Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
There are worse things in the world than being adopted. But right now Joseph can't think of one.
Joseph Calderaro has a serious problem. His social studies teacher has given him an impossible assignment: an essay about ancestors. Ancestors, as in dead people you're related to.
Joseph was adopted, but the only sure thing he knows about his birth family is that they shipped his diapered butt on a plane from Korea and he landed in New Jersey. How do you write about a family you've never known and at the same time manage all the other hassles that middle school mixes in the pot? What Joseph writes leads to a catastrophe messier than a table of shattered dishes—and self-discovery that will change his life recipe forever. . . .
Synopsis
Kimchi and calamari. It sounds like a quirky food fusion of Korean and Italian cuisine, and it's exactly how Joseph Calderaro feels about himself. Why wouldn't an adopted Korean drummer—comic book junkie feel like a combo platter given:
(1) his face in the mirror
(2) his proud Italian family.
And now Joseph has to write an essay about his ancestors for social studies. All he knows is that his birth family shipped his diapered butt on a plane to the USA. End of story. But what he writes leads to a catastrophe messier than a table of shattered dishes—and self-discovery that Joseph never could have imagined.
Booklist
“This will have special appeal for adoptees, but the questions about family roots that Kent raises are universal.”
Editorials
Children's Literature -
Boys and girls alike will enjoy this fast-paced story. Although it is basically the tale of a young Korean boy who was adopted by a family of Italian descent and his search for his birth mother, the book will be enjoyed by kids of all backgrounds. The problems faced by Joseph are universal enough in their effect as to allow identification with him by most young readers. When Joseph must write an essay for class about his ancestors, he concocts a tale about an Olympic champion being his grandfather. That lie backfires and Joseph's embarrassment and the reactions of his mother and father are almost overwhelming. While he is dealing with all this, Joseph also is trying to get a date for the middle-school dance and he meets a Korean family whom he slowly comes to regard as friends. His thwarted attempts to find his birth mother are realistic, as is his relationship with his parents. There may be a slight overemphasis on class and moving up from blue-collar jobs or businesses, but that is a minor issue. Kids will enjoy Joseph's exploits as he maneuvers his way through eighth grade.Children's Literature -
Joseph considers himself an ethnic sandwich. His birth parents are Korean but as a baby, an Italian-American family adopted him. Lately, Joseph has been experiencing inner struggles because he wants to better understand his Korean heritage but he does not want to upset his caring, hardworking adoptive parents. His eighth grade teacher unknowingly brings this issue to the forefront when she assigns the class a heritage essay that requires students to trace their past. Joseph enlists the help of his friend Nash and, while attempting to contact his birth family in Korea, Joseph writes a creative paper inventing someone who is a relative to an Olympic gold medal winner. When the truth comes out, Joseph's teacher and even some of his friends view his creativity as deceitful. Fortunately, the entire situation provides Joseph with a learning experience that helps him to better understand and appreciate his unique position. This book has an honest and light-hearted approach to situations that all teenagers struggle with, especially those with diverse cultural or ethnic backgrounds.KLIATT -
The author has two children who were adopted from Korea and she has two biological children who are part Korean, so this, her first novel, about a boy born in Korea, adopted by an Italian American couple and raised in America, is about a subject she knows well. Joseph is the narrator. He has just turned 14 years old, and he is in the 8th grade. He plays the drums, he loves his little sisters and his parents, and he is smart and funny with plenty of friends. Joseph was born in Korea and according to his parents his life started when he was delivered as an infant into the arms of his adoptive parents at the airport when he first arrived in America. The catalyst that starts Joseph thinking is an essay assignment: students are to write about their family tree. His parents think of course he should write about his adoptive family's history—immigrants from Italy. When a Korean family moves to their town and Joseph gets to know them, he realizes he knows nothing about Korea, not even how to pronounce his Korean name. His parents don't understand his confusion. A good friend uses the Internet to find out if there are any Koreans searching for adopted children who are trying to connect with Joseph. In the process, Joseph starts to understand more about Korea; and his essay finally is about a boy who is part this and part that, who likes kimchi and calamari. With good-natured humor and a healthy dose of curiosity, Joseph starts on his way to understanding himself and the combination of influences that have made him who he is and who he will become. His father, who at first is threatened by Joseph's need to know about the Korean part of himself, comes full circle by the end of the story,which ends as the two of them are planning a trip to Korea with a tour group for families and adoptees wanting to visit their birthplace. Since the story is so positive, while dealing honestly with the issues of international adoption, it would be most helpful for middle-school students like Joseph who are searching for information to understand who they are.School Library Journal
Gr 4-7 - Joseph Calderaro is facing many woes typical of a 14-year-old boy. However, trouble with girls, school, his younger twin sisters, and his parents is complicated by his growing awareness of the gulf between his Korean ethnicity and the Italian heritage of his adoptive family, especially his father. A school assignment is the catalyst for his search for information about his birth family. Communication between father and son reaches a low point when Joseph refuses to wear his birthday present of a corno(golden horn), proudly worn by Italian men to ward off the malocchio. His father insists that Joseph became Italian the day he was adopted. This lack of sensitivity is presented sympathetically, as the Calderaros can only focus on the joy of their bonding. The boy's status as a well-liked student and honest guy is jeopardized when he claims a famous Korean marathoner as his grandfather. A subplot involves an immigrant family from Korea, the Hans. Joseph's parents eventually appreciate his search for his identity, and they reach out to the Hans to help him learn about his culture. Kent has done an excellent job of creating a likable protagonist whose confusion about his status is touching, and also funny. This is one of the best of the recent spate of books about adolescent adoptees facing quests to establish their identities.-Deborah Vose, Highlands Elementary School, Braintree, MA
Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information