Shu-Li and Tamara

Shu-Li’s family moved to Canada two years ago. They now run a Chinese deli on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive. Her classmate, Tamara, recently moved into the neighbourhood.An ugly rumour threatens the girls' relationship.

Themes of friendship, diversity, family, respect, and community building are found in this short chapter book. Students will be drawn to the stories of the fourth-graders from diverse backgrounds (and the recipes included at the end of the book). Teachers can read aloud this story, and explore the themes with their students.

Set on Commercial Drive in Vancouver, this beginning chapter book is the story of Shu-Li, whose family came from China two years ago, and how she overcomes her shyness to make friends. When Tamara, another newcomer, is accused of stealing, Shu-Li stands up for her. Together the girls plan to earn money selling goodies for the Kids Helping Kids program but no one comes to their stall until Joey agrees to do his break dancing routine to get people’s attention. When more money seems to be missing, Tamara is accused again. In the end, Tamara is vindicated and the story concludes with recipes for the treats the girls made. The book is liberally illustrated with black and white sketches.

Paul Yee has won many awards including the Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature.

The books reviewed above can be enjoyed on their own, although each is part of a series. Shu-Li and Tamara is a new stand-alone chapter book by Paul Yee. Yee, who has chronicled the early Chinese immigrant experience so vividly, has recently focused on new Asian immigrants — in his collection of short stories about Asian teens in Canada, What Happened This Summer (also published by Tradewind Books) — and now in this welcome chapter book for younger readers. Fourth-graders Shu-Li and redhead Tamara are both newcomers to their school and to Vancouver’s vibrant Commercial Drive neighbourhood. Shu-Li watches the colourful activity of the Drive from behind the counter of her parents’ Yum Yum deli, longing to be part of the action outside. Shaoli Wang, who collaborated with Yee on the picture book Bamboo, captures Shu-Li’s experience by revealing the deli from her perspective. A generous helping of Wang’s charming black-and-white line drawings enlivens the text and makes the story accessible for beginning readers. Her amusing class photos which wrap up the book reflect the multicultural flavour of this Vancouver classroom.

Shu-Li struggles to fit in and blend her Chinese and North American cultures. She is both embarrassed by her mother’s English and fiercely loyal to her when the cool girls from school laugh at her attempts. Though she respects her parents’ authority, she wishes to be more independent. Though her teacher encourages participation, she is reluctant to speak up in class unless she has the right answer.

But ultimately this is a story of loyalty and friendship that all children can relate to. Shu-Li and Tamara’s friendship deepens as both explore their new neighbourhood and work together baking cookies for a school fair to raise money for Kids Helping Kids. Shu-Li discounts the rumour that Tamara has been stealing to obtain spending money. Even when money is missing from the bake sale and Tamara is falsely accused of stealing, Shu-Li sticks by her until the truth is revealed. This appealingly packaged chapter book provides recipes for the mouth-watering cookies so parents should be prepared to hit the kitchen.