Vatsana's Lucky New Year

Vatsana grows apprehensive on learning that her aunt and cousin Ketsy are coming from Laos to live with her family in America. The 12-year-old's mother believes that her daughter and Ketsy will be like sisters, but Vatsana is not so sure. After all, she was born in America, and Ketsy will not even be able to speak English. Vatsana wishes her parents would talk less about their life in Laos and become more like Americans. But when the girl is confronted with prejudice and hatred, she must reexamine her feelings toward her Laotian heritage. Gogol lucidly addresses the issues of bigotry and assimilation, exploring these issues as they affect family values at home, relationships between peers in and out of school, life in the community. As Vatsana begins to grasp the importance and uniqueness of Laotian traditions, Gogol realistically and sensitively portrays her heroine's evolving thoughts and feelings. Ages 10-14. (Dec.)