The Secret Battle of Evan Pao

By: Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Narrated by: Dylan J. Locke

A fresh start. That's all Evan Pao wants as he, along with his mother and sister, flee from California to Haddington, Virginia, hoping to keep his father's notoriety a secret.

But Haddington is a Southern town steeped in tradition, and moving to a town immersed in the past has its own price. Although Evan quickly makes friends, one boy, Brady Griggs, seems determined to make sure that as a Chinese American, Evan feels that he does not belong. When Evan finds a unique way to make himself part of the school's annual Civil War celebration, the reaction is swift and violent. As all of his choices at home and at school collide, Evan must decide whether he will react with the same cruelty shown to him, or choose a different path.

Wendy Wan-Long Shang, the critically acclaimed author of Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Award for Children's Literature winner The Great Wall of Lucy Wu, weaves a timely and deeply moving portrait of all the secret battles Evan Pao must fight as he struggles to figure out how he fits into this country's past and how he will shape its future.

©2022 Text Copyright by Wendy Wan-Long Shang. (P)2022 Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

W book

I liked that I didn't have to read this so I can sit hear and listen.

Beautiful story about forgiveness and redemption

Highly recommend for upper elementary and middle school. Beautiful story about forgiveness, redemption and being able to put aside anger and preconceived ideas long enough to find common ground.