Only One Year

by Andrea Cheng, Nicole Wong (Illustrator)

Sharon can hardly believe the news. Di Di, her two-year-old brother, is being taken to China to spend a year with their grandparents. Why can’t he go to day care or be watched by a babysitter when Mama goes back to work? Sharon wonders. But her parents say it is better for relatives to take care of little children.

After Di Di first leaves, Sharon and her younger sister, Mary, pore over the photographs their grandma sends, trying to keep their little brother fresh in their minds. As the year passes, the girls become involved with school, friends, and hobbies. They think of Di Di less often. Then one day he is home again, and it feels as if a stranger has entered their lives. The children struggle to sort out their mixed emotions but soon discover that the bonds among siblings hold strong.

Genres: Family, Asian American, Realistic Fiction, Cultural, Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade

104 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2010

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

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win this book on goodreads firstreads. It was an enlightening book for me on the Chinese custom of sending a young child to his grandparents for a year. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of the lives of the 3 children, I loved the building of the dollhouse and how creative they were. I also thought the illustrations were delightful. I am glad I won this book!!

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good little story for the younger child. Will keep it for my grandson to read when ready.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharon who is going into 4th graed and Mary who is going into 1st aren't too keen on the idea of sending their two year old brother Di Di (David) to China for a whole year to stay with their grandparents. There are many relatives to share taking care of him there, but a year seems like a long time--it's ALL of fourth grade!

Sharon is embarassed by Di Di's absence and she hides it from her school friends. When it comes up she feels weird about it. Both girls miss their little brother...maybe they might think of him a little less as the year progresses, but they look forward to his return. When Nai Nai (Grandma) brings him back the folowing summer...a whole new set of issues arise.

This slim volume, just perfect for the newly-comfortable-with-chapters set, is Cheng doing what she does best: presenting immigrant (or immigrant-descended) families in slice-of-life stories that illumnate our differences while shining a light on our similarities. Her characters are nice without seeming overly good & the events of day to day life that fit together to tell the tale could all be happening to your neighbors.

A good book for classrooms studying China (there is a short glossary of Chinese words at the back) or family relationships or those differences and similarities.

[Renee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Summary: Nine-year-old Sharon has conflicted feelings towards her copycat little sister and rambunctious toddler brother, who is sent to China for a year to live with relatives.

Chapter book for young readers.

The book was a little didactic. It seems like the only reason the author wrote the story was to teach other people that in some Asian cultures, families send a child back to their homeland to be taken care of by older relatives while the family works. They would rather the young child be taken care of by family members and leave more about their first language and culture than to be sent to daycare. The author even admits that is the reason why she wrote the book. The author's note at the end made me feel bad because all I could think about while reading the book was how horrible that was to send a child away so mom and dad could work. I felt guilty like that was wrong of me to think that and judge another family.

[CH13_ Helen Budeyskaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. I have heard before that children from Asia do get sent back to their native countries to spend time with their families for periods of time and then come back to their parents. In this story, Di Di the two-year old child gets sent to China to stay with her grandparents. The parents do not want to put Di Di in a day care center, their culture does not believe in anyone else helping to raise their child except a family member. Although this is foreign to the other two sisters in the family, they seem to get used to Di Di's absence as school starts. When Di Di comes back that is when things start getting tricky and the family has to find a way to be a family again.

The family does end up getting through this process and are happy in the end. It is a beautiful story about a family's love and struggles. It also very interesting to read about other people's cultures and what kinds of practices they follow with their own family.

[Sam Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is less a STORY than a child narrated series of events. You watch her come to terms with saying goodbye to her brother. Sort of forget him. Get angry when he returns. Reconcile. It is all 100% believable, which makes sense as this stuff does actually happen all the time.

This is one that I'll be glad to give my kids when they are first starting to read REAL books (and I also like the illustrations, though I don't think they're terribly special). Different from the normal genre I like, but still glad to have it.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Only One Year
Author: Andrea Cheng
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Synopsis: Sharon and Mary's two year old brother, Di Di, goes to China to live for a year as per family tradition. The book centers around this event and what happens when Di Di comes back. Ultimately, this is a celebration of family values.

My Thoughts: I thought this was a really cute read! Di Di is adorable. I think little kids will enjoy this book and learning about why some cultures send very young children abroad for a year. It's fascinating! This would be a nice edition to any elementary classroom library.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, enlightening read. I have never thought of having a child of mine go overseas for a year to be raised by family there....and yet I can see why parents make that choice. This book is a great insight into that process not only for the parents and little one, but for the big sisters too! On page 18 Di Di's mom says they won't buy him shoes because she doesn't know what size he is in now. I took a minute to process that. And his homecoming...the mom has to take a deep breath when Di Di rejects her in favor of his Nai Nai (grandmother).

I was lucky, so so so lucky to be home with my children during their early years. Sacrifices? Yes, but for me, totally worth it.

Page 6, "'Di Di is only two. We cannot leave him with a stranger. ' She swallows hard. 'A babysitter is not like Nai Nai. For a babysitter, Di Di is a job. But for Nai Nai, he is a grandson.'" I have to say I know some wonderful babysitters out there, but my mind did go through this exact thought process when I thought about my options as a new mother.

[MelMon Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book to get a look into the way different cultures take care of their families. I liked that at the end the author explained why the story was like this for the family and I loved the idea of siblings feeling that close. They still showed the challenges of having siblings but it was a genuine love and care that they showed for each other.

[Emmeline Guest · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as I know, there are not many juvenile (or adult) fiction books written about the practice of sending young children off to stay for a long period of time with extended family -- so this title would make a good staple addition to any collection. It would also work very well in a classroom -- especially during a unit on family or multiculturalism.

I read the author's note after I read the book (which discusses Cheng's hope that Only One Year will help young readers understand the role different cultures play in raising and caring for families). I was not unfamiliar with the topic of this book, however I thought Cheng's did a wonderful job at explaining this practice in terms that could be easily understood by young children (her readers). I would read the author's note first, discuss different ways people from different backgrounds/cultures/places raise and love their families and then read Cheng's story ...

As for the story ... it's good, gentle, and a realistic depiction of family and sibling life ... but it's not great stand-alone read. It needs to be something bigger -- part of a discussion.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title refers to the fact that the family in the book is planning to send their 2-year-old boy Di Di back to China to live with relatives for "Only One Year." It looks at the effects this separation has on the family as a whole, both when Di Di leaves and when he returns, but the story really revolves around Di Di's sisters Sharon and Mary. I found this book interesting because I actually knew a family who did this - sent their baby boy back to China to live with relatives for a year. I didn't know the family that well, but I knew the baby had been born, I saw him a few times, and then they stopped bringing him to the library where I worked. I didn't think anything about it the first time or two, but as the months went on, I began to think something had happened to the baby. I don't think I personally could leave my small child with even beloved relatives for an entire year, knowing I would miss so many milestones, but the reasons the parents do this are clearly explained in the book. This is a well-written early chapter book which sheds a little light on one of the cultural traditions still practiced by some Chinese-American families.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book deals with a Chinese family who decides to send their young child back to China to be raised by relative, as the mother and father have to work full time. This family has two more children (a 4th and 1st grader) who stays home with them and are checked in by a neighbor after school until the parents come home.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. While I do understand different cultures have different ways of doing things, to have an American child read this book can be a little scary. They may start thinking, that if their parents don't feel they have enough time for them, they may ship them off to another country. That can be scary for a child.

At the end of the book, the culture differences were discussed. This however, in my opinion, should have been part of the actual story. While the book was written from the 4th graders' perspective, it could have included more culture differences while she spoke with her friend Isabelle. I felt there were numerous opportunities missed in teaching more culture than simply telling a story.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharon and Mary's little brother Di Di goes to spend a year with their grandparents in China. Even though the girls really miss him, life continues in their small household.

This was a nice change of pace. Simple, short chapters offer a compelling glimpse into a small immigrant family and the cultures of both their worlds. It was interesting to find out that some immigrant families send their small children back to their home country for a year or two.

I like how the story has both bigger themes, like adjusting to a missing sibling, being different from other families, and the interrelationship of siblings; as well as smaller vignettes, like going to the park and building a playhouse together. The playhouse had to be my favorite part. My sister and I used to do things like that!

I can definitely see how this could be discussed as a possible Newbery. Yes, it is much simpler than most Newberys, however, the author skilfully conveys such depth of emotion and meaning into a small book perfect for its target audience. I look forward to discussing it with others

[Salsabrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharon's parents are sending her two-year-old brother Di Di to live in China for a year with the grandparents. They believe Di Di will get the best attention and care from family rather than a childcare while Sharon's mother takes on a new job. Sharon and her sister Mary miss their baby brother, but eventually assorted activities and the seasons keep them occupied until his return. There is then a rough adjustment period for all concerned before Di Di and the rest of the family coalesce as a unit again. As an adult reading this, I wondered if Di Di had a disability that the author chose not to describe. But in the author's afterword, she explains how some Asian and African families believe that sending their child to live with relatives for a period of time is preferable to and more affordable than childcare or babysitters. The merits of this practice would be a highly debatable topic in American society, but for the intended readers of this book, the story is simply an interesting, or maybe familiar, episode in one family's life.

[Carmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet shorter juvenile novel about a Chinese-American family that makes the decision to send their young son back to China to live with the grandparents for a year when the mom returns to work. Their school age daughters are at first shocked at this decision, but the parents explain they want Di Di to be cared for by people who love him, his larger extended family. there is a note in the back explaining that this situation is not that uncommon for immigrant families who are working hard to get established in their new country.
The year passes quickly and then they face the difficulty of Di Di's readjustment back to his family in the US.

I can't really think of an easy, ready audience for this one. It is sort of serious for a shorter chapter book.

[Elaine Bearden · Rating 4 out of 5]

gr 2-4
A really interesting story about a family who sends their 2 year old son to China to live for a year, instead of sending him to day care. Told from the perspective of the two older sisters. That is only half of the book, because the brother returns, and that is another part of the story. The line drawings are just right to help with comprehension, and the white space on the page creates a feeling of comfort with the text. An unusual, appealing story for beginning chapter book readers. I had the opportunity to meet the author at the USBBY conference in St. Charles, IL. She led the discussion group I was in and she was a very down-to-earth and interesting author to meet. -Elaine B.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this story Sharon and Mary learn their parents are going to send their baby brother to China to live with his grandparents for one year. In this way he will be immersed in the Chinese culture. This decision creates many different feelings in not only the children but also in the adults. As I read this from a mother's perspective, I kept wondering how these parents could make that decision. I understand wanting them to be immersed in their culture but it would be so difficult. I did enjoy the book as it gave me a look at a different culture. I believe my students will be interested in it as we have added Chinese this year to our curriculum and they are learning a lot about the culture from our Chinese teacher who is here for this year.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweetly written, short and simple, introduction to a practice that is completely foreign in this country-- plus it's written by a local author whom I have seen at my library! *starstruck*

If there's one thing I would have changed, though, it'd be the placement of the author's note to the beginning rather than the end of the book. It wasn't a huge stretch for me to accept the circumstances of this story since I've grown up in the same culture, but I think the general American reaction to the idea of sending a young child off to be raised by relatives in a different country for an extended period of time is an issue that immediately brings up flabbergasted judgement, which then gets in the way of the actual elements of the story.

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart-warming story of a family of Chinese immigrants to the United States who decide to send their youngest son for a year to China to live with his grandparents. The departure, the absence as well as the return present the family with challenges which they approach with much care and compassion. I had never read a book on this topic before and therefore appreciate having discovered it. In my personal experience, it is not an unusual phenomena among parents working abroad to have their children spend some time back in their home-country, either with the grandparents or at a boarding school.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have known families like this, who send their young children "home" to India or China for a year or two rather than putting them into daycare. It is telling that this book was published to begin with, and the story is told in an honest way, including the mixed feelings of all of the family members about sending the little brother to their extended family and about the adjustments for all of them on his return.

A great resource for families planning or experiencing this, and particularly for others (children and adults alike) who are unfamiliar with the practice.

[Ofilia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the idea of this book and the story it sets out to tell. I think the message is important and I especially appreciated the author’s note at the end. However, I felt like everything about the characters was superficial and two dimensional so I never had a connection with them. They were never felt fully developed for me and the entire point of the book is to portray the situation. I think the whole thing could have been much stronger with a stronger protagonist that made you really feel like you were in the situation with her.

[Elissa Schaeffer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a simple, sweet book on an unusual topic where a family sent their youngest to stay in China with grandparents for "only one year" rather than send him to daycare. I had never heard of this practice but, as the author explained, some cultures do this for a variety of reasons. The text was sparse and the year seems to go by quickly, but it's also about reintegrating DiDi back into the family, as told through the eyes of the eldest daughter.

Undoubtedly will have limited appeal due to the topic, but still a good story to have for those who experience it. Grades 2 and up.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting facet of current immigrant life. Length for younger reader but topic and characters could have benefited from more depth longer work would have allowed. Or rather, the conflicts get resolved way too easily. I would like to understand more of what the mother does the first two years of kid's life, and given the allusion to the other children making their year journey to China, does this mean the mother has a stop and start work life over and again?

[Kris Springer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet book about a Chinese American family that sends its 2 year old son to China for a year to stay with his grandparents. Focus is on his older sisters and the strain it puts on them (they miss their brother) and then shows what happens when he returns. A comforting book that shows how different cultures view childrearing.

[Jane]

I enjoyed this book, especially the inter-sibling relationships and the way the sisters use creative play to cope with time alone together. Even taking into account that it is designed for younger chapter book readers, the book felt a bit spare, however, for the amount of time it covered. I wanted to know the narrator better -- her siblings felt more vivid to me than she did.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I had a bit of a hard time with this book because the character of Di Di is the same age as my youngest son. I know it may be a cultural difference, but I cannot imagine sending him away for year. I felt so bad for everyone in the family as they all during the readjustment of Di Di's return.

[Tracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this story about two sisters who little brother is sent to China to be cared for by relatives for a year. The story gently chronicles this time and DiDi's return to his family at the end of the year. The end of the story talks about cultural differences and why some families may chose to send a child to be cared for by relatives.

[Kristen Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming story about a Japanese family that has to adjust first to losing a little brother after he goes to live with his grandparents for a year, and then when he gets home again.

Here in student housing many young couples have their children living far away in their home countries. It's actually quiet common and it was interesting to read about.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slight but comfortable story about a Chinese-American family that sends their youngest child to China for a year to be cared for by Chinese relatives. The author's note at the back of the book explains that this practice is not uncommon, particularly for families with relatives living in Asia and Africa. She goes on to explain the reasons families have for making this often difficult decision.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read about a family who sends their youngest boy to live with their extended family in China for a year. It is an interesting view into the year without their brother and his reintroduction into the family. I think immigrant families and children with broad interests would especially enjoy this book.