Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Orca Book Publishers (2016), 192 pages
Description
When ten-year-old Journey Song hears that two pandas are being held in a warehouse in her neighborhood, she worries that they may be hungry, cold and lonely. Horrified to learn that the pandas, originally destined for a zoo in Washington, might be shipped back to China because of a diplomatic spat between China and the United States, Journey rallies her friends and neighbors on the poverty-stricken Eastside. Her infectious enthusiasm for all things panda is hard to resist, and soon she's getting assistance from every corner of her tight-knit neighborhood.
Local notes
Booklist, 11/14/2016
Set in 1972, Prendergast’s novel reimagines a turbulent time in world history, and what might have happened when two giant pandas gifted to the Washington, D.C., zoo by the Chinese government were, instead, waylaid on their journey as the result of a political tiff. Living on the Eastside, one of Vancouver’s most notorious slums, 10-year-old Journey Wind Song has become accustomed to the uglier sides of life. There’s homeless Kentucky Jack, crazy Contrary Gary, and pretty prostitute Kellie Rae. And while Journey’s mom might tell her it’s better to ignore them, to Journey, these people are her friends. When she hears that two giant pandas are stuck in a cold, empty warehouse on the dilapidated docks on Vancouver, she rallies her community to protect them and bring some much-needed beauty to the neighborhood. With its grim setting and diverse characters, Prendergast’s novel honestly confronts prejudice while reminding readers that it’s not where you come from but what you do for the people you love.
Set in 1972, Prendergast’s novel reimagines a turbulent time in world history, and what might have happened when two giant pandas gifted to the Washington, D.C., zoo by the Chinese government were, instead, waylaid on their journey as the result of a political tiff. Living on the Eastside, one of Vancouver’s most notorious slums, 10-year-old Journey Wind Song has become accustomed to the uglier sides of life. There’s homeless Kentucky Jack, crazy Contrary Gary, and pretty prostitute Kellie Rae. And while Journey’s mom might tell her it’s better to ignore them, to Journey, these people are her friends. When she hears that two giant pandas are stuck in a cold, empty warehouse on the dilapidated docks on Vancouver, she rallies her community to protect them and bring some much-needed beauty to the neighborhood. With its grim setting and diverse characters, Prendergast’s novel honestly confronts prejudice while reminding readers that it’s not where you come from but what you do for the people you love.
Awards
City of Vancouver Book Award (Shortlist — 2017)
Chocolate Lily Reader's Choice Awards (Nominee — 2018)
The Willow Awards (Finalist — 2017)
Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Award (Nominee — 2018)