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Cilla Lee-Jenkins #2
Cilla Lee-Jenkins: This Book Is a Classic
“Anyone who spends time with Cilla Lee-Jenkins will look forward to reading her in the future.” –Booklist, starred review, on Cilla Future Author ExtraordinairePriscilla “Cilla” Lee-Jenkins has just finished her (future) bestselling memoir, and now she’s ready to write a Classic. This one promises to have Romance, Adventure, and plenty of Drama—like Cilla’s struggles to “be more Chinese,” be the perfect flower girl at Aunt Eva’s wedding, and learn how to share her best friend.In Cilla This Book Is a Classic, author Susan Tan seamlessly weaves experiences as a Chinese American with universal stories about being a big sister, making friends, and overcoming fears. Cilla Lee-Jenkins will bulldoze her way into your heart in this winning middle grade novel about family, friendship, and finding your voice.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2018
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626 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 5, 2018
I just love Cilla.
March 29, 2021
Is your five-year-old reading at a fourth grade level? First-grader ready to ace those SATS? Then, this is the perfect book for those readers! (I've never encountered such a student myself, but according to social media they are commonly parented by other teachers and librarians.)
Cilla is a third-grader whose narration sounds like that of an immature kindergartener. Yet the book is thick (263 pages) with just a few black and white illustrations. I purchased this series for my elementary school library based upon the positive professional reviews, but I am struggling to come up with the name of one student to whom I should recommend it. The only practical use for these books (other than the kid geniuses mentioned already) would be for grown-ups who want to read long chapter books to very young children. The reading level and length (5th grade) simply does not match with the maturity of the narrator (Kindergarten, IMO).
Cilla is a third-grader whose narration sounds like that of an immature kindergartener. Yet the book is thick (263 pages) with just a few black and white illustrations. I purchased this series for my elementary school library based upon the positive professional reviews, but I am struggling to come up with the name of one student to whom I should recommend it. The only practical use for these books (other than the kid geniuses mentioned already) would be for grown-ups who want to read long chapter books to very young children. The reading level and length (5th grade) simply does not match with the maturity of the narrator (Kindergarten, IMO).
August 8, 2020
review in 2019:
I LOVED it!!!!!!!
Susan Tan has done a great job on this second book of the series.
What I love about Cilla is that she seems real, she suffers the things that people might suffer through life. The illustrations are amazing too!
I can't wait to read the next book!
Review in 2020:
I still love this book but I don't feel it's as good as the others. I did love the wedding part but the part with Melissa seemed maybe unnessacery? I mean, I kind of thought the Melissa part was good but maybe Tan could have spent the entire book on it instead of having it as a side story to go along with the wedding? Anyway, still love it, but maybe not as much as the first and third?
I LOVED it!!!!!!!
Susan Tan has done a great job on this second book of the series.
What I love about Cilla is that she seems real, she suffers the things that people might suffer through life. The illustrations are amazing too!
I can't wait to read the next book!
Review in 2020:
I still love this book but I don't feel it's as good as the others. I did love the wedding part but the part with Melissa seemed maybe unnessacery? I mean, I kind of thought the Melissa part was good but maybe Tan could have spent the entire book on it instead of having it as a side story to go along with the wedding? Anyway, still love it, but maybe not as much as the first and third?
April 14, 2018
I'm a 3.5 for this book because I found the protagonist so refreshingly genuine in her earnest attempts to please all members of her family and because of her very real insecurities. Third graders Priscilla (Cilla) Lee-Jenkins has recently written her first book, and now she is determined to write another one, having learned about what makes a book a Classic. Although there aren't a lot of references to this idea throughout the rest of the book, it makes itself heard every once in a while, and especially at the book's conclusion with its cliffhanger. Much of the book concerns Cilla's excitement about the impending nuptials for her beloved Auntie Eva for whom she will serve as the flower girl. Since Cilla is the offspring of a Chinese-American father and a Caucasian mother, she knows that the planning and the ceremony will bring several cultures together. Judging from the pictures she has seen of Eva's fiance, she thinks his family is a very proper Chinese family. Cilla is also worried about matters even closer to home as she becomes convinced that one of her classmates is plotting to steal her best friend, Colleen. In addition to this, she is trying to teach her little sister, Gwendolyn how to say her name and determine her future career--definitely not a writer. She also feels torn about her feelings toward Daisy, her maternal grandparents' new dog, because of what she considers to be annoying behavior. As was evidenced in the first book featuring this character, Cilla Lee-Jenkins, Future Author Extraordinaire, Cilla has a distinct voice and personality that makes her irresistible. Early chapter book readers will enjoy the story and the excellent illustrations that accompany it.
December 29, 2018
This book is the second in a series about a 3rd grade girl named Cilla. She's energetic, loves to write, and loves her family and friends. She's trying to deal with her younger toddler sister, her favorite aunt who is getting married, and potentially losing her best friend. All this while also trying to make sure that the two sides of her family continue to get along, and that she honors her Chinese heritage.
This book would be a great read aloud in 2nd-4th grade classrooms, and can also be a mirror and/or window for students. This would also be a great series for the reader who loves Junie B. Jones, but is now reading more difficult books.
This book would be a great read aloud in 2nd-4th grade classrooms, and can also be a mirror and/or window for students. This would also be a great series for the reader who loves Junie B. Jones, but is now reading more difficult books.
May 20, 2018
It's hard to follow up a successful debut but somehow I loved this book even more. It takes the foundation from the first book and really grows with Cilla, Gwendolyn, her friends, and her family members. I wish books this diverse existed when I was a kid.
July 26, 2019
I love Cilla and how she navigates her friends and family. Here, in her classic story, she talks about traditions and her family life (including the upcoming marriage of her beloved aunt). And, she and her best friend Colleen, learn more about being best friends and still having other interests and friends. And most of all, there is cake as a unifier!
November 19, 2020
Cilla Lee Jenkins was AWESOME 🤩 Alien 👽 face does not look like a alien so kids don’t get scared 😱 anyways YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK NOW NOW NOW??!
I can’t believe that Gwendolyn said Cilla’s name!!!! Like I said READ THIS BOOK NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe that Gwendolyn said Cilla’s name!!!! Like I said READ THIS BOOK NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2019
Amazing!
July 19, 2019
I think it was better than the first one. The chopstick part irritated me and i find it hard to believe that a girl who reads so much gets hung up on idioms and expressions; no one has ever told me that i took them literally as an 8 yr old.
In any case, very cute!
In any case, very cute!
February 15, 2021
A good book, very funny!
August 22, 2018
Wow, this was really a let-down. Sarah MacKenzie raved about this series in her latest Read-Aloud Family book, and I was prepared to be charmed. Instead, I was turned off by the end of the first chapter. How great to have a book featuring a biracial heroine figuring out her identity, but the weak writing takes away from the great subject matter. I do think it's a good idea to portray silly/hurtful/weird run-ins with racial stereotypes in children's lit, because it's great fodder for discussion with our kids, but they could be handled more deftly. And with a heavy-handed author, it can feel as if the inclusion of the black best friend, the Hispanic new girl, the aunt's gay best friend, etc aren't included on their own merits as characters but because there is some ephemeral checklist of references that need to be included to fulfill as many diversity niches as possible.
The writing style is breathless, childish, immature and a tad bit twee. I have grown to enjoy some first person narratives, but this one grated. Cilla's internal monologue certainly doesn't sound like a 9 year old, and I know because I have a 9 year old daughter who talks nonstop, all day. Even my five year old knows that you don't wear a swimsuit to a bridal shower. And it just seems like if Cilla is so hyperaware about all her family's Chinese traditions, would she really not realize that Paul is Korean, not Chinese? (Granted, we attend a majority-Korean-American church, but my girls could definitely tell you that Kim is a Korean last name.) It's a funny moment in the story, but it just doesn't ring true to what else we're supposed to believe about Cilla. While some of the issues Cilla faces (worrying about her best friend being stolen away by the new girl) are 9 year old problems, the language is so simplistic that one feels like they're in preschool. You don't have to write down to middle-grade kids; my 9 year old has read and loved Little Women and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm in the past month, so she can handle much more sophisticated dialogue and fleshed-out themes. I think this was the most disappointing aspect of the book for me, because it was presented to me as a great read-aloud for nine year olds. This writing level is maybe appropriate for a Highlights High Five magazine short story (in fact, because the book doesn't really have much of a plot other than friend drama and getting ready for her aunt's wedding, I could see it broken into 3-4 page vignettes that could be a charming little series for a preschool magazine--the immature writing style would not bug me in small doses intended for pre-readers). In book form, though, I couldn't stand to read it aloud to the kids, and I am going to go drop a star off of the book that recommended this as a read-aloud because it is just that bad. The plot is like a full-book sized Fancy Nancy story, with about as much substance. Kids will be assigned this book in schools, I'm sure, but on the merits of its subject matter and not its writing. I was going to let my 9 year old read it because it isn't harmful, but by the time I finished, I decided I don't even want her or her 7 year old sister wasting their time.
I wanted to love this book. I love what the author is trying to do in highlighting the experience of a normal girl with two distinctly different family cultures. I just wish the writing hadn't annoyed me so much.
The writing style is breathless, childish, immature and a tad bit twee. I have grown to enjoy some first person narratives, but this one grated. Cilla's internal monologue certainly doesn't sound like a 9 year old, and I know because I have a 9 year old daughter who talks nonstop, all day. Even my five year old knows that you don't wear a swimsuit to a bridal shower. And it just seems like if Cilla is so hyperaware about all her family's Chinese traditions, would she really not realize that Paul is Korean, not Chinese? (Granted, we attend a majority-Korean-American church, but my girls could definitely tell you that Kim is a Korean last name.) It's a funny moment in the story, but it just doesn't ring true to what else we're supposed to believe about Cilla. While some of the issues Cilla faces (worrying about her best friend being stolen away by the new girl) are 9 year old problems, the language is so simplistic that one feels like they're in preschool. You don't have to write down to middle-grade kids; my 9 year old has read and loved Little Women and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm in the past month, so she can handle much more sophisticated dialogue and fleshed-out themes. I think this was the most disappointing aspect of the book for me, because it was presented to me as a great read-aloud for nine year olds. This writing level is maybe appropriate for a Highlights High Five magazine short story (in fact, because the book doesn't really have much of a plot other than friend drama and getting ready for her aunt's wedding, I could see it broken into 3-4 page vignettes that could be a charming little series for a preschool magazine--the immature writing style would not bug me in small doses intended for pre-readers). In book form, though, I couldn't stand to read it aloud to the kids, and I am going to go drop a star off of the book that recommended this as a read-aloud because it is just that bad. The plot is like a full-book sized Fancy Nancy story, with about as much substance. Kids will be assigned this book in schools, I'm sure, but on the merits of its subject matter and not its writing. I was going to let my 9 year old read it because it isn't harmful, but by the time I finished, I decided I don't even want her or her 7 year old sister wasting their time.
I wanted to love this book. I love what the author is trying to do in highlighting the experience of a normal girl with two distinctly different family cultures. I just wish the writing hadn't annoyed me so much.
February 25, 2018
Cilla Lee-Jenkins: This Book is a Classic by Susan Tan is the second in a delightful series. I have not read the first one, Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Author Extraordinaire, but it is now on my list of books to purchase for my classroom.
Cilla is such an amazing third grader with high ambitions. I love her spunk, her tenacity, and her explanations of words such as "themes", "traditions", and "classics". She tells her story in the best way possible, all while worrying about her upcoming duty as flower girl in her aunt's wedding. I love that she is Chinese and Caucasian, and is trying to learn from both of her heritages. She has a lot of patience, and I learned so much from her!
My budding authors will adore Cilla for so many reasons.
Thank you Susan Tan for the ARC for #collabookation!
Cilla is such an amazing third grader with high ambitions. I love her spunk, her tenacity, and her explanations of words such as "themes", "traditions", and "classics". She tells her story in the best way possible, all while worrying about her upcoming duty as flower girl in her aunt's wedding. I love that she is Chinese and Caucasian, and is trying to learn from both of her heritages. She has a lot of patience, and I learned so much from her!
My budding authors will adore Cilla for so many reasons.
Thank you Susan Tan for the ARC for #collabookation!
April 2, 2018
Yay for more Cilla books! One of my favorite narrators of all time.
February 14, 2021
Very good and funny 😂
May 16, 2020
It’s hard to follow such a charming debut novel with something equally charming and fresh, but This Book is a Classic does that and more.
Now that audiences know who Cilla is we’re able to see her grapple with bigger ideas, such as having and sharing friends. The conversations she has on the subject are both age-appropriate and important models for children learning to express their feelings.
Early in the book, it’s established that outsiders may not think of Cilla as “fully Chinese,” and we see her navigate proving her Chinese identity. Again, all of this is done in an age-appropriate manner, with Cilla’s worries subtly woven in. These ideas of fitting in and friendships are often Kid Lit 101, but often in a didactic, hit-you-over-the-head way. Cilla’s voice remains authentic. The adult author’s hand remains practically invisible, and for that reason, I think Cilla 2 gives readers a way into understanding huge concepts that even adults have trouble putting into words.
These serious themes though do not take away from the joy of the story. There are plenty of capers that had me laughing out loud. Cilla brings the class frog over to her grandparents’ house and all manner of chaos occurs. Cilla is determined to help her sister Gwendolyn find her destiny, which often led to scenarios and throw-away lines that left me chuckling. This book is a delight. Cilla said it best: it’s a classic in every sense of the word.
Now that audiences know who Cilla is we’re able to see her grapple with bigger ideas, such as having and sharing friends. The conversations she has on the subject are both age-appropriate and important models for children learning to express their feelings.
Early in the book, it’s established that outsiders may not think of Cilla as “fully Chinese,” and we see her navigate proving her Chinese identity. Again, all of this is done in an age-appropriate manner, with Cilla’s worries subtly woven in. These ideas of fitting in and friendships are often Kid Lit 101, but often in a didactic, hit-you-over-the-head way. Cilla’s voice remains authentic. The adult author’s hand remains practically invisible, and for that reason, I think Cilla 2 gives readers a way into understanding huge concepts that even adults have trouble putting into words.
These serious themes though do not take away from the joy of the story. There are plenty of capers that had me laughing out loud. Cilla brings the class frog over to her grandparents’ house and all manner of chaos occurs. Cilla is determined to help her sister Gwendolyn find her destiny, which often led to scenarios and throw-away lines that left me chuckling. This book is a delight. Cilla said it best: it’s a classic in every sense of the word.
February 28, 2019
The big girls and I were really, really looking forward to reading this sequel. Cilla is a delightful character. In this book her baby sister has arrived and Cilla is trying to navigate what it means to be a Chinese American. She's still working on writing a book - she's trying to write a Classic this time. Throughout the book she discusses literary devices she is using - which is a fun little side addition. Cilla's aunt is getting married and Cilla is the flower girl. There is a fun look at all the wedding preparations, and the work of merging two different families together.
*** HOWEVER *** I was extremely disappointed in one aspect of this book. The maid of honor in the wedding is in a same sex relationship, and asks Cilla to be the flower girl for her "wedding." I read this book aloud to the girls. At the first mention, I missed it and accidentally read it aloud. The second time it is brought up I was able to successfully edit in my reading. It just.wasn't.necessary. There was no reason to have this small story line in the plot. I could have taken this as an opportunity to talk with the girls about the beauty of marriage, and God's plans for marriage -but honestly, I just wanted to read aloud a fun book and not have a big, huge conversation about it. So if you do choose to read it to your kids, or hand it to them, be aware that this is present.
*** HOWEVER *** I was extremely disappointed in one aspect of this book. The maid of honor in the wedding is in a same sex relationship, and asks Cilla to be the flower girl for her "wedding." I read this book aloud to the girls. At the first mention, I missed it and accidentally read it aloud. The second time it is brought up I was able to successfully edit in my reading. It just.wasn't.necessary. There was no reason to have this small story line in the plot. I could have taken this as an opportunity to talk with the girls about the beauty of marriage, and God's plans for marriage -but honestly, I just wanted to read aloud a fun book and not have a big, huge conversation about it. So if you do choose to read it to your kids, or hand it to them, be aware that this is present.
February 4, 2019
"...I wondered why everything had to be so complicated when it comes to families." The observant, insightful and endearing Cilla Lee-Jenkins is back, and this time she is exploring the Drama and Traditions of families, as well as what it means to have and be a best friend. Cilla's aunt is getting married and there is a ton of work to do, which Cilla mostly loves because it involves beautiful dresses, banquets and, best of all, CAKE. Her sister is crawling now, which keeps everyone on their toes, and Cilla is struggling with feelings of jealousy over her best friend spending time with another girl in their class. The level of drama and humor in this realistic fiction follow-up is perfect for young middle grade readers who will definitely relate to Cilla's everyday struggles. The cast of multicultural characters and Cilla's confusion over her identity make this book feel especially relevant and important.
May 29, 2018
I thought this was a really enjoyable book, especially for a book series that I never even heard of before I started reading this. In fact, when I picked this up, I didn't even know that this was a sequel to a previous book (but that's not a problem when reading this book). My favorite thing about this book is Cilla's narration; it felt like I was reading someone's blog, and I love how humorous and exaggerated it is. It's also interesting to read about how Cilla deals with the fact that she's part Chinese and part European, which makes her think about her own identity sometimes (for example: Is Cilla Chinese enough?). I wanted to give this 5 stars, but unfortunately, I felt that the story felt a little incohesive at times. Other than that, I really enjoyed reading this. I could see this series being a children's lit CLASSIC one day! (pun intended)
November 19, 2018
I accidentily hit this book instead of the first one, so I'll review it first.
CONS OF THIS BOOK IS A CLASSIC
At the end, they threw in some lesbian stuff. I was not happy about that, because this is a KIDS book, and my younger sister was reading it before me. They shouldn't put that kind of thing in a book like that!
PROS OF THIS BOOK IS A CLASSIC
The cute relationship between Cilla and Gwendolyn.
Her growing up a bit and figuring out how it's good to have more than one best friend.
The wedding.
Family relationships.
Learning more about her heritage.
How much she liked the dog whose name I actually forget right now.
All the cake! I love how she said that all traditions lead back to cake. That was awesome.
OVERALL
Loved it! Just super sad how it was ruined at the end.
CONS OF THIS BOOK IS A CLASSIC
At the end, they threw in some lesbian stuff. I was not happy about that, because this is a KIDS book, and my younger sister was reading it before me. They shouldn't put that kind of thing in a book like that!
PROS OF THIS BOOK IS A CLASSIC
The cute relationship between Cilla and Gwendolyn.
Her growing up a bit and figuring out how it's good to have more than one best friend.
The wedding.
Family relationships.
Learning more about her heritage.
How much she liked the dog whose name I actually forget right now.
All the cake! I love how she said that all traditions lead back to cake. That was awesome.
OVERALL
Loved it! Just super sad how it was ruined at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2021
(middle-grade summer continues)
“Because even though I’d tried to leave enough oranges around for luck, I hadn’t realized how MUCH luck I’ll need, if I’m going to teach [my sister] how to use chopsticks, learn every Chinese wedding Tradition, AND meet Paul’s Very Impressive, High-Powered family at Auntie Eva’s wedding.”
I adored this book! It was funny, true, and charming. The main character Cilla is a clever third-grader who is navigating friendship, family, and being from a Chinese-American family. She loves “Traditions” and this book does a great job of incorporating different cultures. The writing was engaging and clear. I also loved the illustrations.
After reading it, I realized this was the second in the series. You don’t have to read the first one in order to enjoy this, but I plan to go back and read the other two.
Highly recommended for classrooms.
“Because even though I’d tried to leave enough oranges around for luck, I hadn’t realized how MUCH luck I’ll need, if I’m going to teach [my sister] how to use chopsticks, learn every Chinese wedding Tradition, AND meet Paul’s Very Impressive, High-Powered family at Auntie Eva’s wedding.”
I adored this book! It was funny, true, and charming. The main character Cilla is a clever third-grader who is navigating friendship, family, and being from a Chinese-American family. She loves “Traditions” and this book does a great job of incorporating different cultures. The writing was engaging and clear. I also loved the illustrations.
After reading it, I realized this was the second in the series. You don’t have to read the first one in order to enjoy this, but I plan to go back and read the other two.
Highly recommended for classrooms.
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February 18, 2024I really enjoy Cilla as a character, and so does my 6yo daughter. This has some great age-appropriate explorations of friendship dynamics, ethnicity (Cilla wrestles some with her biracial identity), and family relationships.
Those who want stories with LGBTQ+ representation may appreciate that there are a couple of brief mentions toward the end of the book: one of the bridesmaids in Cilla's aunt's wedding is a lesbian and ends up asking Cilla to be a flower girl in her wedding. Those who don't want stories with LGBTQ+ representation may appreciate knowing that the references are coming, but are limited to about two sentences and could easily be skipped over when reading aloud. It's a minor detail that's not significant to the plot or main characters in any way.
Those who want stories with LGBTQ+ representation may appreciate that there are a couple of brief mentions toward the end of the book: one of the bridesmaids in Cilla's aunt's wedding is a lesbian and ends up asking Cilla to be a flower girl in her wedding. Those who don't want stories with LGBTQ+ representation may appreciate knowing that the references are coming, but are limited to about two sentences and could easily be skipped over when reading aloud. It's a minor detail that's not significant to the plot or main characters in any way.
April 17, 2018
I adored book one- Cilla is such a MARVELOUS character (reminds me of Anastasia Krupnik in many ways!), and all secondary characters are fantastic and well-drawn. Book two is a more than solid follow-up to the excellent first book. In this entry, readers get a close look at how Cilla is pretty amazing big sister to Gwendolyn- their relationship is so lovely and genuine. There is also: a big family wedding that Cilla gets to participate in; a look inside another close family relationship Cilla has; a possible danger to her best-friendship with Colleen; more Alien-Face sweetness; and... a real cliffhanger of an ending. Love this series!
June 19, 2018
*I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher through my district library services *
This is a step above a beginning chapter book, accessible without being babyish. The protagonist is in 3rd grade but I think older kids will enjoy the story, too, so this could be a good choice for older emerging readers. Cilla is a good kid and a likable narrator. Readers will identify with her connections to her family and her uncertainties about knowing the right thing to do when faced with new situations. She also has some growth regarding her role as a sister and a best friend. It’s a fun read and I would recommend for an independent read or a read aloud.
This is a step above a beginning chapter book, accessible without being babyish. The protagonist is in 3rd grade but I think older kids will enjoy the story, too, so this could be a good choice for older emerging readers. Cilla is a good kid and a likable narrator. Readers will identify with her connections to her family and her uncertainties about knowing the right thing to do when faced with new situations. She also has some growth regarding her role as a sister and a best friend. It’s a fun read and I would recommend for an independent read or a read aloud.
November 30, 2019
These books are so much fun. Cilla is so realistic. She faces problems with friends and insecurities as well as learning to be a big sister and what it means to be Chinese American. There is a lot of ground covered in relationship building that is worked seamlessly into the natural flow of the story. Family life is presented in a positive way with no denigration of the father figure.
March 31, 2018
Cilla is a budding author who tells her own story. As she deals with friendship and family, she discovers herself. The themes of the book are ones that are important to our own children. I won my copy from Goodreads and donated to my school's library.
April 11, 2018
Rory and I enjoyed book #2 in this series very much as Cilla learns how to be a good friend and participates in her Auntie Eva's wedding. So happy that this "mirror" book is out there for Rory! If you like Clementine, Junie B. Jones, Ivy and Bean, add this one to your collection.
June 5, 2018
Second book, just as good as the first! Think Junie B. Jones only with better "Precision of Language" and a bit more thoughtful and mature! Cilla is such a relatable character that kids will love her!
August 30, 2018
Just love this spunky character. She funny and sensitive at the same time. And her thought process is hilarious. A must read for all middle grade girls and boys!
Looking forward to Cilla Lee-Jenkins' next fun/drama-filled adventure!
Looking forward to Cilla Lee-Jenkins' next fun/drama-filled adventure!
November 7, 2018
Cilla is a very funny character, and I like seeing her progress. She gets through things that many kids worry about, and she is really funny to someone that isn't fairly little. It is very enjoyable, and I think many parents would like it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews