RGG: The author's memoir of growing up Chinese-American to immigrant parents in San Francisco. Very detailed, and a bit dry for middle grader readers.

This book is an autobiography, which is the story of a real person’s life written by that person. Laurence Yep describes his experiences growing up in San Francisco. Born and raised in San Francisco, Yep gives a vivid account of life in that city in the '50s and '60s and his own quest for personal identity. Yep, describes himself as a Chinese-American raised in a black neighborhood, too American to fit into Chinatown and too Chinese to fit in anywhere else. I can relate to this book because it is a literary autobiography for children and, more, a thoughtful probing into what it means to be an American.
Extension Activities
Story Writing: Have each student write a story about their neighborhood and how it feels to live there. When each story is complete, have the student illustrate.
Shared Writing: After the writing is completed, let the students share their writing with one another. Let each student explain what he or she wrote about and why. Allow the group to critique the author’s work in a positive and supportive manner. Feedback from peers becomes an important part of this sharing experience.

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