El Chino

El Chino by the author of Grandfather's Journey, Allen Say, is a great picture book. It would be great for students in first through third grade. Billy Wong is the son of immigrants from China. His father told him as a young boy, "In America, you can be anything you want to be." He enjoyed playing basketball until college where he found out he was too short. A few more inches and he could have been famous. On a trip to Spain, he become fasinated with bullfighting and Spanish matadors. Although many had said the real, true matadors are Spanish, Billy remembered what his father said. He learned how to bullfight, and it was not long before he was just as good as the Spanish matadors. This book allows children to see someone pursuit their dreams. Like Billy's father said, you can be anything you want to be.