New Releases by Laurence Yep

For fans of How to Train Your Dragon comes a new tale about dragon Miss Drake and her human pet Winnie, by a two-time Newbery Honor winner, featuring illustrations by Caldecott Honor winner Mary GrandPré. Three-thousand-year-old Miss Drake has arranged to send her dear pet Winnie to The Spriggs Academy, an extraordinary school for humans and magicals alike. Winnie is particularly excited about magic class and having Sir Isaac Newton for science. She’s also making new friends—and frenemies. . . . When a plot to snatch Winnie from her San Francisco home is uncovered, Miss Drake is ready to use all her cunning and magic to thwart it. Not that feisty Winnie needs the help. . . . As a team, the intrepid duo you first met in A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans is unstoppable! With equal doses of whimsy and humor, Laurence Yep and Joanne Ryder have crafted an enchanting story about true friendship. Praise for A Dragon’s Guide to Making Your Human Smarter • "Yep and Ryder keep the magic coming with their whimsical fantasy, enhanced by Grandpré's sweet drawings. The story positively vibrates with fun." —Kirkus Reviews • " Lighthearted episodes of unusual school lessons and field trips, illustrated by GrandPré’s winsome spot art, are grounded by Miss Drake’s more serious encounters with the goons...a gratifying development as this buoyant, fantastical series continues."—The Horn Book Review Praise for A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans • *“Warm humor, magical mishaps, and the main characters’ budding mutual respect and affection combine to give this opener for a planned series a special shine that will draw readers and leave them impatient for sequels.” —Booklist, Starred • “The tale is alternately comical, suspenseful and sometimes sweetly emotional.” —Kirkus Reviews • “Miss Drake’s arch narration and the sharp back-and-forth between the characters create an enchanting story, accented by GrandPré’s whimsical black-and-white spot illustrations.” —Publishers Weekly • “With a black-and-white spot illustration opening most chapters, an engaging narrator, and a consistently fluid writing style, this title makes a fine dragon choice for readers.” —School Library Journal

Winnie and her pet dragon Miss Drake are back to their lessons as they head to the 1915 San Francisco World's Fair and wish-granting souvenirs follow them home.

Fans of How to Train Your Dragon will love this whimsical tale, the first in a series, by a Newbery Honor winner, featuring charming illustrations and pet "training tips" in each chapter. Crusty dragon Miss Drake has a new pet human, precocious Winnie. Oddly enough, Winnie seems to think Miss Drake is her pet—a ridiculous notion! Unknown to most of its inhabitants, the City by the Bay is home to many mysterious and fantastic creatures, hidden beneath the parks, among the clouds, and even in plain sight. And Winnie wants to draw every new creature she encounters: the good, the bad, and the ugly. But Winnie’s sketchbook is not what it seems. Somehow, her sketchlings have been set loose on the city streets! It will take Winnie and Miss Drake’s combined efforts to put an end to the mayhem . . . before it’s too late. This refreshing debut collaboration by Laurence Yep, a two-time Newbery Honor winner and a Laura Ingalls Wilder Award winner, and Joanne Ryder features illustrations by Mary GrandPré. Praise for A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans *“Warm humor, magical mishaps, and the main characters’ budding mutual respect and affection combine to give this opener for a planned series a special shine.” –Booklist, Starred “Aternately comical, suspenseful and sometimes sweetly emotional.” –Kirkus Reviews “With a black-and-white spot illustration opening most chapters, an engaging narrator, and a consistently fluid writing style, this title makes a fine dragon choice for readers.” –School Library Journal “In this series launch, Yep and Ryder conjure up a world where dragons and humans interact, and the results are heartwarming and quite funny.” –Publishers Weekly “A clever and amusing novel that imagines a magical world that nestles right up against our own and sometimes crosses over.” –The Bulleting of the Center for Children’s Books Praise for A Dragon’s Guide to Making Your Human Smarter "Yep and Ryder keep the magic coming with their whimsical fantasy, enhanced by Grandpré's sweet drawings. The story positively vibrates with fun." —Kirkus Reviews " Lighthearted episodes of unusual school lessons and field trips, illustrated by GrandPré’s winsome spot art, are grounded by Miss Drake’s more serious encounters with the goons...a gratifying development as this buoyant, fantastical series continues."—The Horn Book Review

When Isabelle's idol, Jackie Sanchez, invites her to join a group of travelling performers, Isabelle jumps on board. But she's not prepared for all the challenges of a travelling tour - or for performing for the first time without her big sister, Jade by her side. Isabelle is thrilled when she starts growing closer to Jackie, but then the travelling show itself starts falling part. Can Isabelle tap into her unique talents to help the show go on? When she realizes that she's performing for some very special guests she's determined to try.

Isabelle, who attends a performing arts school in Washington, D.C., with her older sister, Jade, has a passion for ballet dancing but lacks self-confidence.

Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep's incredible JOURNAL OF WONG MING-CHUNG is now in paperback with a stunning repackaging! In 1852, during the height of the California Gold Rush, ten-year-old Wong makes the dangerous trip to America to live with his uncle, exchanging the famine and war of his native country for brutal bullies and grueling labor in America, Wong joins his uncle and countless others in the effort to strike it rich on the great "Golden Mountain." Unfortunately, he, and most of the rest of the dreamers, soon discover that there's no such thing as a Golden Mountain, only dirt, mud, and occasionally tiny flecks of gold dust--flecks that are to be turned over to the owners of the mines, in return for barely livable wages. However, someone as clever and resourceful as Wong will have to find other ingenious ways of making money if they're going to make it in America. But can they overcome the bitter, racist white Americans to find success?

Two-time Newbery Honor Award–winning author Laurence Yep brings his epic City Trilogy to an action-packed and heart-pounding conclusion Scirye and her loyal companions chase the villainous Mr. Roland for a final showdown at Riye Srukalleyis, the City of Death, located in the heart of the Kushan Empire, along the Silk Road. There, they reunite with old friends, meet new allies, and confront an even more dangerous foe.... This is the thrilling conclusion to the trilogy that began with City of Fire and City of Ice by esteemed storyteller Laurence Yep, who has been one of the preeminent Asian-American authors for children for the past forty years.

The Weaving Maid wove robes of silk for Heaven, but when she met the Cowboy, she abandoned her loom to be with him. But Heaven would not allow this, and put the Milky Way in between them. Silk binds the lives of four girls from different generations with the fate of the Weaving Maid. Across a span of seventy-five years both in China and America, each girl shows the strength and courage of a dragon as she fights and sacrifices for the survival of her family and the pursuit of passion. In this masterfully woven conclusion to the series that includes two Newbery Honor Books, Dragonwings and Dragon’s Gate, award-winning author Laurence Yep brings the acclaimed Golden Mountain Chronicles full circle and pays tribute to the love of family, art, and heritage.

Two-time Newbery Honor Award-winning author Laurence Yep returns with the action-packed sequel to the critically-acclaimed City of Fire From the islands of Hawaii, Scirye and her loyal companions pursue the villainous Mr. Roland and evil dragon Badik all the way to the city of Nova Hafnia in the Arctic Circle. With the help of a trader, Prince Tarkhun, and his daughter Roxanna, the companions chase their enemies into the vast and desolate Wastes. Scirye and her friends are determined to stop Mr. Roland from getting his hands on the second of the Five Lost Treasures of Emperor Yü, which will give him the power to alter the very fabric of the universe. But few who enter the Wastes ever return, and Scirye has no choice but to call on the spirit of the North for help. As wild and unpredictable as the Arctic itself, will the spirit turn out to be friend or foe? At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Newbery Honor author Yep "breaks this collection of poems, stories and one short play into thematic sections .... work from the old and the young, the known .... and the unknown." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Best friends Cal and Barney are down and out in Chinatown. In the America of 1939, they are trapped by invisible barriers created by racial prejudice. With no jobs and no real homes, it's only their wizardry with a basketball that's let them survive this long. That same skill suddenly flings a door open to fame and fortune when a professional basketball team, the Dragons, invites them to join the team. Soon they're barnstorming across America and taking on all comers—from local amateurs to other professional teams like the Harlem Globetrotters. On that long, difficult road, they must battle rowdy teams and their even rougher fans on makeshift courts. Cal, aka Flash, and the team must also overcome terrible weather, crumbling highways, and their own disintegrating car. As the tour starts to fall apart, the tension between Cal and the team's jealous captain comes to a head. Suddenly Cal must choose between loyalty to his teammates and the pursuit of his own celebrity. Inspired by the pioneering professional Chinese American basketball team the Hong Wah Kues, Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep re-creates a colorful era of barnstorming basketball and leads readers through the heartache and glory of the dragon road.

Standing beside his father, a man he hardly knew, at Angel Island in front of the immigration officials, ten-year-old Gim Lew fears the worst when the time comes for his father to answer very important questions that will decide their fates, in a dramatic tale about the process of Chinese American immigration.

Eight-year-old Henry and nine-year-old Chin love to read about heroes in popular "penny dreadful" novels, until they both witness real courage while trying to survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

When a loaded gun appears on the set of a hit television show, Auntie Tiger Lil, and Lily must follow a trail of firecrackers, gangs, and gambling to find the culprit in this page-turning mystery by Newbery Honor author Yep.

In this latest chapter of the acclaimed series by the two-time Newbery Honor author, tensions between the American miners and their Chinese rivals are high in a small mining town. But two young outcasts forge an unexpected friendship that saves them from the town's hatred.

From a two-time Newbery Honor author comes a skillfully crafted historical novel of friendship, community, and acceptance. Illustrations.

Teddy's idea of a good vacation is a triple-feature at the movie theater. So when his uncle invites him to go camping, he is more than a little reluctant. To make matters worse, his know-it-all little brother, Bobby, is coming, too. Teddy practices his camping skills in his Chinatown apartment and watches Wilderness Scout for tips, but nothing can prepare him for his meeting with Mother Nature. Soon Teddy, Bobby, and Uncle Curtis find themselves in the woods, sleeping on rocks, and battling raccoons, mosquitoes, and poison oak. Through it all, Teddy is determined to prove he is just as smart as his little brother. But the worst is yet to come. A hike leaves them lost in the woods-and is that a skunk coming down the path?

All Joan Lee and her younger siblings, Bobby and Emily, want for Christmas in 1927 is to be allowed to celebrate it. Joan longs to be just like everyone else, even if she is Chinese, but this will be the Lees' first Christmas in West Virginia! Miss Lucy, their landlady and friend, innocently invites the family to celebrate Christmas with her. Joan's parents resist at first, but that changes when Papa realizes he can turn it to his advantage. The children can have Christmas, but only if they are good--all the time. Joan, Bobby, and Emily quickly become aware of how hard this will be as each day brings new temptations of sledding, playing in the snow, and spending time with friends. Joan is particularly intrigued by the glamorous Victoria Barrington and her father, who have a mysterious past and are so unlike her own family. But a crisis forces Joan to gain a new understanding of her parents and her heritage, and she must look to her past in order to help her family before it's too late. Continuing the story of the Lees begun in The Star Fisher, winner of the Christopher Award and the West Virginia Literary Award, Dream Soul is a touching story of love, loyalty, and the importance of family. Books for the Teen Age 2001 (NYPL)

Teddy and his little brother Bobby devise strategies using bugs to defeat the school bully.

When a poor farmer falls into the clutches of a dragon, only Seven, his youngest daughter, will save him—by marrying the beast. Publishers Weekly praised "Yep's elegant, carefully crafted storytelling" and Mak's "skillfully and radiantly rendered illustrations" in this captivating and luminous Chinese variation of the beauty and the beast tale. A 1998 Notable Children's Trade Book in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC) A 1997 Pick of the Lists (ABA)

As her parents' arguments become more frequent, Robin looks forward to the visits that she and her grandmother make to Chinatown, where they pretend to be an elderly cook's family, giving Robin new insights into her Chinese heritage.

What would you do if your famous movie-star aunt asked you to be a jar of ointment in Chinatown's New Year's parade? And what if disaster struck in the middle of the parade and someone stole the priceless Goblin Pearls right in front of you? Worse still, what if your great-aunt still thought she was the famous action heroine Tiger Lil and decided to catch the thieves? What else could you do but become her sidekick? Lily is excited when Auntie Tiger Lil comes to San Francisco to arrange the Lion Salve float and marching unit for the New Year's parade. Most famous for the Tiger Lil series of action movies, she's now dabbling in publicity, and the Lion Salve account could finance her movie comeback. The float is sure to be the centerpiece of the parade, especially since Miss Lion Salve will be wearing the ancient Goblin Pearls that day. The Goblin Pearls have always been trouble, and the day of the parade is no exception. When they're stolen in broad daylight, Tiger Lil isn't about to let some punks ruin her plans -- if the cops can't catch the thieves, she will. But everything is not what it seems, and Tiger Lil and Lily soon find themselves in the middle of a plot worthy of one of Auntie's movies. Will this be the end of Tiger Lil and her trusty sidekick, or will they live to sleuth another day?

If you asked her, Robin would say that ballet means everything to her. But no one's asking Robin. Not her parents, who can no longer afford ballet lessons because all of their money is going toward bringing Robin's Chinese grandmother to America. Not her grandmother, a demanding woman who can barely walk. And now, Robin is even losing touch with her ballet friends, who are moving on without her. It's hard for Robin to hide her resentment of this foreign grandmother who's changed her whole life. Then Robin uncovers a secret that leads to a new understanding of the many ways in which she and her tough old grandmother are alike. "An appealing story that draws readers into the world of ballet, while offering an authentic and sometimes amusing look at the dynamics of Chinese-American family life."—School Library Journal "Kids who appreciate a story about fighting for one's dream will enjoy Robin's saga."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

A boy with a face so sad that nobody wants to look at him runs away with a caravan of giants to the city of dragons, where his sorrowful face is finally appreciated.

Their families fought one another for generations, maintaining an age-old blood feud. But that changed when they found themselves on the same side of a new struggle against the tyrannical Manchu dynasty. By devoting himself fully to the revolution, Squeaky Lau wins Cassia's trust -- and her heart. But winning Cassia's love is not enough. Now Squeaky must prove his worth as a man -- to Cassia, to his villa village, and most importantly, to himself. And the only way he can do that is by giving up everything he has worked for and traveling to the Land of the Golden Mountain, the place foreign demons call America.

An evocative retelling of a 17th century Chinese fable by Yep and a wonderful reminder that good stories are ageless, linking our children with those of past generations and those not yet born.

Newbery Honor winner Laurence Yep draws upon his memories of growing up in San Francisco's Chinatown to create an unusual story of sibling rivalry and self-discovery. When Teddy buys an alligator for his younger brother Bobby as a spiteful birthday present, he never imagines how much they will both come to love the beast.

The dragon princess Shimmer and her companions fight a war against the evil Boneless King in order to rescue their friend Thorn and restore the dragons' underwater home.

While his father is away, Little Lee fights to save his mother's soul from an evil fox spirit.

An honest young boy tries to get rid of an ever-increasing number of snakes that have come with the bowlful of silver coins he found.