Making Friends with Billy Wong

Reviewed by: Phyllis Fuchs - Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date:

Review

Eleven year old Azalea hates having her summer "on the road to ruin" when her mother orders her to spend it not in Texas but in a small town in Arkansas. There she is to help a grandmother Azalea hardly knows as she heals from a recent fall. In the same town is the Billy Wong of the title. He lives with his great-uncle, helping him in his grocery store. The year is 1952. Until the 1960's, Chinese-American students like Billy and living in the south, could not attend the public school system and take part in sports, clubs and activities. Friendships, seriously troubled children, family and racial issues all emerge in this story that is told by Azalea but interspersed with mostly one-page, almost poetic thoughts and descriptions by Billy. With its interesting title and most attractive dust jacket, girls primarily of about nine years old through twelve, should find the book a rewarding read. An Author's Note with photographs describes some of the writer's research into those years before civil rights legislation was passed.

Overall Book Score: good