Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Inspired by Erika's question, this has been bugging me for a while because I can't figure it out.

I think I read it for school in 4th or 5th grade. It was the story of two Chinese kids who had immigrated to San Francisco (I think). The specifics I remember is that the girl chose the name of the government office worker lady (Shirley?) as her "American" name and her brother chose the name of the street outside (Jackson, I think). And there was a joke about how they could have ended up as Brunhilde and Battery. I also remember them being weirded out by milk ("cow juice") and a scene where they went to a neighbor's house for a dinner party and peeled the strings off the celery from the veggie & dip platter and they thought it was really weird that the whiteys hadn't done this. Then they went out for milkshakes or something.

The internet wants me to believe that it is In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, but I'm 99% sure that it's not because I don't remember the journey to the US being part of the story or that it took place in New York. And that character doesn't seem to have a brother.

I'm glad I inspired your question! And sorry I can't help. That sounds like a good book, though. Does it take place during the turn of the century (in other words, does it incorporate the 1906 earthquake?)?

It definitely seemed modern within the context of when I read the book (late 80's) or when it was written (70's/80's maybe?), at least to my naive mind.

I will search, Mel. If I can't figure it out, I will ask the children's library list-serv from the ALA. They know all.