Jean Fritz was born in China and lived there until 1927, when she was twelve. Young Jean had spent her entire life in China, but her parents' memor...
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reviews
Dec 09, 2011
Kelley
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Genre: Autobiography/ Newbery Honor
This is the autobiography of Jean Fritz; who was born to American missionaries in China and raised there until she was 13. This story talks about her time spent in China and her struggles with feeling different, while living there and attending a British school, and the turmoil that was occurring in China at that time.
Setting
The setting of this book is not something that all readers will be familiar with. This is a first-hand account of More...
This is the autobiography of Jean Fritz; who was born to American missionaries in China and raised there until she was 13. This story talks about her time spent in China and her struggles with feeling different, while living there and attending a British school, and the turmoil that was occurring in China at that time.
Setting
The setting of this book is not something that all readers will be familiar with. This is a first-hand account of More...
May 08, 2011
Miz Lizzie
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This 1983 Newbery Honor book is a fictionalized autobiography of author Jean Fritz's childhood in China in the 1920s. Born in China to YMCA missionaries, Jean longed with all her heart to be a real American, to meet her grandmother in person and to help her feed the chickens on her farm in Washington, P.A. Even so Jean loves her amah, Lin Nai-Nai, the Yangtse River, and holidays to the Chinese countryside. A headstrong, absurdly (by today's standards) innocent child, Jean chafes at her mother
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Nov 16, 2010
I believe I read this book as an elementary school student in the 80's. I remember reading and being fascinated by a book about an American girl who spent her childhood in China; I also remember that the book was written by an author known for her other works. For a long time, I thought that I had read a childhood memoir written by Pearl Buck, but I believe this is the book I remember.
Before I reread the book, I'm going to note what I remember:
- the servant carved butter sculp More...
Before I reread the book, I'm going to note what I remember:
- the servant carved butter sculp More...
Jan 23, 2010
Wendee
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I picked this up to learn more about Jean Fritz, who has authored many historical children's books.
It is a collection of memoirs from an American who lived in China for her first 14 years. Jean gave bold voice to normal feelings of childhood, which made me laugh out loud a few times as I related to her.
Many troubles came to her family during the 1920's in China because of political unrest and revolt. Being of American born parents, chinese called her a "foreign devil." More...
It is a collection of memoirs from an American who lived in China for her first 14 years. Jean gave bold voice to normal feelings of childhood, which made me laugh out loud a few times as I related to her.
Many troubles came to her family during the 1920's in China because of political unrest and revolt. Being of American born parents, chinese called her a "foreign devil." More...
Jul 31, 2010
Sarah
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Jean is a young girl growing up in China but homesick for America, a place she has never been. She vividly describes the world around her by telling about contrasts between American and Chinese customs, sharing about her American and Chinese friends, and giving insights into the changing times of 1920s China. Throughout the story, she realizes her love for China and its people and her longing for America and relatives she has never met. In the midst of trials and turmoil in China, she waits a
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Jan 01, 2010
Agreenhouse
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I was familiar with Jean Fritz as a children's writer who wrote biographies about America's Founding Fathers. A more patriotric children's author is hard to find. Who she became as an adult makes her memoir about her childhood growing up in China even more fascinating. Her father worked for the YMCA, and he didn't want to leave China, even as the country was falling into chaos as the Nationalists and Communists started to clash. A young child's perspective on what it was like to live at that
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Nov 23, 2011
Kari
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There were some oddities about it. But Jean reminded me of me at that age. And people say it's absurd to be this naive. (Okay, I knew about babies, and lots of other things, but that was because I read, not because I experienced.) She wasn't too naive about insulting language, now was she?
I read it because some distant cousins on my dad's side did the same thing about 30 years before the Gutterys. They were from Pennsylvania and everything. I like to read about people who use their l More...
I read it because some distant cousins on my dad's side did the same thing about 30 years before the Gutterys. They were from Pennsylvania and everything. I like to read about people who use their l More...
Aug 14, 2011
Poor Patrick Henry…he had to share my discovery of car sickness all those years ago (I still hate driving through those hills). My poor bookshelf! It still holds the remains of the said book, the very same copy.
Seven. That is the number of instances where my compartment-happy mother tried to do away with that book. In suffering over my pristine Saxon text for that year, it did me comfort to look up to see an old friend, rat-shredded cover splitting a decrepit smile over the titl More...
Seven. That is the number of instances where my compartment-happy mother tried to do away with that book. In suffering over my pristine Saxon text for that year, it did me comfort to look up to see an old friend, rat-shredded cover splitting a decrepit smile over the titl More...
Oct 29, 2008
Barbara
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This book suitable for ages nine through adult, and is very appropriate for unit studies on China in the 1920's. Jean makes the Yangtse River come alive with its coolies hauling water, women washing clothes, swarming houseboats, and junks with eyes painted on their prows. She lets us know how it felt to be a proud American (though one born in China) in a British school, forced to sing "God Save the King" every day. And she gives us her child's eye perspective on the growing turmoil in
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Jul 10, 2011
The story of Jean Fritz, Homesick: My Own Story tells the story of how Jean Fritz lived in China and only knew of America through her parents’ stories, and letters form relatives still living in America. There are extraordinary personalities evident in this story. Children can learn about Jean Fritz’s life through the storytelling. All events that occur in this story are true of Jean Fritz’s childhood. Children will be drawn into this story with the humor that Fritz uses.
Feb 03, 2009
Amy
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I enjoyed this book because I identified so much with the main character, who spent her first thirteen years living in China. Though the time period makes her experience vastly different from the one I had as a young expat, I saw a lot of me in her. She talks about her strong sense of patriotism, but you can see that she loves China, too, in her way. I also really identified with what she calls her "in-between" feeling on her journey between countries. The part that resonated most, tho
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Jun 01, 2010
Sandra
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Rather sweet, sad story about a young American girl born and growing up in China, while her father tried to help the people of China as head of the YMCA. While in China, Jean's mother who has difficulties with pregnancies, loses another daughter in infancy - the impact on Jean is a perspective most of us have never experienced. I enjoyed it and thought my great niece would also enjoy it, so I'll probably ship it to California. Quite short and charming artwork by Margot Tomes.
Jul 11, 2010
Maura
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This was a biography for young adults that I always saw in the library at work and for years intended to read it. Recently I picked up a used copy at a book swap, and after re-reading "The Good Earth" felt it would be a good time to read about a more modern China. It really is more of a memoir than biography, and only covers the year or so immediately preceding her move back to the US. But it's fascinating to see China of the 1920's through an 8-year-old's eyes.
May 04, 2010
Cece
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The description above is for a different book. The book I read and enjoyed was the autobiographical account of Jean Fritz's last two years in China as the child of Americans working there. An excellent picture of China as the culture changed dramatically during the Nationalist and Communist struggles. Fritz, born in China, longs for the home she has never seen, Washington P.A. She leaves China just as she is entering her teen years.
Feb 02, 2009
Lisa
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It was fascinating to read someone else's expatriate experience. It reminded me of what it was like to live in another country as a young person, to identify yourself as American 24/7, and then to come back to the US and be "that girl who lived in ____." I do wish that the author had devoted more pages to her experiences upon returning to the States, though. I remember my return being a major culture shock.
Sep 21, 2010
Susan
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This is a wonderful book told from the point of view of a 10 year old girl. She is spunky and resiliant living in China with parents who are not very nurturing. She survives with the help of others in her life and especailly by writing to a grandmother in America whom she does not meet until they come back to America when she is 13.
Mar 01, 2009
Amy
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The author says this book is mostly non-fiction but had to add in a little fiction because she couldn't remember everything. It is an interesting story of an American girl who grew up in China during a turbulent war-torn time period. For those who love books with an historical aspect, this will be a hit with them.
Jun 17, 2011
Angelina
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I read this book at the prompting of the author when she answered a fan letter from my fourth grade class and singled me out specifically. I enjoyed how even though the was older than I was when I read it, I understood how she felt. Fritz made her story easy to relate to in spite of how extraordinary it was.
May 26, 2009
Nora
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A memoir of the author growing up in China during the 1920s. She was the daughter of Americans living there, but since she grew up in the 20s, the bobbed hair and the button up shoes were just as foreign to me as the Chinese details-- and just as interesting. It seemed like such an innocent age, but was obviously very dangerous because of the political changes occurring in China. A charming, fun read.
May 17, 2011
Aimee
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This explains a lot about why Jean Fritz writes her non-fiction books the way she does - about people. History is about people (not just dates and places). Since I love History and she's a good author - I really enjoyed this little peek into her life.
Jan 07, 2009
Jacob
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It was a pretty good book. I had to read it for school and we have reading groups and so we chose it. It is about a girl who travels from China to America and she has some troubles along the way if you like biographys then this is the book for YOU.
Jan 04, 2012
707victoria
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This book was o.k. It was about the author, Jean Fritz, and about what she did in China. She got bullied, she made a friend who called her foreign devil, she rebelled in school, and was in the middle of a war. She couldn't wait to go back to America. The book didn't really grab my attention, but I liked it overall. I don't have much to say about it.
Oct 23, 2010
Jenny
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I did enjoy this book about a young American girl raised in China. At the end I found out this author is most famous for children's books. That kind of fit, but I'm not proud. ; )
Dec 10, 2011
Christina
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This is Zoe's next assigned book but I have decided to read it first before her. This is a very interesting book, almost like Little House except in China. I enjoyed this book and now Zoe is really enjoying it, too.
Apr 21, 2010
Note that I do not think the description posted above is the correct one for this book which actually discusses Fritz's experiences as an "expat" girl in China in the 1920s
May 13, 2011
Karen
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I enjoyed reading about her childhood in China even though she only covered a few years. She is known for her humor and I agree it makes the books come alive.
Aug 31, 2009
Leslie
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I remember reading this story a long time ago when I was in middle school. I think I have the book somewhere and hope to find it to read again.
Nov 09, 2011
Justine
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When you are told what this book is about, it may seem like it's a really boring book. It is about a twelve-year-old girl, who has lived in China all her life, until her parents decide to move to America because of family there and they are originally Americans. It's basically her story. It sounds boring, but it's not. I really loved it! It was a really good read. But what I didn't like about his book was that it ended so suddenly. It seems like there should be a lot more about her living in Ame
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Nov 21, 2009
Jen
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I can scarcely remember this book. It takes place in China.. and that's about it :) I don't remember loving it.
Feb 22, 2010
Etta
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A very satisfying book with quiet humor and insight into the life of a girl growning up in China.
