Shadow of the Dragon

Danny Vo, the teenage son of Vietnamese immigrants, has conflicting goals: on one hand he wants to date golden-haired Tiffany Marie and be just like the rest of his classmates in Texas, and on the other hand he wants to show respect for his tradition-bound grandmother, who rules the family with an iron fist. Into this volatile situation steps Sang Le, Danny's cousin, who has spent much of his life in a Communist ``re-education'' camp but has now come to join Danny's family. Garland adds to this mix a dangerous gang of Vietnamese youths and a band of angry skinheads who stalk the streets of the Vos' Houston suburb. The inevitable violence shatters all whom it touches. Garland's ( Song of the Buffalo Boy ) expert dramatization and deliberate pacing build steadily for a thoroughly gripping, thought-provoking work. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)