New Releases by Laurence Yep

What would you do if your famous movie-star aunt asked you to be a jar of ointment in Chinatown''s New Year''s parade? And what if disaster struck in the middle of the parade and someone stole the priceless Goblin Pearls right in front of you? Worse still, what if your great-aunt still thought she was the famous action heroine Tiger Lil and decided to catch the thieves? What else could you do but become her sidekick? Lily is excited when Auntie Tiger Lil comes to San Francisco to arrange the Lion Salve float and marching unit for the New Year''s parade. Most famous for the Tiger Lil series of action movies, she''s now dabbling in publicity, and the Lion Salve account could finance her movie comeback. The float is sure to be the centerpiece of the parade, especially since Miss Lion Salve will be wearing the ancient Goblin Pearls that day. The Goblin Pearls have always been trouble, and the day of the parade is no exception. When they''re stolen in broad daylight, Tiger Lil isn''t about to let some punks ruin her plans -- if the cops can''t catch the thieves, she will. But everything is not what it seems, and Tiger Lil and Lily soon find themselves in the middle of a plot worthy of one of Auntie''s movies. Will this be the end of Tiger Lil and her trusty sidekick, or will they live to sleuth another day?

When $2000 is stolen during the opening of a restaurant, Lily and her aunt, a Chinese American movie actress, search for the thief throughout San Francisco''s Chinatown.

Jim teams up with his grandfather, who is known as the meanest man in Chinatown, to defeat a powerful demon.

If you asked her, Robin would say that ballet means everything to her. But no one''s asking Robin. Not her parents, who can no longer afford ballet lessons because all of their money is going toward bringing Robin''s Chinese grandmother to America. Not her grandmother, a demanding woman who can barely walk. And now, Robin is even losing touch with her ballet friends, who are moving on without her. It''s hard for Robin to hide her resentment of this foreign grandmother who''s changed her whole life. Then Robin uncovers a secret that leads to a new understanding of the many ways in which she and her tough old grandmother are alike. "An appealing story that draws readers into the world of ballet, while offering an authentic and sometimes amusing look at the dynamics of Chinese-American family life."—School Library Journal "Kids who appreciate a story about fighting for one''s dream will enjoy Robin''s saga."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children''s Books

Their families fought one another for generations, maintaining an age-old blood feud. But that changed when they found themselves on the same side of a new struggle against the tyrannical Manchu dynasty. By devoting himself fully to the revolution, Squeaky Lau wins Cassia''s trust -- and her heart. But winning Cassia''s love is not enough. Now Squeaky must prove his worth as a man -- to Cassia, to his villa village, and most importantly, to himself. And the only way he can do that is by giving up everything he has worked for and traveling to the Land of the Golden Mountain, the place foreign demons call America.

When villagers call Cassia and her brother, Foxfire, "the serpent''s children," they mean it as an insult. But to Cassia it is an honor, for legend says that once a serpent sets her mind on something, she never gives up. And in a time when famine, drought, and violence mark her family''s life, Cassia has nothing less than survival to fight for. Their father is a revolutionary, determined to free China from invaders. Foxfire, certain he''ll find a mountain of gold, flees to a faraway land. Cassia will need all of her strength and wisdom to keep her family together, and to prove that she is truly the serpent''s child.

Short stories, poems, and excerpts from plays discuss the experiences of growing up Asian-American.

Newbery Honor winner Laurence Yep draws upon his memories of growing up in San Francisco''s Chinatown to create an unusual story of sibling rivalry and self-discovery. When Teddy buys an alligator for his younger brother Bobby as a spiteful birthday present, he never imagines how much they will both come to love the beast.

The dragon princess Shimmer and her companions fight a war against the evil Boneless King in order to rescue their friend Thorn and restore the dragons'' underwater home.

Will the Dragon Homeland be Restored? Monkey tells the tale as he joins the dragon princess Shimmer, and, along with two feisty humans, they embark on a mission to recover the dragon homeland. It has been Shimmer''s personal quest for years, ever since Witch Civet stole the sea, and the dragons were evicted from their magnificent palaces of coral and pearl. Now the archenemy Civet is repentant, and she too has thrown in her lot with this fearless band. Key to their success is the magic of the dragons'' cauldron. But he cauldron is cracked, and to mend it they must reach the enchanted traveling mountain and engage the help of the fabled Snail man and the powerful Smith. Since the war against all dragons as escalated under the rule of the human king, Butcher, their journey is a dangerous one. The obstacles are endless, but so too are theqesters'' determination and resourcefulness. just when they think hat they are within reach of their final goal, they face the biggest challenge of all....

Yue, a Chinese merchant, discovers the wisdom in passing along kindness, when Bear Face, the huge hairy man Yue has befriended, saves his life.

While his father is away, Little Lee fights to save his mother''s soul from an evil fox spirit.

An honest young boy tries to get rid of an ever-increasing number of snakes that have come with the bowlful of silver coins he found.

Sung, a brave man who is not afraid of ghosts, meets one on a dark road and tricks it into revealing its secret weakness.

"Culled from 69 stories collected in a [1930s] WPA project, [these 20] tales are organized into sections with themes like ''Tricksters'' or ''Virtues and Vices,'' each with a thoughtful introduction placing the individual stories in the context of feelings and background of the original tellers. Yep''s telling is vigorous, often poetic, imbued with earthy humor and realism touched with fatalism. A handsomely designed collection." —K. Notable Children''s Books of 1989 (ALA) The USA Through Children''s Books 1990 (ALA) 1989 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Nonfiction 1990 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book) 1989 Children''s Editors'' Choices (BL) Notable 1989 Children''s Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC) Children''s Books of 1989 (Library of Congress) 1989 Children''s Books (NY Public Library) "The Best Books" 1989 (Parents Magazine)

Fifteen-year-old Joan Lee and her family find the adjustment hard when they move from Ohio to West Virginia in the 1920s.

A retelling of seventeen Chinese American folktales from a variety of Chinese communities in the United States.

The outlawed princess of the Dragon Clan and her young human companion undergo fearsome trials in their quest for an evil enchantress. ‘Dramatic tension stays high. Weaves Chinese legend into an exciting tapestry of myth and folklore.’ —BL. Notable Children''s Books of 1982 (ALA) 100 Favorite Paperbacks of 1989 (IRA/CBC)

From the time a giant squirrel curses Farmer Johnson''s best hunting dog, things are never the same around the farm. Stepping Stone.

Young adult.

A Chinese-American boy whose father wants him to be good in sports finally asserts his right to be himself.