Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story
by Paula Yoo (Author) Lin Wang (Illustrator)
The true story of Chinese American film star Anna May Wong, whose trail-blazing career in Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s broke new ground for future generations of Asian American actors.
Born in 1905, Anna May Wong spent her childhood working in her family's laundry in Los Angeles's Chinatown. Whenever she could afford it, Anna May slipped off to the movies, escaping to a world of adventure, glamour, and excitement. After seeing a movie being filmed in her neighborhood, young Anna May was hooked. She decided she would become a movie star!
Anna May struggled to pursue an acting career in Hollywood in the 1930s. There were very few roles for Asian Americans, and many were demeaning and stereotypical. Anna May made the most of each limited part. She worked hard and always gave her best performance. Finally, after years of unfulfilling roles, Anna May began crusading for more meaningful roles for herself and other Asian American actors.
Anna May Wong--the first Chinese American movie star--was a pioneer of the cinema. Her spirited determination in the face of discrimination is an inspiration to all who must overcome obstacles so that their dreams may come true.
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Publishers Weekly
Yoo ("Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds") spotlights a famous Chinese-American actress from the golden days of Hollywood. Growing up poor in Los Angeles's Chinatown, Anna May Wong was fascinated with the local movie scene. She regularly skipped school to watch the action on the set and ask questions about filmmaking. Lin Wang's ("A Single Red Thread") elegant paintings in muted hues capture the actress's emotions in her expressive eyes framed by dark bangs. Full-page spreads showcase her stylish garbsnazzy flapper attire or traditional Chinese dressand her early-20th-century surroundings. The conversational narrative uses many descriptive vignettes from her life (e.g., a girlhood visit to the movie theater, a trip to China) to briskly move the story from her youth to her early movie career. Peppered throughout are examples of the racism she experienced (Movie studios forbade actors and actresses of color to kiss their white costars). Always countering these are Anna May's responses, at first her strong feelings and, later, her decision to only portray roles that didn't denigrate Chinese-Americans. A fascinating account of the life of a determined actress. Ages 6-11. "(June)"
Copyright 2009 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.
School Library Journal
Gr 2-5-Although Wongs days were filled with backbreaking work as she helped in her familys San Francisco Chinese laundry, her daydreams were replete with visions of life as a film star. Anna saw every movie she could, and eventually, despite her parents opposition, she became a movie extra. As a young woman in the 1920s, beautiful and unusually tall, she was given supporting roles, but, distressed by the stereotypical characters Chinese actors were forced to portray, she decided to pursue her career in Europe. When she returned to Hollywood in 1935, she discovered that nothing had changed. After a visit to China, Wong returned to the U.S. with a renewed determination to eliminate the old Asian stereotypes that had become film standards. Her efforts yielded her some wonderful roles and helped open doors for other Asian-American actors. This is an excellent introduction to a one-time celeb little known to todays children. Yoo explains Wongs circumstances with clarity and portrays her hardships and triumphs in concise, easy-to-follow prose. Lin Wangs acrylic and watercolor illustrations are the perfect complement to the well-written text, precise in their realistic detail and particularly adept in their portrayal of both facial expressions and textures. They provide a vivid portrait of Wongs changing lifestyles, from that of her impoverished childhood surroundings to the elegant luxuries that her fame made possible. Readers will be entranced by the actresss rags-to-riches story, and her efforts at confronting racial discrimination will resonate with all ethnic minorities. An authors note fleshes out the biography, making this a fine choice for both school and public libraries."Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI"
Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Paula Yoo is an author and screenwriter whose children's books for Lee & Low include Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds, Shining Star, and several titles in the Confetti Kids series. Her titles have been recognized by the International Reading Association, the Texas Bluebonnet Award Masterlist, and Lee & Low's New Voices Award. She and her husband live in Los Angeles, California, where she works in television. You can visit her online at paulayoo.com.
Lin Wang has illustrated several books for children, including The Crane Girl for Lee & Low Books. She is a classically trained portrait painter with an MFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show. Wang lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their children.
