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by Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Flying the Dragon tells the story of two cousins in alternating chapters. American-born Skye is a good student and a star soccer player who never really gives any thought to the fact that her father is Japanese. Her cousin, Hiroshi, lives in Japan, and never really gives a thought to his uncle's family living in the U.S. Their lives are thrown together when Hiroshi's family, with his grandfather (who is also his best friend), have to move to the U.S. suddenly. Skye resents that she is now "not Japanese enough," and yet the friends she's known forever abruptly realize she is "other." Hiroshi has a hard time adjusting to life in a new culture, and resents Skye's intrusions on his time with Grandfather. Through all of this is woven Hiroshi's expertise, and Skye's growing interest in, kite making and competitive kite flying, culminating in a contest at the annual Washington Cherry Blossom Festival.
Ages 9-12
"In short, third-person chapters that alternate between the two fifth-graders, debut novelist Lorenzi offers an empathetic and quietly affecting fish-out-of-water story, with both children struggling with disappointments, prejudice, language difficulties, and being caught between cultures. Ages 9-12." - Publishers Weekly
"A quiet, beautifully moving portrayal of a multicultural family. Ages 9-12." - Kirkus Reviews
This information about Flying the Dragon was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Natalie Dias Lorenzi is a teacher, specializing in English as a Second Language. She has taught in Japan and Italy and now teaches is a Washington, DC-area school where 85% of the students are immigrants. She also writes curriculum guides to new books for writers and publishers. Flying the Dragon is her first novel. Visit her website at www.nataliediaslorenzi.com.
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