Making Friends with Billy Wong

Azalea is not happy about being dropped off to care for Grandmother Clark. Paris Junction is nothing like her Texas hometown. And now she’s been thrown together with troubled Willis DeLoach, gossipy Melinda Bowman, and Billy Wong, a Chinese-American boy who has his own troubles. Billy’s parents own the Lucky Foods grocery store, where days are long, and folks aren’t always friendly.

Inspired by the true stories of Chinese immigrants who came to the American south during the civil rights era, this poignant story reminds us all that home is where our hearts reside, and that friends can come to us in the most unexpected ways.

Told from two points of view, this brilliantly nuanced novel delivers two unique perspectives: Billy Wong’s, rendered in clipped verse narratives, interspersed with Azalea’s emotionally expressive prose.

Former librarian and children's book reviewer Augusta Scattergood has devoted her life and career to getting books into the hands of young readers. Her reviews and articles have appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, Delta Magazine, the St. Petersburg Times, and other publications. Additionally, Augusta is an avid blogger. Please visit her at www.augustascattergood.com.. She lives in St. Pete Beach, Florida.