The Quail Club

Source of Miscellany: My drafts file.  I wrote this up shortly after I wrote up The Gold-Threaded Dress but never got a chance to post it.

Why this book? I am teaching The Gold-Thread Dress as part of my immigration unit right now!  I was reminded that I had this lurking in my files when my students asked (as they always do) if there are more in the series.

I’ve been teaching The Gold-Threaded Dress, but only found out about this sequel a few months ago!  Oy is now in fifth grade and somehow has magically become friendly with her bully, Liliandra.  But of course, things will not go smoothly.  Liliandra is still the boss of a club – this time it’s called The Quail Club and she wants Oy to dance her way, the American way, at a talent show.

Oy again struggles with feelings of wanting to be American and wanting to be Thai.  Although things improve between her and Liliandra and we are given some insight into why Liliandra is a bully, I can’t say as I liked the overall message.  In books, it’s so easy to say that children should keep reaching out to someone who is mean and thing will get better, but it real life, things seldom work out that way.

This book is on grade level for third grade.  As I mentioned before I wasn’t thrilled with the message it sends about friendship.  Also of note (although pretty random), the girls use a wood-burning tool without adult supervision.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – The girls watch American dancing on TV.  The dancers on TV wear bikini tops and skirts so short they barely hide their underwear.  The TV dancers have pierced bellybuttons and bare midriffs.  Some girls on TV wear skin-colored tops so that they appear naked.
Profanity – None
Death, Violence and Gore – Boys play a computer game where the characters shoot laser guns at each other.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – Liliandra comments that the smoke from incense smells better than cigarettes.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.