IN THE YEAR OF THE BOAR AND JACKIE ROBINSON

Shirley Temple Wong and her mother leave the familiarity of a traditional Chinese household to join Shirley's father in America. Melissa Hughes's restrained narration reflects loneliness and confusion as Shirley struggles to make sense of the completely new language and culture of Brooklyn. The story picks up as Hughes gives voice to the variety of accents that might be found in a New York immigrant neighborhood in 1947. She contrasts the gentle voices of Shirley's parents, especially when they too experience moments of deep homesickness, with the excitement and humor of Shirley and her friends as they follow rookie Jackie Robinson and their beloved Dodgers all they way to the World Series. R.H.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2008]