Half and Half by Lensey Namioka

A.Bibliographic Data:
Namioka, Lensey. 2003. Half and Half. Delacorte Press: New York, New York. ISBN 0-385-73038-1(trade) ISBN 0-385-90072-4(GLB).

B. Plot Summary:
Half and Half is a story of an 11 year old girl Fiona whose mother is of Irish decent and father is of Chinese decent. Fiona is happy with her father's features until one day she is asked to participate in an Irish dance performance that her grandfather is directing. She is suddenly confronted with the decision of making her Chinese grandmother happy or her Irish grandparents happy while at the same time dealing with issues regarding belonging to a certain culture because of her physical appearance. This unexpected dilemma occurs when she has decide whether to the dance performance or a special speech that her father needs her to appear in because they are both scheduled at the same time. She struggles trying to find a solution where none of her grandparents will be hurt, and trying to accept and understand her features until the end where things finally fall into place.

C. Critical Analysis:
In Half and Half Fiona is struggling with issues that grip many children and this books would help them understand that they are not alone with their feelings of wanting to please either side of their family. Fiona aside from dealing with this is also struggling with the racial tension that is associated with the decisions that she makes. Racial tension is a very delicate issue and Lensey does a wonderful job of providing information that clarifies misconceptions or stereotypes associated with certain races. Fiona realizes this when her Grandmother explains that not all Scotts have red hair. (Example, when Fiona exclaims, “I had thought that Scottish people were all big and fair, and looked like Grandpa and Grandma MacMurray.”) Also when Fiona's mother explains to her the reason why her father's character changes when he is around his mother. Lensey adds of the famous story of the boy which helps readers better understand the importance and deep meaning that filial duty has for the Chinese.

D. Review Excerpt:
From School Library Journal:
“Eleven-year-old Fiona Cheng is half and half--her father is Chinese and her mother is Scottish. Being biracial hasn't bothered her, but lately she has been thinking about it quite a bit. It seems that people make assumptions about her based on her appearance. Her grandfather calls her red-haired brother "laddie" and expects him to be the one in the family interested in Scottish culture, and her paternal grandmother always seems surprised that Fiona is not a delicate Chinese girl. When it's time for Seattle's annual Folk Fest, Fiona is faced with a problem. She is expected to perform with her grandfather's Scottish dance group and participate in a talk her father is giving, wearing the costume her paternal grandmother has made for the occasion. Unfortunately, both events are scheduled for the same time. Fiona's solution to her dilemma allows her to please everyone, making her realize that she is 100 percent Fiona, and that is just fine. A humorous novel with an appealing heroine.” By Terrie Dorio, , Trevelyn E. Jones, Luann Toth, Marlene Charnizon, Daryl Grabarek, and Jeanne Larkins.

E. Connections
Have students develop a venn diagram comparing and contrasting the two cultures discussed in this book.

Have students research 3 historical facts about their own culture and present them to the class.