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I Hate English!
When her family moves to New York from Hong Kong, Mei Mei finds it difficult to learn the alien sounds of English.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
16 people are currently reading
529 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Levine
87 books51 followersEllen Levine's books have won many awards and honors, including the Jane Addams Peace Award. Although she enjoys writing both fiction and nonfiction, most of Ellen's books for young readers have been nonfiction. "Writing nonfiction lets me in behind the scenes of the story. I enjoy learning new things and meeting new people, even if they lived 200 years ago."
Ellen Levine was born in New York City. She received her B.A. degree in Politics from Brandeis University, graduating Magna cum laude. She has a Master's degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law. She has worked in film and television, taught adults and immigrant teenagers in special education and ESL programs, and served a law clerkship with Chief Judge Joseph Lord, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A former staff attorney with a public interest law group, Levine now devotes her time to writing, lecturing, and teaching. She is on the faculty of Vermont College's MFA program in writing for Children and Young Adults.
Ellen Levine divides her time between New York City and Salem, New York.
Ellen Levine was born in New York City. She received her B.A. degree in Politics from Brandeis University, graduating Magna cum laude. She has a Master's degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law. She has worked in film and television, taught adults and immigrant teenagers in special education and ESL programs, and served a law clerkship with Chief Judge Joseph Lord, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A former staff attorney with a public interest law group, Levine now devotes her time to writing, lecturing, and teaching. She is on the faculty of Vermont College's MFA program in writing for Children and Young Adults.
Ellen Levine divides her time between New York City and Salem, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
August 22, 2016
I agree
October 24, 2018
"I Hate English" is a realistic-fiction book who tells the story in which a young girl Mei Mei hates English like the title suggests. She is a immigrant girl who just moved from Hong Kong. She misses everything that has to do with her hometown, but most importantly the language. She struggles throughout the story to getting used to it but in the end with support from her teacher, finally likes English. The reason this book is in the immigration text-set is because it describes the story that many immigrant children face when learning English. The story in this book is so engaging, it keeps the reader wide awake. It provides a strong plot with all elements a story needs. In this case, the problem in the story was that Mei Mei did not want to speak English. The solution comes when she realizes that it is important to know and speak English in this new country because its the primary language. The story of Mei Mei makes her look like a character that can be real in the real world. This book is for sure for any age of children because it is easy to comprehend. The pictures are fabulous because they hold the attention of the reader while still relating to the text. The pictures also have a tremendous amount of detail in them. They are colorful and bright cute pictures. Culturally, the story does include characters who show their diversity and culture through language. Overall, this book presents a story that is truly fun to read and will have the reader hooked to what happens to immigrant girl Mei Mei in her new home America with a whole new language.
March 3, 2015
As an English language learner, I know exactly how Mei Mei felt about learning English before she met Nancy. I thought there was nothing special about the book cover when I first looked at the illustrations; but after reading the book, I noticed the change of Mei Mei's facial expressions in the front cover and the back cover. The front cover shows Mei Mei looking lost and lonely in her new classroom. Meanwhile, the back cover shows how Mei Mei's attitude towards learning changed. She is reading a book with Ms. Nancy and she is smiling!
I enjoyed reading the book overall. My favorite part of the book was, however, when Mei Mei, losing her patience with Nancy who would never stop talking, began talking about her own country in English. Mei Mei's story reminded me of my first day of school in the U.S. Although I felt uncomfortable talking to people in English and was nervous when people asked me questions, I got excited when I talked about my country because I was telling them what I know. I would definitely read this book to children who are learning English as a second language. I would also read this book to native English speaking children so they have an idea how it can be difficult for English language learners to learn English.
I enjoyed reading the book overall. My favorite part of the book was, however, when Mei Mei, losing her patience with Nancy who would never stop talking, began talking about her own country in English. Mei Mei's story reminded me of my first day of school in the U.S. Although I felt uncomfortable talking to people in English and was nervous when people asked me questions, I got excited when I talked about my country because I was telling them what I know. I would definitely read this book to children who are learning English as a second language. I would also read this book to native English speaking children so they have an idea how it can be difficult for English language learners to learn English.
March 5, 2015
I teach a reading and writing class to children in poverty-stricken communities. And most of them don't like or don't even know how to speak in English. They can understand some terms but not fully. I liked reading this to my students especially if they are not fond of the English language because Filipino is our native language. And English is just our second so its something that we have to get accustomed to. Luckily for me, I found learning English easier than Filipino.
So having to read this little book to my class, who with majority of them "hates" English brought a lot of self-realizations and reflections about it after. My class of 4 to 6 year olds, kindergarten students, some repeated 1st grade, loved this one because they could relate a bunch.
It definitely helped my students know that learning a new language or our second language isn't a burden but a gift. It's something that they could use to their advantages when they grow up and enter a big school (or regular school). And its something that they can work on for themselves and their future paths.
Definitely a must read for a non-English language dominant country.
Happy reading! :)
So having to read this little book to my class, who with majority of them "hates" English brought a lot of self-realizations and reflections about it after. My class of 4 to 6 year olds, kindergarten students, some repeated 1st grade, loved this one because they could relate a bunch.
It definitely helped my students know that learning a new language or our second language isn't a burden but a gift. It's something that they could use to their advantages when they grow up and enter a big school (or regular school). And its something that they can work on for themselves and their future paths.
Definitely a must read for a non-English language dominant country.
Happy reading! :)
April 28, 2014
Reading Level: 2nd grade
This book is about an English Language Learning student from China, her name is Mei Mei and she is very disinterested in learning English. She feels as though learning English would make her forget Chinese and that it means leaving her family and culture behind. Nancy, a teacher, insists on helping Mei Mei, she won't stop talking until finally Mei Mei becomes os annoyed that she bursts out in English. This experience helps her to realize that she can have both cultures and languages, learning one doesn't mean leaving the other. This book is a must for my classroom, one that I would greatly recommend to any struggling ELL student. I would read this book to the class to help them realize the perspective that ELL students may have.
This book is about an English Language Learning student from China, her name is Mei Mei and she is very disinterested in learning English. She feels as though learning English would make her forget Chinese and that it means leaving her family and culture behind. Nancy, a teacher, insists on helping Mei Mei, she won't stop talking until finally Mei Mei becomes os annoyed that she bursts out in English. This experience helps her to realize that she can have both cultures and languages, learning one doesn't mean leaving the other. This book is a must for my classroom, one that I would greatly recommend to any struggling ELL student. I would read this book to the class to help them realize the perspective that ELL students may have.
November 1, 2020
This book is about young Mai and her experience in an American school as a new student. She is from Hong Kong and is learning the English language, she is not a big fan of. It gets interesting when Mai listens to a historical fiction herself. She is connecting with the boy in the story because they both had to move. As the story goes on she becomes more open to the idea of talking in English after her teacher wouldn’t stop talking. This historical fiction is presented in a narrative form, which students have more experience with. English language learners would be able to connect with this book through their experiences. After reading this story I think I could implement this book in writing. Students can write a narrative about their experiences learning English or about going to school. Seeing how detailed it was I think the best grade level for this would be third or fourth grade. I see it being used as a read aloud but not used for independent reading for the lower grades.
August 1, 2020
It's aimed more at immigrant children coming into another country (namely, the U.S.) and their difficulties with adjusting to new culture and language, but it's nice to also expose my son to the learning and emotional challenges of others, to develop empathy. The story manages to convey that it's ok to learn a new language, while still retaining your original culture and language, and both are good.
January 10, 2024
Got this book for one dollar at a Book Bizarre. I think the message is strong, but the dialogue and illustrations could have been better. However, it is a pretty old book. Would recommend for anyone wanting to encourage their children to accept those unlike themselves and become better empathetic humans.
February 19, 2024
This a great book to teach kids about what it would be like to move to another country and not know the language. I think all kids should read this. The simple story is a good way to teach kids to be sensitive to those who live in a foreign country.
January 3, 2020
I Hate English!
Reading Level: 2nd grade
This book is about an English Language Learner originally from China, her name is Mei Mei and she is very disinterested in learning English. She feels as though learning English would make her forget Chinese and that it means leaving her family and culture behind. Nancy, a teacher, insists on helping Mei Mei, she won't stop talking until finally Mei Mei becomes so annoyed that she bursts out in English. This experience helps her to realize that she can have both cultures and languages, learning one does not necessarily mean leaving or replacing the other. This book is a must for my classroom, one that I would greatly recommend to any struggling ELL student or even a struggling ELL or general education teacher. I have read this book to my class to help them understand the perspective that ELL students may have when they first emigrate, and to also help my ELL students feel heard and empathized with.
Reading Level: 2nd grade
This book is about an English Language Learner originally from China, her name is Mei Mei and she is very disinterested in learning English. She feels as though learning English would make her forget Chinese and that it means leaving her family and culture behind. Nancy, a teacher, insists on helping Mei Mei, she won't stop talking until finally Mei Mei becomes so annoyed that she bursts out in English. This experience helps her to realize that she can have both cultures and languages, learning one does not necessarily mean leaving or replacing the other. This book is a must for my classroom, one that I would greatly recommend to any struggling ELL student or even a struggling ELL or general education teacher. I have read this book to my class to help them understand the perspective that ELL students may have when they first emigrate, and to also help my ELL students feel heard and empathized with.
April 7, 2018
I Hate English is a realistic fiction book that tells the story of a little girl, Mei Mei, who is resisting learning to speak in English because she favors her native language of Chinese. The book tells the story of how Mei Mei is great at arithmetic, but struggles to learn English. It shows her thinking through how letters in English "fight" with each other (such as t and r in the work trip) and Mei Mei is not excited about trying to distinguish the sounds here. A teacher, Ms. Nancy, shows up to work with Mei Mei and it is this relationship that causes Mei Mei to want to speak more English. Throughout the book, it is obvious that Mei Mei might be able to speak more English than she lets on, and she is consciously choosing to speak Chinese. Ms. Nancy explains to Mei Mei that in America, most things happen in English and she needs to be able to ask for things in English and understand conversations. In the end, Mei Mei talks for 22 minutes straight in English, showing her growth as an English Language Learner. I believe this book could be used as a read aloud in grades K-3, though it would be great for an English Language Learner in 4th or 5th grade as well.
Because there are so many English Language Learners in our classrooms today (quite a few in my own classroom currently) I think this book would be great for a read aloud closer to the beginning of the school year to facilitate conversation about differences in students and the ability to see the viewpoints of others. At that point in the year, there will most likely be several students learning English for the first time, and (if it is a younger grade level) students who already speak English that do not quite understand why their new peers either do not understand them or do not speak very much. I think a hugely important point in the book is that Mei Mei often chooses NOT to speak for fear of struggling, and this is a very common characteristic of English Language Learners. Having this as a read aloud could spark discussion amongst class members about how they can be helpful and show leadership to those who might need a little more help starting out. It could also be a comfort to those learning English that they are not the only ones, and that their teachers (with the example of Ms. Nancy in the book) are there to help them and not make learning English more difficult for them.
Another way I can think of to use this book in the classroom would be, specifically in grades K-1, a way for students to do some type of expressive writing. Students in Kindergarten are supposed to be able to do opinion writing, and I think that after hearing this book as a read aloud, students could be given the task of going to their tables and writing/drawing about how they would feel if they were Mei Mei. (in a brand new place with a new language) I'm sure students would have strong opinions about this and it would be a great way for those who are not ELL's to see the viewpoint of those who are, and those who are ELL's could know that they are not alone. Students could then have the option to share their writing or drawing with table mates or the entire class and this could lead to more discussion about the fears students may face in coming to school or the fears some may have about learning English.
This book is a WOW book to me because I see students going through this every day! Through tutoring and teaching full time, I see that there are many students who really struggle to feel that they can even speak aloud for fear of being laughed at or for not knowing how to properly express their thoughts. This would be a phenomenal book to read aloud to further classroom community and to help students really better understand this viewpoint. I think that this text is beautifully written and I especially like how it always takes note of HOW Mei Mei says her words. (English or Chinese) This would be a great book to revisit later in the semester as well, to see how students feelings may have changes or gotten better when it comes to speaking English or speaking aloud.
Because there are so many English Language Learners in our classrooms today (quite a few in my own classroom currently) I think this book would be great for a read aloud closer to the beginning of the school year to facilitate conversation about differences in students and the ability to see the viewpoints of others. At that point in the year, there will most likely be several students learning English for the first time, and (if it is a younger grade level) students who already speak English that do not quite understand why their new peers either do not understand them or do not speak very much. I think a hugely important point in the book is that Mei Mei often chooses NOT to speak for fear of struggling, and this is a very common characteristic of English Language Learners. Having this as a read aloud could spark discussion amongst class members about how they can be helpful and show leadership to those who might need a little more help starting out. It could also be a comfort to those learning English that they are not the only ones, and that their teachers (with the example of Ms. Nancy in the book) are there to help them and not make learning English more difficult for them.
Another way I can think of to use this book in the classroom would be, specifically in grades K-1, a way for students to do some type of expressive writing. Students in Kindergarten are supposed to be able to do opinion writing, and I think that after hearing this book as a read aloud, students could be given the task of going to their tables and writing/drawing about how they would feel if they were Mei Mei. (in a brand new place with a new language) I'm sure students would have strong opinions about this and it would be a great way for those who are not ELL's to see the viewpoint of those who are, and those who are ELL's could know that they are not alone. Students could then have the option to share their writing or drawing with table mates or the entire class and this could lead to more discussion about the fears students may face in coming to school or the fears some may have about learning English.
This book is a WOW book to me because I see students going through this every day! Through tutoring and teaching full time, I see that there are many students who really struggle to feel that they can even speak aloud for fear of being laughed at or for not knowing how to properly express their thoughts. This would be a phenomenal book to read aloud to further classroom community and to help students really better understand this viewpoint. I think that this text is beautifully written and I especially like how it always takes note of HOW Mei Mei says her words. (English or Chinese) This would be a great book to revisit later in the semester as well, to see how students feelings may have changes or gotten better when it comes to speaking English or speaking aloud.
October 10, 2018
I Hate English is a realistic fiction about Mei Mei, a child who recently immigrated from China. When introduced to her, her disdain towards moving is clear. A strong theme in the story is one's attachment to their culture and that by adapting to another, they will lose traces of their original culture. In this story, the main component is language. At school, she refuses to speak or write in English; instead, she writes in Chinese and thinks in Chinese. A constant phrase that appears in I Hate English is that she does things in Chinese.
Through the story, we find various attachments that Mei Mei holds close to her heart - her relatives and friends back in China, for instance, and spending time with them. At the learning center, she shows a gifted ability in arithmetic, but does not engage when it comes to speaking English. In her imagination, she does not envision herself speaking in English or spending time with English-speaking people. Instead, she finds comfort with people who speak Chinese and possess a familiarity she feels that she lost by moving, establishing a sympathetic and identified role as the story's protagonist.
This is a common struggle that students learning English find, especially when having left their country. Fears of assimilating and becoming a hard part of another culture seems as though they are abandoning their original culture and who they are. When in actuality, through integration, a confident self of who they are, and being allowed to convey that can maintain their original identity and also establish in a new steady role in an unfamiliar society. Mei Mei, when hearing stories in English, translates the words into Chinese in her head - a common method bilingual students use. Mei Mei's conflict is widely relatable and her thinking in Chinese isn't criticized in the text; she is not forced to speak in English, either - she only does eventually speak in English on her own terms.
Although with a bit of a pressing method, Mei Mei does speak about herself and her life back in China, as well as traits of her culture in English. Not only is she able to convey her culture to the teacher, but she does it in English, affirming she has command in English despite not speaking much. This leaves a strong indicator to the reader that one should not underestimate others; in spite of this indicator, the teacher had never doubted Mei Mei, which also sends another strong message. Finally, Mei Mei is able to speak in Chinese and English. Remarkably, the teacher does not ask for Mei Mei to talk about life exclusively in America; she listens, and Mei Mei is pleased.
The story is engaging, with a strong protagonist with emotions that strike out to the reader. Illustrations are relevantly on each page. Interestingly, the cover displays Mei Mei unhappy in her class, giving a strong visual hint to what the conflict would be. At the back cover, Mei Mei is smiling. Not only is language a prominent key point in the story, but visual nods are prominent through the story's use of illustrations and its characters' expressions.
Through the story, we find various attachments that Mei Mei holds close to her heart - her relatives and friends back in China, for instance, and spending time with them. At the learning center, she shows a gifted ability in arithmetic, but does not engage when it comes to speaking English. In her imagination, she does not envision herself speaking in English or spending time with English-speaking people. Instead, she finds comfort with people who speak Chinese and possess a familiarity she feels that she lost by moving, establishing a sympathetic and identified role as the story's protagonist.
This is a common struggle that students learning English find, especially when having left their country. Fears of assimilating and becoming a hard part of another culture seems as though they are abandoning their original culture and who they are. When in actuality, through integration, a confident self of who they are, and being allowed to convey that can maintain their original identity and also establish in a new steady role in an unfamiliar society. Mei Mei, when hearing stories in English, translates the words into Chinese in her head - a common method bilingual students use. Mei Mei's conflict is widely relatable and her thinking in Chinese isn't criticized in the text; she is not forced to speak in English, either - she only does eventually speak in English on her own terms.
Although with a bit of a pressing method, Mei Mei does speak about herself and her life back in China, as well as traits of her culture in English. Not only is she able to convey her culture to the teacher, but she does it in English, affirming she has command in English despite not speaking much. This leaves a strong indicator to the reader that one should not underestimate others; in spite of this indicator, the teacher had never doubted Mei Mei, which also sends another strong message. Finally, Mei Mei is able to speak in Chinese and English. Remarkably, the teacher does not ask for Mei Mei to talk about life exclusively in America; she listens, and Mei Mei is pleased.
The story is engaging, with a strong protagonist with emotions that strike out to the reader. Illustrations are relevantly on each page. Interestingly, the cover displays Mei Mei unhappy in her class, giving a strong visual hint to what the conflict would be. At the back cover, Mei Mei is smiling. Not only is language a prominent key point in the story, but visual nods are prominent through the story's use of illustrations and its characters' expressions.
December 28, 2020
DID I READ A PICTURE BOOK TO FINISH MY 2020 GOODREADS READING CHALLENEGE? YES AND I WOUDL DO IT AGAIN!!!!!! 🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠
September 20, 2018
I really like the detailed front cover of the book because it shows the emotions going to happen in the story and I think this will excite the readers to dig right into this storybook. I think the back cover really shows the significance of how the story would end up as the girl that was shown to be unhappy on the front turns out to be happy on the back page. This book is a very interesting book and I think it would be a great book to integrate a lesson into why you should always push yourself to succeed in your goals and to never give up on what you think will uninterest you. I like how the illustrations are so simply drawn out as outlines and it's not perfectly painted. I like how the story overall starts off with her showing she doesn't like English, but then explains why she likes Chinese. I think the story outlines the significance of why she was afraid of it and di not like the concept of English, but she never witnessed it. As a reader, I enjoyed reading about her interests in Chinese, but it was interesting how the story moved straight into America and how she disliked it. As a story overall it really shows Mei Mei how your interests can change over time if you experience different areas. My favorite part of the storybook has to be how Nancy the English teacher changed Mei Mei's perspective of hating English to loving it once she was experiencing and learning about Nancy. I think all Mei Mei needed was a great experience and that story lays out that reasoning perfectly. Overall, I really enjoyed the illustrations throughout because it drew out the story with the simple drawings on each page all contributing to the overall message of change is good. Any child would appreciate and learn from this storybook because you as a reader can compare this book to something you dislike, and want to try to change your perspective to maybe enjoying that.
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October 19, 2016I Hate English! is about a young girl from china who comes to America and does not want to speak english. She feels like her language is is prettier both written and spoken. In addition to school she goes to a chinese school as well. She feels comfortable there because she can speak the language she loves. One day they bring in an english speaking teacher and Mei Mei is just not fond of her and does not want to speak with her. Eventually the teacher takes Mei Mei for a walk around the town and the teacher talks the whole time. Mei Mei gets fed up and tired of the teacher talking. She busts out and starts talking in english. In the end Mei Mei becomes fond of the teacher and starts to like communicating in english.
I Hate English! is a realistic fiction book. I think this book is geared towards kindergarten or first grade. This book provides a great opportunity to create discussion with students about what language means to them and how important it is. It also creates the problem of not speaking the language and how that is resolved by the teacher being a strong influence. The illustrations provide a great tool for ELL's and non readers to be able to interpret the story. This story is simple yet explains what it feels like to be new to a country and struggle with the language. I know many students can identify with feeling nervous to speak a new language. I think this a great way to instil confidence as well as let students know they are not alone.
I Hate English! is a realistic fiction book. I think this book is geared towards kindergarten or first grade. This book provides a great opportunity to create discussion with students about what language means to them and how important it is. It also creates the problem of not speaking the language and how that is resolved by the teacher being a strong influence. The illustrations provide a great tool for ELL's and non readers to be able to interpret the story. This story is simple yet explains what it feels like to be new to a country and struggle with the language. I know many students can identify with feeling nervous to speak a new language. I think this a great way to instil confidence as well as let students know they are not alone.
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October 31, 2018“I Hate English” is a story about a girl named, Mei Mei who hates English. She is an immigrant who use to live in Hong Kong but moved to New York. She misses her friends, hometown, but especially her language, where she used to be able to understand everyone. Mei Mei did not like how everyone in school wanted her to speak English. She believes that if she spoke English and not Chinese she would lose who she was. Mei Mei was able to overcome her struggles with the support of her family and teacher.
The story is inspiring, that Mei Mei did not want to lose a part of who she was. The type of text is narrative text and the genre of the book is realistic fiction. I think in schools we forget that students who are immigrants should be proud and allowed to speak their language. Schools are so focused on teaching them English we forget to ensure them that they are can speak both languages, just because they learn to speak English does not mean that they will lose who they are. I truly believe that this story could help many immigrant students to understand that because they learn and speak English does not mean that we are trying to change who they are. The pictures are very colorful that would hold the children’s interest. In the story, children were exposed to multiple perspectives and values, from Mei Mei point and teachers point of views. This would be one of the books I would love to read to my future students.
The story is inspiring, that Mei Mei did not want to lose a part of who she was. The type of text is narrative text and the genre of the book is realistic fiction. I think in schools we forget that students who are immigrants should be proud and allowed to speak their language. Schools are so focused on teaching them English we forget to ensure them that they are can speak both languages, just because they learn to speak English does not mean that they will lose who they are. I truly believe that this story could help many immigrant students to understand that because they learn and speak English does not mean that we are trying to change who they are. The pictures are very colorful that would hold the children’s interest. In the story, children were exposed to multiple perspectives and values, from Mei Mei point and teachers point of views. This would be one of the books I would love to read to my future students.
March 11, 2017
I Hate English by Ellen Levine is a great book for international or foreign students. This book is about an immigrant child named Mei Mei, who moves with her family to Chinatown in New York from China. Mei Mei loves the Chinese language and expresses her struggles and frustrations with the English language. The struggles and frustrations she faces are similar and relate-able to many foreign students today. In the end Mei Mei learns that she can have the best of both worlds by learning both languages and accepting both cultures which gives hope and motivates current immigrant students. I enjoyed the story line tremendously. It began with Mei Mei's struggles and in the end giving hope. Personally the illustrations seemed a bit dull and colorless. They seemed to do just enough to keep the reader engaged, but the story is what really made the book interesting. The title also really caught my attention because English is hard for many students to learn, including students from English speaking countries. I also enjoyed how the author included how Mei Mei enjoyed things like ping-pong and checkers because their relate-able to anyone no matter what they speak. Overall I would suggest this book to any young reader. It was a great read.
October 18, 2018
This book was nicely written on the struggles that an ELL student may face when trying to learn English or coming from a different part of the world. Being in the teaching profession, there will be multiple students who do not speak English as their first language which can be frustrating for both the student and for the teacher. It is important to understand that the student is trying their hardest and to have patience. In this book, Nancy had a lot of patience with Mei Mei. I thought it was very interesting how she convinced the ELL student to speak in English. The aspect of highlighting what language was being thought in or spoken in at the end of each paragraph was very clever and emphasized the idea that Mei Mei really didn't want to do anything in English. I liked this book because it talks about a topic that I sometimes forget about. Since I do not have daily contact with ELL students, I tend to forget that not everyone understands English the way that I do and it is important to be informed about all struggles that students may face.
March 7, 2017
Mei Mei is a Chinese girl, about 9 or 10 years old, who is a newcomer to the U.S. She hates English and is frustrated using it in school. However, her teacher from the English tutoring center is a bright spot and Mei Mei learns to like her. But then Mei Mei has bad feelings that she'll forget her Chinese, and the next day takes it out on her teacher. To ease her discomfort, her teacher takes her out for a jaunt throughout the city and talks incessantly about all of her favorite things in English- which makes Mei Mei erupt, back in English, about all the things that she likes. It ends with the author telling us that Mei Mei speaks whenever she wants in Chinese or English.
Good for kids who are newcomers or for students who are native English speakers. This story builds an understanding of what it might be like for a non-native English speaker to get used to English. I would read this to 2nd grade and up.
Good for kids who are newcomers or for students who are native English speakers. This story builds an understanding of what it might be like for a non-native English speaker to get used to English. I would read this to 2nd grade and up.
October 18, 2016
'I hate english!' was such an awesome book. It was about a young girl who just moved to the US from Honk Kong. She could understand some english but didn't want to speak it. Then one of her teachers just takes a little more time to help her get comfortable so that she can talk. She reads her a book in English which she started to realized that it wasn't so bad after all. The next day her teacher takes her for a walk, where the teacher just talks and talks and talks. Before the little girl realizes, she's laughing and talking english with her teacher. This books offers students the realization that being comfortable in a new environment isn't always a quick or easy adjustment. There's a lot of illustrations that help the reader picture whats going on a little better. The story of the book is a situation that happens a lot in classrooms so its good to allow children to read about them.
November 30, 2017
Awards the book has received (if any): Jane Addams Peace Award
Appropriate grade level(s):1st- 3rd
Original 3-line summary: Mei Mei is a transfer student from Hong Kong who is having a tough time adjusting to the new culture. Mei Mei doesn't want to lose her culture as she feels that when she speaks in English she is losing who she is. In the end, she learns that just because she learns English doesn't mean she will lose who is, but gain another part of her.
Original 3-line review: This book is good for English Language Learners so they can see that they wouldn't lose who they are. I thought this book accurately defines what it is like to go to a new school but also what its like to not speak the language everyone else does.
2-3 possible in-class uses: For children who don't speak the common language of the class
- For children who are new to a school
Appropriate grade level(s):1st- 3rd
Original 3-line summary: Mei Mei is a transfer student from Hong Kong who is having a tough time adjusting to the new culture. Mei Mei doesn't want to lose her culture as she feels that when she speaks in English she is losing who she is. In the end, she learns that just because she learns English doesn't mean she will lose who is, but gain another part of her.
Original 3-line review: This book is good for English Language Learners so they can see that they wouldn't lose who they are. I thought this book accurately defines what it is like to go to a new school but also what its like to not speak the language everyone else does.
2-3 possible in-class uses: For children who don't speak the common language of the class
- For children who are new to a school
April 17, 2018
English English , why so much English? Mei Mei and her family moved to Chinatown, New York from Hong Kong. Everyone in New York spoke English except for Mei Mei. English was everywhere, and Mei Mei didn’t like that. Mei Mei couldn’t speak English. Mei Mei loved school back in Hong Kong , but hated it in New York because everyone spoke English. She saw people that looked like her, dressed like her, and ate like her, but they all spoke English. Finally one day, Mei mei learns English and is happy. I loved this book and think that it would be most appropriate in the early childhood and elementary classrooms. There are many students, particularly the younger ones that migrate to the United States from other countries where English isn’t the official language. These students would be able to relate to this story and may not feel so frustrated after all.
September 26, 2018
I Hate English! by Ellen Levine is about a young girl named Mei Mei who has moved to New York City from Hong Kong. A bright and intelligent girl, Mei Mei has picked up on English quickly, but refuses to speak it. She misses her home, her friends and most of all, being able to freely speak her language. She resents the prevalence of English in New York and yearns to be back home. But a teacher at the Chinese Learning Center changes all of this when she ignites the fire of wanting to speak and communicate inside Mei Mei. I think that many students who have moved from a different country or have had to learn English will relate to Mei Mei's struggle and resonate with her voice. The illustrations also were beautifully made and added to the story. I would recommend this book for students 2nd grade and older.
October 13, 2017
I Hate English! deals with the big issue of culture adjustment in schools. Mei Mei is an immigrant from Hong Kong and has a hard time fitting in, feeling like she's almost losing her old self and her old life for her new one. Its an important issue that I felt was dealt with much better and less stereotypically than "Get Ready for Gabi". We as readers see the bond between Mei Mei and her teacher which, as a future teacher, was my favorite aspect. I enjoyed seeing Mei Mei's barriers and hatred for English slowly diminish. The illustrations were also much less garish than in "Get Ready for Gabi", instead they were cartoon like done with what looked like watercolor with pen and ink outline which left a nice finishing effect.
January 29, 2018
The spine of the book caught my eye and I'm on a real kick with children's literature lately. I was quite hopeful about this book and I did enjoy it, a lot, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that it let me down a little.
The book did a thorough, borderline poetic job at explaining the aversions that Mei Mei had to learning the English language, from her feeling as though she'd lose touch with the life she's known up to that point, to even the sounds that English letters make, how they seem to clang together.
The immersion shown here feels an awful lot like assimilation. She is in the US, yes, but there is little done, in my opinion, to show that other people are/should be interested in Mei Mei's culture, too.
The book did a thorough, borderline poetic job at explaining the aversions that Mei Mei had to learning the English language, from her feeling as though she'd lose touch with the life she's known up to that point, to even the sounds that English letters make, how they seem to clang together.
The immersion shown here feels an awful lot like assimilation. She is in the US, yes, but there is little done, in my opinion, to show that other people are/should be interested in Mei Mei's culture, too.
March 24, 2018
This book is about a little girl who has moved from China and she was the smartest back home. But once she got to America, she didn't feel smart because she couldn't speak English and she didn't want to learn English. She refused to speak English and wanted to go back to China. As she is learning English, she keeps thinking about China and thinking in Chinese. She keeps talking in Chinese. She doesn't try but finally, she started to learn English and speaks English. This book is a great book for children because they can see the children who have come to the United States and don't know English. They can connect of how they struggled to learn and speak English. Or they can see how lucky they are to already know English.
September 29, 2017
After I read this book, I think I want to buy one! I like this story! Actually, I think myself was a little alike with MeiMei. When I was in the elementary school, I did not like English either! Because I thought English was too hard to learn! I had to memorize many vocabularies and the grammars. I felt upset as I learned English. Just like MeiMei thought in the begin of the book. As I came to the USA,I have to deal with many problems by my own. I also feel the same with MeiMei's situation. I felt strange. And because in Taiwan, I seldom speak English, at the begin, I felt nervous as I spoke English. But I think everything will be fine just like MeiMei in the book!
October 1, 2009
This book's title generates huge interest in my classroom, so I thought I'd see what the buzz was about. The situation that the author presents of this little girl not wanting to speak English and missing her home of Hong Kong can be edited and used to address many new-kid-on the block children's issues. There was one line which really stuck out when the author says, "She didn't want English to have words she didn't know in Chinese" It just struck me as powerful.
K-3 appropriate
K-3 appropriate
April 5, 2011
I hate English! is a children's book that relates to every child who's felt they've had a language barrier ever since coming to America. I feel its a good book to read on the first day of school in the upper elementary grades, because it allows some children to be able to relate, while it also causes other children to be aware how difficult it is to come to a new place and unable to sufficiently speak the language.
April 15, 2012
This story is from the perspective of a young girl who moves from China to America and does not want to learn English. She resists learning English for fear that she will lose part of her Chinese culture, but then she meets a teacher who helps her understand that she can have the best of both worlds by knowing both Chines and English. The message of this book could apply to any age, so I would recommend this book to any students in similar situations to Mei Mei.
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