  | Worthy : the brave and capable life of Joseph Pierce Author: Wang, Andrea | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
In the mid-nineteenth century, an impoverished farmer from Canton, China, sold his young son to an American sea captain, Amos Peck. The boy, dubbed "Joe," worked on the ship for months, not knowing if his fate was to do so forever. Or would he be sold again? When the ship returned to America, Captain Peck brought the young boy to his family, who raised him with the other children.
| Illustrator: | Vang, Youa |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (08/15/25)
School Library Journal (+) (10/31/25)
Booklist (+) (00/08/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 09/15/2025 Enslaved as a child to a white American sea captain, a Chinese youth seeking to prove himself "worthy" must eventually grapple with whether "America was worthy of him" in this extended picture book biography from Wang (Watercress). Though his name has been lost to history, the boy (1842-1916), called Joe by the captain and crew, is taken from Canton, China, aboard a ship transporting enslaved Chinese men to sugar plantations in Cuba. On the ship, Joe learns to cook, delivers messages, and "tried to prove that he could do more than cut sugarcane." Upon landing, the captain takes Joe home to his Connecticut farm, where the boy is renamed Joseph Pierce and "almost" treated like a member of the family. He attends school and labors on the farm before enlisting to fight in the Civil War, seeking to both "prove his worth" and become a U.S. citizen. In sweeping landscapes and visually detailed group scenes, debut illustrator Vang’s digitally finished acrylic paintings vividly re-create the time period in this history of a man facing "hardship with courage, integrity, and dignity"-a work that recognizes each person’s inherent worth. Back matter includes a timeline and author’s note. Ages 4-8. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. (Aug.) - Copyright 2025
School Library Journal - 10/31/2025 Gr 2–4—This true story presents the life of Joseph Pierce, a Chinese American who fought for the Union in the American Civil War. With a sympathetic voice, Wang (Watercress) outlines Pierce's origins in Canton (now known as Guangdong), enslavement in childhood, service in the Union Army, and experiences with prejudice and ill treatment. The author's exhaustive research is evident on every page (and in the thorough time line and bibliography), and her use of speculative detail to fill gaps in the historical record makes for a riveting biography. Of note is the book's inclusion of newspaper headlines from Pierce's era that express racist and anti-Chinese sentiments, boldly confronting the realities of his world. Vang's stirring acrylic paintings, digitally finished, strengthen the impact of the narrative. The lighting and composition lend a cinematic quality to the illustrations, particularly in darker scenes illuminated by lanterns, campfires, and the setting sun. In a few instances, the plot's tight focus on its protagonist may leave readers searching for greater detail. Early in the story, the young Joe is sold by his father to an American sea captain (acknowledged by Wang to be one of several possible versions of the truth). In the historical context of food scarcity, this grim, desperate act makes logical sense, but children might be surprised that the book doesn't delve into what the boy's father might have felt in such an unimaginable situation. Later, readers learn that "Joe wanted to marry Martha," with no previous reference to her in the text, although the pictures hint at romance and the time line identifies Pierce's wife as a white woman named Martha Morgan. This omission can be confusing and doesn't give readers insight into the couple's decision to get married in a society hostile to interracial couples. VERDICT A compelling true story, excellent for older readers interested in American history and suited to social studies in the classroom.—Jonah Dragan - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
