The American Wei

The American Wei

From BooklistAges 4^-8. An upbeat immigration story focuses on a Chinese American preschooler who is just as excited about his wobbly tooth as he is about his family's part in the naturalization ceremony. On the way to the ceremony, Wei Fong loses his first tooth on the sidewalk outside the federal courthouse. What will he do about the tooth fairy? People from everywhere stop to help him find the tooth--people speaking French, Spanish, and Polish as well as English; people from Kenya and Trinidad and Europe. Then they all go into the building to take part in the solemn ritual that makes them citizens of the U.S. The playful, personal focus will draw kids into the story, and Pomeranc includes a note about naturalization for those who want to know more. The gouache and pencil illustrations capture the child's viewpoint, including the hilarious double-page spread of Wei Fong spread-eagled on the sidewalk, nose pointed down, searching for that crucial tooth. The warm response from those around him is a lighthearted expression of the meaning of community and the pun of the title. It's the American way. Hazel RochmanWhen Wei Fong loses his tooth as he and his family are waiting to be sworn in as American citizens, he starts a full-fledged search for his tooth before the ceremony so that he can be visited by the Tooth Fairy for the first time, and various cultures unite to assist Wei Fong in his valiant search.From School Library JournalPreSchool-Grade 3AWei Fong thinks himself doubly lucky to have a loose tooth just before his family's naturalization ceremony, because he is sure that his first visit from the tooth fairy will happen on the same day he becomes an American citizen. To his great distress, Wei loses his tooth in the middle of the street in front of the courthouse. An international cast of willing helpers, all on their way to the ceremony, rush to his aid. After frantic searching, accompanied by polyglot exclamations (translated on the dedication page), the tooth is found. A solemn naturalization ceremony inside the courthouse and a supper of "dim sum and hot dogs" with neighbors of different ethnicities ends the day. Focusing on a problem that will engage children, the book accentuates the positive, resolutely ignoring any hint of ethnic conflict or the poignancy of forswearing one's birth country. Loosely realistic illustrations paint an appealing picture of a Chinese family and their multiethnic friends. Both art and text present a cheerfully idealized picture of an event that is important in the lives of America's many young immigrants.AMargaret A. Chang, North Adams State College, MACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.From Kirkus ReviewsWei Fong and his parents have immigrated to America from China, and they're about to become citizens. They've passed their tests; now it's time for the ceremony where they swear allegiance to their new country. But Wei is almost as nervous about losing a wobbly tooth as he is about becoming a citizen. Just as the family approaches the federal courthouse, Wei's tooth falls out; ``He's dead!'' Mama cries, finding Wei prostrate on the pavement, searching for the tooth he's dropped. Passersby from France, Poland, Kenya, and Trinidad help him search; the tooth is located, the new friends are all sworn in, and Wei goes home with some very American hopes of a visit from the tooth fairy. Pomeranc keeps the tone light-hearted and reassuring, showing only the sunny side of coming to Americaand missing some of the details found in Maggie Rugg Herold's A Very Important Day (1995). (Picture book. 4-10) -- Copyright