Book Review: Dragonwings

Yep, Laurence. Dragonwings. New York: Harper Trophy, 1975.

Dragonwings by Laurence Yep is a novel for students 10 and up and tells the story of a young boy named Moon Shadow. The story begins in 1903 with Moon Shadow living in the Middle Kingdom of China with his mother and grandmother. When Moon Shadow is eight years old he is forced to sail across the Pacific Ocean to live with his father in America also called “demon land” by the Chinese people. The book chronicles Moon Shadows many struggles as a Chinese-American to learn the customs and language of his new country and form a relationship with his previously absent father. The story is titled Dragonwings because it is the dream of Moon Shadows father to build a flying machine reminiscent of dragon wings.

Ultimately Dragonwings is a story about the fight for survival of a father and son in a new and confusing country. This is a story about hope and the bonding experience of a father with his son after eight years apart. Asian American families are often separated when immigrating to America. Therefore, many Asian American characters should be able to connect with the main character from this story. Several of the struggles to adjust to American customs are also significant struggles for many of the readers of this story. The author portrayed his character in a realistic manner that gives struggling Asian American readers hope for a successful transition into American culture.

Also, the author Laurence Yep put over six years of research into the historical events presented in this story. Therefore, readers can be sure of its historical accuracy. He intertwines this element with believable characters that in many ways depict the realities of Asian American culture. By combining all these elements and producing a positive representation of Asian-American literature, Yep has created a story that certainly works as a piece of diverse literature.