Wingman

by Daniel Pinkwater

Donald Chen, miserable from being the only Chinese boy in his school, climbs the George Washington Bridge every day until he is carried away to China by Wingman

Genres: Childrens, Fiction

63 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Daniel Manus Pinkwater is an author of mostly children's books and is an occasional commentator on National Public Radio. He attended Bard College. Well-known books include Lizard Music, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, Fat Men from Space, Borgel, and the picture book The Big Orange Splot. Pinkwater has also illustrated many of his books in the past, although for more recent works that task has passed to his wife Jill Pinkwater.

Reviews

[Neil Troost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broke my heart so sweet in parts

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful story. It is very different from Pinkwater's other works. The contrast really speaks to the depth of his skill as an author. I would recommend that children read with an adult because the story is a bit dated and contains language we wouldn't currently use or want our children to use, so that's a good opportunity for discussion and education. Having said that, even though times have changed a lot in almost 50 years, the main themes of the story are still very relevant today and would appeal to a lot of readers, young and old. It is a very touching book and I hope you will get an opportunity to read it.

[Patricia Wchman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story! I will not hesitate to share it with my grandchildren. This book is for your child if: they are feeling alone or bullied at school, or they love superheroes, if they like art, if they are imaginative and a bit of a dreamer.

[Hemant Nayak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything Daniel Pinkwater writes is brilliant and full of heart - Wingman is love

Everything Daniel Pinkwater writes is brilliant and full of heart - Wingman is unlike much of his work and a bit more serious. It is profound and full of love

[Cathy Wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple yet touching.

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good if a little wierd. If you know Daniel Pinkwater you know that he's not insinuating that anyone is delusional, but if you don't, maybe you might be a little worried.

[Phil J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early, weird, but somewhat serious book by "The Thomas Pynchon of Kids Lit."

Unlike his more famous novels such as Lizard Music, the protagonist is not a lonely, nerdy, white kid from the suburbs. Instead, Donald Chen is an isolated, lonely, picked-on son of Chinese immigrants living in NYC. The descriptions of loneliness, poverty, and racism are more poignant than I was expecting of a Pinkwater book, but they are effective.

Ultimately, Donald has surreal, imaginary(?) adventures with a Chinese superhero and uses imagination and art to find his place in the world. Pinkwater plays it straight, even with the surreal material, which makes the ending more emotionally impactful but also less effervescent than, say, Yobgorgle, Mystery Monster of Lake Ontario.

PS: My students are sometimes allowed to read comics in reading class.

[Roman Stadtler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book I read really young and don't remember much about. I loved it, though, because it was about a lonely kid and a superhero, and I was a lonely kid waay into comics (still am, in some ways; ran a comic shop for years, still get my new comics every Weds at that same shop). I still have my copy, which has a beautiful pen and ink illustration on the cover which I, amazingly, can't find online to show you all. It's not clearly by Daniel Pinkwater. I know Daniel Manus Pinkwater is the author's full name, but my paperback from 1976 lists Manus Pinkwater as the author/illustrator, no mention of the name Daniel. Second edition, maybe? Whatever, I need to reread it!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was kind of amazed this came out in 1975, there aren't even that many books published today where the main character is Asian & poor and just having a crappy time at school. It is not like other Daniel Pinkwater books I've read--it's not humorous or absurd, but really straightforward and kind of sad. It really evokes the feeling of being lonely. I liked the ending too. Totally surprised by this one.

[CW Hawes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all time favorite books and I think, next to The Big Orange Splot, Pinkwater's best.

I resonated with the main character's loneliness and his creating of an imaginary hero to alleviate that loneliness. The ending... Well, I won't spoil it. Let's just say it is extremely satisfying.

[John Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young Chinese-American boy wants a Chinese superhero, so he creates one.
He is still poor and lonely. His life is still bitterly hard. But his fantasies of Wingman help him to follow the old Chinese tradition: when times are bitter and there is no food, eat bitterness and survive.

[Tia M. Simoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wingman is timely, relevant and incredibly silly.

Daniel Pinkwater's story about a Chinese immigrant family in NYC is as sensitive as it is fun. The teacher in me loves this book as fiercely as the disaffected kid in me.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pinkwater is my favorite but this wasn't up to his usual genius....it was lacking something that I'm having a hard time articulating....the plot was very different than what he usually does.

[Ellice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not up to Pinkwater's usual level of genius, but ahead of its time in telling the story of a Chinese American kid who learns to bring together his cultural heritage and his life in New York.

[Becky Straub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this to my 9yo son and we both really enjoyed the unique story.

[Dan Blackley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great superhero story.