Most Popular Books by Laurence Yep

THE STORY: At the turn of the century, a young boy living in China with his mother, travels to San Francisco, California, Land of the Golden Mountain, to be with his father, Windrider, a kite maker who immigrated there a few years earlier to take

Twelve-year-old Casey is waiting for the day that Barney, her father, hits it big -- ''cause when that horse comes in, he tells her, it''s the penthouse suite. But then hr ends up in the hospital, and Casey is sent to Chinatown to live with her grandmother, Paw-Paw. Now the waiting seems longer than ever. Casey feels lost in Chinatown. She''s not prepared for the Chinese school, the noisy crowds, missing her father. But Paw-Paw tells her about the mother Casey never knew, and about her family''s owl charm and her true Chinese name. And Casey at last begins to understand that this -- Paw-Paw''s Chinatown home, her parents'' home -- is her home,too.

Young Laurence didn''t really where he fit in. He thought of himself as American, especially since he didn''t speak Chinese and couldn''t understand his grandmother, who lived in Chinatown. But others saw him as different in the conformist American of the 1950s. In this engaging memoir, the two-time Newbery Honor author tells how writing helped him start to solve the puzzle.

Angira is a primitive, violent planet -- and young Prince Vikram returns from Earth filled with new ideas. When Sulu and Spock accompany Vikram home, they walk into a bloodbath: reactionary forces, afraid of any modernization, have seized Vikram''s rightful throne. Suddenly the men from the Enterprise are on an underground journey with a Prince who is coming of age. The future of Angira is at stake, and each man''s survival depends on his skill -- and daring -- with a sword!

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

"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)

When a poor farmer falls into the clutches of a dragon, only Seven, his youngest daughter, will save him—by marrying the beast. Publishers Weekly praised "Yep''s elegant, carefully crafted storytelling" and Mak''s "skillfully and radiantly rendered illustrations" in this captivating and luminous Chinese variation of the beauty and the beast tale. A 1998 Notable Children''s Trade Book in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC) A 1997 Pick of the Lists (ABA)

From a two-time Newbery Honor author comes a skillfully crafted historical novel of friendship, community, and acceptance. Illustrations.

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

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.

On the planet Harmony, Tyree and his people are fighting to survive. In this richly inventive novel, acclaimed children''s author Yep creates a haunting and powerful story set in a future world. Illustrations.

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.

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

A family crisis threatens Mia''s chance to compete in the Regional Ice Skating competition.

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)

But now she''s living it. Amy feels like one of the evil stepsisters when her mother becomes an amah (a nanny) for Miss Stephanie. While her mother''s at work, Amy has to watch her younger brothers and sisters. That means missing ballet practices, which jeopardizes Amy''s role in the recital. And when Amy''s mother is home she can''t stop talking about how perfect Stephanie is-and how less than perfect Amy is. All Amy wants is for things to go back to the way they were before her father died, before her mother had to work. But maybe the solution to Amy''s problems lies not in changing the circumstances of her life, but in changing herself. Book jacket.

Steve can hardly believe it. With his new paintbrush, whatever he paints becomes real. Now he, Grandfather, and Uncle Fong can wish for anything they want. Uncle Fong uses the paintbrush to return to China, to the village of his childhood, and Grandfather wants to visit the Lady on the Moon. Steve wonders if the paintbrush can bring his parents back. But they all soon realize the paintbrush might have its own agenda. .

The Weaving Maid wove robes of silk for Heaven, but when she met the Cowboy, she abandoned her loom to be with him. But Heaven would not allow this, and put the Milky Way in between them. Silk binds the lives of four girls from different generations with the fate of the Weaving Maid. Across a span of seventy-five years both in China and America, each girl shows the strength and courage of a dragon as she fights and sacrifices for the survival of her family and the pursuit of passion. In this masterfully woven conclusion to the series that includes two Newbery Honor Books, Dragonwings and Dragon’s Gate, award-winning author Laurence Yep brings the acclaimed Golden Mountain Chronicles full circle and pays tribute to the love of family, art, and heritage.

Did you want to go to America? Pop: Sure. I didn''t have a choice. My father said I had to go. So I went. Were you sad when you left your village? Pop: Maybe a little . . . well, maybe a lot. Ten-year-old Gim Lew Yep knows that he must leave his home in China and travel to America with the father who is a stranger to him. Gim Lew doesn''t want to leave behind everything that he''s ever known. But he is even more scared of disappointing his father. He uses his left hand, rather than the "correct" right hand; he stutters; and most of all, he worries about not passing the strict immigration test administered at Angel Island. The Dragon''s Child is a touching portrait of a father and son and their unforgettable journey from China to the land of the Golden Mountain. It is based on actual conversations between two-time Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep and his father and on research on his family''s immigration history by his niece, Dr. Kathleen S. Yep.

In 531 A.D., a fifteen-year-old princess of the Hsien tribe in southern China keeps a diary which describes her role as liaison between her own people and the local Chinese colonists, in times of both peace and war.

In 1927, as Christmas approaches, fifteen-year-old Joan Lee hopes to get her parents'' permission to celebrate the holiday, one of the problems of belonging to the only Chinese American family in her small West Virginia community.

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

Best friends Cal and Barney are down and out in Chinatown. In the America of 1939, they are trapped by invisible barriers created by racial prejudice. With no jobs and no real homes, it''s only their wizardry with a basketball that''s let them survive this long. That same skill suddenly flings a door open to fame and fortune when a professional basketball team, the Dragons, invites them to join the team. Soon they''re barnstorming across America and taking on all comers—from local amateurs to other professional teams like the Harlem Globetrotters. On that long, difficult road, they must battle rowdy teams and their even rougher fans on makeshift courts. Cal, aka Flash, and the team must also overcome terrible weather, crumbling highways, and their own disintegrating car. As the tour starts to fall apart, the tension between Cal and the team''s jealous captain comes to a head. Suddenly Cal must choose between loyalty to his teammates and the pursuit of his own celebrity. Inspired by the pioneering professional Chinese American basketball team the Hong Wah Kues, Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep re-creates a colorful era of barnstorming basketball and leads readers through the heartache and glory of the dragon road.

Rumble, rumble. Auntie Tiger''s tummy is growling, and she is on the prowl for something very, very tasty. Big Sister looks delicious. Little Sister looks yummy, too. But Auntie Tiger will have to be very tricky, because even though the sisters quarrel, they will do anything to protect each other. Award-winning author Laurence Yep''s deft adaptation of a Chinese tiger version of "Little Red Riding Hood" has been illustrated in vibrant colors that pop off the page by newcomer Insu Lee. Auntie Tiger is sure to make you laugh—and make you hungry!

Eight-year-old Henry and nine-year-old Chin love to read about heroes in popular "penny dreadful" novels, until they both witness real courage while trying to survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

An ex-movie star turned publicist, Auntie Tiger Lil can''t seem to stay away from the big screen''or from danger! When she takes her niece Lily to the set of TV''s hottest show, tempers flare and fuses ignite as a loaded gun finds its way into the scene. Somebody is trying to cause trouble, and everyone is suspect. Auntie Tiger Lil and a new cast of characters are once again in the enter of action as they travel from Chinatown to the dangerous Tenderloin District of San Francisco in search of clues. They follow a trail of firecrackers, gangs, bad food, and gambling to dead ends. How will they ever find the real culprit? 01-02 Young Hoosier Book Award Masterlist (Gr 4-6)

Young adult.

On the morning of August 6, 1945, an American bomber, the Enola Gay, roars down the runway of the Pacific island, Tinian. Its target is Hiroshima, Japan. Its cargo is an atom bomb. The same morning, twelve-year-old Sachi and her classmates tear down houses. It is their way of contributing to the war effort. Suddenly, a teacher yells "B-29! B-29!" There is a blinding light like the sun, a boom like a giant drum. The Enola Gay has dropped an atom bomb over Hiroshima. Will Sachi ever see her family again? Book jacket.

Two-time Newbery Honor Award-winning author Laurence Yep returns with the action-packed sequel to the critically-acclaimed City of Fire From the islands of Hawaii, Scirye and her loyal companions pursue the villainous Mr. Roland and evil dragon Badik all the way to the city of Nova Hafnia in the Arctic Circle. With the help of a trader, Prince Tarkhun, and his daughter Roxanna, the companions chase their enemies into the vast and desolate Wastes. Scirye and her friends are determined to stop Mr. Roland from getting his hands on the second of the Five Lost Treasures of Emperor Yü, which will give him the power to alter the very fabric of the universe. But few who enter the Wastes ever return, and Scirye has no choice but to call on the spirit of the North for help. As wild and unpredictable as the Arctic itself, will the spirit turn out to be friend or foe?

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?

Tom meets a talking tiger named Mr. Hu and is drawn into an ancient war between good and evil. Vatten, a monstrous being, steals an ancient charm that brings peace or destruction and it is up to Tom, Mr. Hu, an outlaw dragon, and a mischievous monkey to return it. Includes an author profile and photo.