THE STAR FISHER by Laurence Yep


        Yep, L. (1991). THE STAR FISHER. Morrow Junior Books.

 

In 1927, 15-year-old Joan Lee moves with her family from Ohio to a small town in West Virginia. As the only Chinese Americans in town, the Lees face racism from townspeople who boycott the Lee family business. Joan herself feels tensions between the pressure at home to follow strict Chinese traditions and the pressure at school to assimilate into a white American mainstream. The book centers around the  Chinese folktale of the star fisher, a bird/woman caught between two worlds. Joan told the story to her sister, and comparisons are woven throughout the story. Joan finds a friend in Bernice, whose family is involved in the theater ( a big no-no). In the end, the town accepts their new neighbors because of an apple pie and a persistent landlady.

The myth of the star fisher--half-bird, half-human, confined to the earth but yearning for the stars--weaves through the story. It is a metaphor for Joan’s hopes and dreams. She is always referring to the star fisher and comparing it to people in her life. She compares Berniece (her new friend) to the star fisher story, as well as Lucy (the landlady), and even her own mother. This story must have meant a lot to Joan. The main theme in the story is overcoming adversity, in Joan and her family overcoming the prejudice they faced in their new community.

There are many cultural markers throughout the book.  There are instances where the characters speak and write the Chinese language.  Joan’s parents don’t speak much English, so the children must translate for them.  This is a common occurrence.  The Lees experience prejudices in their new town almost immediately.  When they step off the train, the first thing they hear is “ darn monkeys!”  When the Lees arrive at their new residence and Joan’s father introduces them to their new landlady Ms. Lucy, he introduces Bobby, the son, before Joan and Emily.  This is traditional Chinese- boys are more important than girls. Another piece of Chinese culture is the lack of praise and affection for children.  Joan answers a question correctly in class and is happy that she is shown appreciation for her efforts.  “I don’t think Mama and Papa knew what a compliment was-at least with their  children.”  This is one of several places Joan feels taken for granted by her parents.  She mentions several times how her mother does not show affection or appreciation.  Joan is thinking on her way back from Berenice’s house about prejudices.  “It’s funny how there are levels and levels of prejudice in the world.  The red-faced man hated us for being Chinese, but he would hate someone like Bernice as well for being the child of theatrical folks-just as Mama would herself.” Joan’s mother may be on the receiving end of prejudices, but she is also guilty of showing it as well.   

Publisher’s Weekly: “Beneath Joan's direct, deceptively simple narrative voice lies an emotionally complex tale. Drawing on his mother's immigrant experience as the basis for this moving story, Newbery Honor author Yep ( Drag on wings ; The Rainbow People ) skillfully avoids pat or reductive explanations. He gives his heroine, for example, the maturity to recognize the biases her own family holds as well as the courage to stand up to the more blatant and violent prejudices of her neighbors.”

 

SLJ: “Joan's story will appeal to any reader who has ever felt excluded, but she and her family seem to hold many more stories begging to be shared. Based on tales Yep gleaned from his mother and her family, whose resilience and humor shine through, The Star Fisher offers tantalizing glimpses of interesting characters, but abruptly shifts focus from a family story with the younger sister as a strong character to a relationship between mother and daughter. Basically, there is too much depth and complexity here to be confined to one book. --Carla Kozak, San Francisco Public Library Copyright 1991 Cahners Business Information.”

 

 The sequel to THE STAR FISHER is DREAM SOUL ISBN  978-0064407885

 

This is a set of Quizlet questions about the book:

Quizlet: The Star Fisher flashcards

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