Honeysuckle House

by Andrea Cheng

Alienation, longing, prejudice, and cultural difference is touched on in this immigrant story told in the voices of two ten-year-old girls. Sarah and Tina are fourth graders. The most important thing in the world to Sarah — American-born Chinese — is the recent departure of her best friend, Victoria. She misses her terribly. Tina has just recently moved to Cincinnati from Shanghai, and is trying to make sense of a whole new world — pretty much clueless to all the things Sarah is hip to.

The two girls are paired together in school, as if Asian appearance were proof of parallel lives and experience. ("I don't speak Chinese," Sarah keeps having to explain.) It's the daily, common stuff of childhood intrigue that finally manages to connect their stories and forge a friendship. A whole constellation of adult concerns swirl around them — green card worries, assimilation, absent fathers, family tensions — but Andrea Cheng remains true to the heart and voice and vision of two ten-year-old girls, in a story which blends tears and games, drama and play.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Childrens

160 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2004

About the author

Andrea Cheng is a Hungarian-American children's author and illustrator. The child of Hungarian immigrants, she was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio in an extended family with three generations under one roof. Her family spoke Hungarian and English at home. After graduating with a BA in English from Cornell University, she went to Switzerland, where she apprenticed to a bookbinder, attended a school of bookbinding called The Centro del Bel Libro, and learned French. Upon her return, she returned to Cornell to study Chinese and earned an MS in linguistics. Now she teaches English as a Second Language at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Her children’s books include Grandfather Counts, Marika, The Key Collection, Honeysuckle House, Where the Steps Were, The Bear Makers, and Brushing Mom’s Hair. With her husband, Jim Cheng, she has three children: Nicholas, Jane, and Ann.

Reviews

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** Honeysuckle House is a delightful tale of friendship told through the voices of Sarah and Ting.

Sarah is a Chinese American whose best friend, Victoria, abruptly moves away leaving her feeling alone. Ting (or Tina) has just moved to America from China. She is missing her best friend Mu Ying and is finding it hard to adjust to life in America. When Tina joins Sarah’s class at school the two are paired together because they are both Chinese. Sarah is reluctant to forge a friendship with Tina since Tina speaks Chinese and Sarah does not. Sarah is also still clinging to the hope that Victoria will return. Tina is a shy girl who is having difficulty adjusting to life in America. She speaks some English but her parents do not. Tina misses her grandparents and uncle who are still in China. As time goes on both girls begin coming to terms with change and learn to nurture new friendships.
This realistic fiction novel deals with friendship, immigration, change, family dynamics, heritage and traditions.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here I am reading another Andrea Cheng book. Having reread my ratings/reviews for others I see that my opinions have varied. With the reading of this earlier work (2004) I see how certain themes come up again in Year of the Book. Here she has two different Chinese girls becoming acquainted after Sarah's neighbor friend Victoria moves suddenly. Victoria's story is confusing and troubling, and not written, but it seems like it will be on a happier path. Sarah is Chinese-American and speaks no Chinese. Ting is given the name Tina when she joins her parents in the United States. Both girls feel isolated in their school - the prejudice bubbles up without thought. Both are dealing with stress at home as Sarah's father travels a lot for work and Tina's father is away a lot trying to acquire a green card. The girls are wary of becoming friends. I really like the character development in such a short work.

[Tanja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book comes highly recommended by School Library journal, Library Media Connection and the Horn Book Guide among others. Even though a relatively slim book with only about 130 pages, it touches on many challenging issues as for example immigration, cultural identity, self-esteem, friendship and parent-child relationship. I enjoyed that the story is written from different perspectives: it switches regularly between the two main characters. The book made me think a lot about third culture kids and how different they can be. To me this book was special since it allowed me some more insights into Chinese culture and traditions, in which I am vey much interested.

[Teresa Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah and Victoria have built a hideout in the honeysuckle that grows in their yards. They love pretending and role playing and combing their hair together. Sarah, Chinese American, has dark black hair while Victoria has blond almost white hair. They are inseperable until Victoria and her mom suddenly up and move with no warning. Sarah waits in the honeysuckle house and leaves notes in case Victoria returns. Meanwhile at school a new girl: Tina, a recent immigrant from China arrives and everyone assumes she and Sarah will be friends. Each girl takes a turn telling the story from her point of view. They learn they have more in common than they thought.

[Diana Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honeysuckle House is a beautifully written book of friendship and family, loss and loneliness, cultural identity and self-acceptance. Cheng tells the story of Sarah, an American girl with Chinese ancestry, and Ting, the new girl who's just immigrated from China,in alternating first person. Every word rings true, creating a realistic and intimate relationship with both characters. The book is subtle but emotionally powerful, too. Highly recommended!

[Wendy Lu · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was kinda boring. My copy is signed by Andrea Cheng. It was kinda funny, she taught an esl class for adults that my mom was in a long time ago....when I asked her, she said she still remembered my mom, though I doubt that's true.

[Stef · Rating 3 out of 5]

topic: immigration issues, assimilation, Chinese cultural identity, friendship

[Beth Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet short novel entwining two Chinese girls

[Amanda Schwind · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was actually kind of disappointed by this book. I am studying to be an ELL teacher, but this book didn't meet my high expectations.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was amazing I literally have no words that is how good It was

[Madisyn]

in this book their was a girl in their how i belive is ten and she misses her friend and her old neighborhood because she had moved to a new place. when in her new school their was another new girl named tina and she came from china. the ten year old girl doesn't want anyone to know that they have a lot in common cause she was mistaken as a asian girl. they both have poor lange in chinese and english. later on they do become friends.