  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 11/01/2011 Gr 5 Up—This final installment in the series tells the tale of three generations. The connections they have are more than blood-relation ties. They are also bonded together by their affinity for silk. Based on Chinese mythology, which is also rich with silk, the family's story is presented in varying first-person accounts in a five-part process. Generations are represented from the years 1835, 1881, 1932, 1962, and 2011. Throughout these parts, readers see the changing dynamic of the silk industry, from the days when the silkworms were grown and cultivated in China in one's own home to the age of industry, when factories and sweatshops line the streets in and around San Francisco's Chinatown. Changes are noted also in the way the family functions; in the 1800s, the relatives do what is necessary to help one another. In the 1962 to 2011 accounts, the women push youngsters to reach for their dreams rather than settling for the norm. The result is a success story that encourages belief in self and encouragement to strive for a goal. This story not only provides readers with a brief history of China and Chinese immigration, but also gives them a boost of confidence to reach for the stars when all they might see is impossibility.—Kathryn Kennedy, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 10/15/2011 Spanning more than 75 years of family history, the conclusion to Yep’s Golden Mountain Chronicles shows how “silk is in the blood” of succeeding generations of young women. From a silkworm farm in rural China to an embattled spinning factory to Depression-era Chinatown in San Francisco, we meet subsequent Young Swallows for whom hard work wins out over dreams of independence. But there is a successful dreamer in that fourth generation—a contemporary fashion designer—who, through Yep’s artful storytelling, is shown to bring the family tale full circle with clarity and credibility. - Copyright 2011 Booklist. Loading...
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