The Busy Christmas Stable Book

A young girl - believing that the 4th of July is a time when people eat American foods like apple pie - tries to convince her parents that no one will be interested in the Chinese food they sell in their store. Despite her gloomy predictions - which seem, at first, to be borne out by the events of the day - they calmly carry on preparing the chow mein and sweet-and-sour pork. Do her immigrant parents know something she, despite being born in America, doesn't...?

Janet S. Wong, the child of Korean and Chinese immigrants herself, delivers an engaging story in Apple Pie 4th of July, one that addresses everything from the immigrant experience during the holidays, to the importance of food in shaping our identity. Although I think it will be of particular interest to immigrant and first-generation children, it is also just a fun holiday story that can be enjoyed by all young readers looking for 4th of July tales. The accompanying illustrations by Margaret Chodos-Irvine, which (according to the colophon) use a "variety of printmaking techniques," are bright and appealing, with a particular emphasis on red, white and blue.