From Publishers Weekly
Mazer ( Moose Street ) presents a smorgasbord of multiethnic experiences with 14 slice-of-life stories featuring teens (mostly contemporary) whose parents or grandparents immigrated to the U.S. The sociocultural backgrounds of characters are diverse, yet all share the common goal of finding a place for themselves. Some (Toni Cade Bambara's Hazel Parker, a prize-winning runner in "Raymond's Run," and Gary Soto's day-dreaming Fausto, of "The No-Guitar Blues") strive to rise above the crowd and to be recognized for their abilities. Other protagonists are concerned primarily with blending in and remaining as inconspicuous as possible. For example, the narrator of Lensey Namioka's "The All-American Slurp" is mortified by her family's dining-room etiquette. In a similar vein, the heroine of Gish Jen's "The White Umbrella" wishes she were part of a more "American" family--until her loyalty for her mother is tested. The sometimes rib-tickling, sometimes wrenching incidents chronicled in this highly readable volume provide first-rate entertainment while shedding light on the unique struggles and dreams of first-, second- and third-generation Americans. Ages 10-up. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 7-12-Fourteen short stories about growing up in America's diverse society. Written by such authors as Robert Cormier, Langston Hughes, Lensey Namioka, Grace Paley, Gary Soto, and Michele Wallace, they range from powerful to poignant to downright hilarious. Readers will come away from this collection understanding what it is like to be a migrant worker, an African-American child in a white school, or a Jewish child cast in a Christmas pageant. "The Wrong Lunch Line" details the problems a Latina has when trying to eat with her best friend, who is Jewish; the Chinese-American Lin family has trouble dining in "The All-American Slurp." While all but one of these stories have been published previously, it is a treat to have them pulled together here, reflecting as they do the dignity of individuals and the strength of family bonds across different cultures.Diane S. Marton, Arlington County Library, VACopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Card catalog description
Fourteen stories by American authors from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, including Duane Big Eagle, Nicholasa Mohr, Lensey Namioka, and Robert Cormier.

ANNOTATION

Fourteen stories by American authors from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, including Duane Big Eagle, Nicholasa Mohr, Lensey Namioka, and Robert Cormier.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Mazer ( Moose Street ) presents a smorgasbord of multiethnic experiences with 14 slice-of-life stories featuring teens (mostly contemporary) whose parents or grandparents immigrated to the U.S. The sociocultural backgrounds of characters are diverse, yet all share the common goal of finding a place for themselves. Some (Toni Cade Bambara's Hazel Parker, a prize-winning runner in ``Raymond's Run,'' and Gary Soto's day-dreaming Fausto, of ``The No-Guitar Blues'') strive to rise above the crowd and to be recognized for their abilities. Other protagonists are concerned primarily with blending in and remaining as inconspicuous as possible. For example, the narrator of Lensey Namioka's ``The All-American Slurp'' is mortified by her family's dining-room etiquette. In a similar vein, the heroine of Gish Jen's ``The White Umbrella'' wishes she were part of a more ``American'' family--until her loyalty for her mother is tested. The sometimes rib-tickling, sometimes wrenching incidents chronicled in this highly readable volume provide first-rate entertainment while shedding light on the unique struggles and dreams of first-, second- and third-generation Americans. Ages 10-up. (Sept.)

School Library Journal