wishes they would just leave her alone so she could read the next chapter. Anna is an appealing character whose struggles to accept her family's Chinese culture is believable, as is her reluctance to trust Laura, who has let her down before. Anna's eventual embracing of some of the differences that make her stand out from her classmates is empowering and may inspire readers to recognize the strength that comes from standing up for who you are. Sweet line drawings break up the short text, making it a delightful and quick read.

 
This review was written by Sally Engelfried