Susie Wilde (Children's Literature)
Grace Lin writes the book as she invents a protagonist, Pacy, who must have been much like she was. Pacy is confused about her identity. She has a Taiwanese name at home, but at elementary school where she is the only Asian-American, she uses her American name, Grace. Her mom is Taiwanese. Her Dad is Chinese. Is she Taiwanese- Chinese-American? And what will she be when she grows up? Pacy knows The Year of the Dog will be lucky for her. It was the year in which she was born and her mom tells her “since dogs are honest and sincere, it’s a good year to find yourself.” Will she be a scientist? A writer? This readable short novel is even more approachable because of its amusing drawings and instructive family anecdotes. Knowing the character is based on the author’s life makes it really interesting to check how everything worked out on the author’s website, www.gracelin.com. 2006, Little Brown, $14.99. Ages 7 to 10.

Jeanna Sciarrotta (Children's Literature)
In the age of self-awareness, Grace Lin has written a lighthearted story about Pacey, a young Taiwanese-American girl struggling to find a balance between her “American” life and her Asian roots. This is a fun and simple coming-of-age story for anyone who feels that they do not quite fit in. This book is sprinkled with entertaining small drawings in the margins that younger readers will enjoy. It is, however, infused with mini-lessons and anecdotes that are meant to teach but instead confuse the reader by veering off track in a way that does not quite tie in with the rest of the story. Pacey’s quest to find an identity in the Year of the Dog allows her to explore who she is. This is Grace Lin’s attempt to write a book that she would have loved as a child. 2006, Time Warner Book Group, $14.99. Ages 8 to 12.

CCBC (Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices, 2007)
A breezy novel for middle grade readers is about Grace, whose life is an exuberant blend of home and school, family and friends, and Chinese and American traditions. On Chinese New Year, Grace learns that the upcoming Year of the Dog is supposed to be a good time to find out what you want to do with your life, and she’s eager to figure it out. Stories and art play an important role in author/artist Lin’s strongly autobiographical narrative, which features many spot illustrations. Grace’s mother often tells family stories that make for amusing and sometimes enlightening connections between present and past for Grace and her sisters. Grace’s family easily blends their Chinese/Taiwanese heritage and traditions with contemporary American life. But there are occasional moments of doubt and confusion for Grace, such as when she eagerly signs up to try out for the role of Dorothy in a school production of The Wizard of Oz, only to be told by a classmate that Dorothy isn’t Chinese. In an author’s note, Lin states that she set out to write the kind of story she would have loved as a child, in which the magic comes in reading about the regular lives of the characters. She deftly infuses that magic into her own narrative, which is grounded in lively, authentic details of childhood. CCBC Category: Fiction for Children. 2006, Little Brown, 134 pages, $14.99. Ages 7-10.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2005 (Vol. 73, No. 24))
Being Taiwanese-American is confusing, and being the only Asian kid in your elementary school-except for your older sister-is not always comfortable. Pacy has high hopes for the Year of the Dog, which, she learns, is a year for finding friends and finding yourself. The friend comes first: a new girl, Melody, whose family is also Taiwanese-American. Over the course of the year, Pacy eats at Melody's house, where the food is familiar but also very different, celebrates her cousin's Red Egg day, writes a story for a national contest, visits Chinatown in New York City and wins a prize. Not only does she feel rich, she knows what she wants to do with her life. The Year of the Dog turns out exactly as advertised. Elementary school readers will enjoy the familiar details of school life and the less familiar but deliciously described Chinese holiday meals. Interspersed with the happenings of daily life are her mother's stories of Pacy's grandparents' lives and her own struggles as a new immigrant. Occasional black-and-white drawings by the author enliven the text. This comfortable first-person story will be a treat for Asian-American girls looking to see themselves in their reading, but also for any reader who enjoys stories of friendship and family life. 2006, Little, Brown, 112p, $14.99. Category: Fiction. Ages 8 to 12. © 2005 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Deborah Stevenson, Associate Editor (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, February 2006 (Vol. 59, No. 6))
Episodic short chapters follow Grace (Pacy at her Taiwanese-American home) through the Year of the Dog, as she enjoys the celebrations, makes friends with a new girl (the first Taiwanese or even Chinese classmate she’s had), visits with family, and prepares her own book for entry in a publishing contest for kids. An author’s note explains that this is largely based on her own childhood, and there is unsurprisingly a somewhat old-fashioned feel to the narrative and events as a consequence. Lin also notes her youthful fondness for Carolyn Haywood, and the book’s sedate pacing and quiet domesticity definitely echoes Haywood’s; the episodes would, in fact, benefit from a little more energy and a little more overarching narrative thrust and continuity (Grace’s friend Becky pretty much drops out of the story without explanation when the new girl arrives). The book is strong in the classic virtues of accessibility and warmth, however, and it’s unusual to see that tradition combined with an insider story of a second-culture family (lively interpolated stories often give glimpses into Grace’s mother’s very different youth and immigrant experience); it’s nice to see a book where second-culture identity is part of an everyday-life narrative rather than a problem novel. Short, easy chapters make this additionally suitable for reading aloud to younger audiences, and readers will find this a comradely, if somewhat bland, look into one girl’s year. Tidy, solidly lined drawings, seemingly created by the narrator, pop up in margins and chapter headings throughout and enhance the book’s approachability. (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: Ad -- Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2006, Little, 112p, $14.99. Grades 3-4.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2006)
For Taiwanese-American Pacy, sorting out her ethnic identity is important, and she wonders what she should be when she grows up. Writing and illustrating a book for a national contest makes her think that perhaps she can become an author of a "real Chinese person book." Lin offers both authentic Taiwanese-American and universal childhood experiences, told from a genuine child perspective. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2006, Little, 137pp, 14.99. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.