The Year of the Rat

Written by Grace Lin

Narrated by Grace Lin and Kim Mai Guest

In this sequel to Year of the Dog, Pacy has another big year in store for her. The Year of the Dog was a very lucky year: she met her best friend Melody and discovered her true talents. However, the Year of the Rat brings big changes: Pacy must deal with Melody moving to California, find the courage to forge on with her dream of becoming a writer and illustrator, and learn to face some of her own flaws. Pacy encounters prejudice, struggles with acceptance, and must find the beauty in change.

Based on the author's childhood adventures, Year of the Rat, features the hilarious and touching anecdotes that helped Year of the Dog earn rave reviews and satisfied readers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette Audio
• Release date: Jun 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781549189272

Grace Lin

Grace Lin is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of picture books, early readers and middle grade novels. Lin's novels Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Dumpling Days both received Newbery Honors, and her early reader Ling and Ting received the Theodor Geisel Honor. The cover illustration for her novel When the Sea Turned Silver (a National Book Award Finalist) was displayed at the White House, where Lin was recognized as a Champion of Change for Asian American and Pacific Islander Art and Storytelling. Many of Lin's books are about the Asian-American experience because she believes, "Books erase bias, they make the uncommon everyday, and the mundane exotic. A book makes all cultures universal."

Reviews for The Year of the Rat

[jennybeast · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really charming story -- love the autobiographical nature, the gentle but realistic tone, the things that Pacy/Grace learns for herself as she matures. An enjoyable read!

[btpiglet · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book; it was a quick read and I read it in one sitting. I liked how it seamlessly blended universal themes such as dealing with childhood bullies and friends moving with culturally-specific themes. In the story, the main character, which goes by Pacy at home and Grace at school, also struggles with the balancing act that comes with bridging two cultures. Lin does an excellent job of introducing information about Chinese culture into the story without it feeling clunky. This is mainly done through the use of stories her parents tell her or dialog between characters. Readers learn a little bit about the Chinese food, celebrations such as Chinese New Year, and wedding traditions while enjoying the main story line. We also learn a little bit about the background of the animal names for years and the symbolism of the Year of the Rat, which is new beginnings or changes.

[joeydag · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A lovely story about two young friends and a year of change. The author uses the year passing as a frame for several lovely Chinese tales and family stories. A good book for young readers and for ESL students.

[abbylibrarian_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this sequel to Year of the Dog, Pacy Lin is facing another new year. The year of the rat is a year for changes and Pacy is not at all sure that she wants anything to change. When Pacy's best friend Melody moves to California, Pacy feels lost. Her other friends at school don't understand her the way Melody did. Worse still, a new family from China is renting Melody's house and Pacy's parents expect her to befriend the social outcast Dun Wei. Pacy's questioning her friendships and her talents (after she learns that being an artist is considered a "cold door"... a career that won't bring much wealth), but if she can make it through the year of the rat, she might find that she herself has changed for the better.

I liked this sequel, which is told in the same style as YOTD. Pacy's parents interject stories from their lives and from Chinese legend into the modern-day story of Pacy's life. Pacy's mother tells what it was like to be an immigrant in America, Pacy's father relates legends about Chinese New Year. Although it may be more satisfying if you've read the first book, this book could stand alone.