Homesick

The accolades speak for themselves:"Fritz draws the readers into scenes from her youth in the turbulent China of the mid-twenties. One comes to appreciate the generous affection of her nurse/companion Lin Nai-Nai, the isolating distance in her mother's grief over losing a second child, the dynamics of a suffering population venting its hostility on foreigners, and most of all, the loneliness of a child's exile from a homeland she has imagined constantly but never seen. . . . A remarkable blend of truth and storytelling." --Booklist, starred review"An insightful memory's-eye-view of her childhood. . . Young Jean is a strong character, and many of her reactions to people and events are timeless and universal." --School Library Journal, starred review"Told with an abundance of humor--sometimes wry, sometimes mischievous and irreverent--the story is vibrant with atmosphere, personalities, and a palpable sense of place." --The Horn Book"Every now and then a book comes along that makes me want to send a valentine to its author. Homesick is such a book. . . . Pungent and delicious." --Katherine Paterson, The Washington Post