"Julie Black Belt is a story about perseverance and serves as a great example to teach children how working hard pays off."
- Northwest Asian Weekly
The long-anticipated sequel is here! In this second story, Julie continues her lessons, but she also learns the importance of friendship and the right attitude.
Julie proudly wears her yellow belt and is eager to attain her next rank: orange! Inspired by the movie star Brandy Wu, Julie now meets a new kid in her class...but is he better than her?
Julie grapples with unexpected challenges but another mentor enters the picture too. With some wise and helpful advice, can Julie earn her own Belt of Fire?
Reviews
"I love the message in both books - never give up, the best things in life aren't easy, teamwork always works, and teachers are great. :) Julie is a good-hearted girl who you can easily relate to - she wants to be a black belt, not a white belt. I like that it shows how hard it is to get different belts in the martial arts (just FYI I am now up to a blue belt in jujitsu and a green belt in karate and I have my black belt in TaeKwon-Do - so I know it's hard ;) ). I think it's cool that the main character is a girl. There are a lot of girls in my martial arts classes. The story isn't just about martial arts, but more about being your best and working hard to get what you want. The Julie Black Belt books are a GREAT series for kids! I give this book and series 5 out of 5 bookworms!" - This Kid Reviews Books
"On her quest for her next belt, Julie learns that it's more important to look inside at your own progress than to compare yourself to someone else. She also learns the value of co-operation. The illustrations are colourful and fun, and even when the characters are just standing still, there is a feeling of action."
- Pacific Wave Jiu Jitsu
"Fast paced and engaging throughout, Julie Black Belt: The Belt of Fire will hold the attention of young readers. As with the first book, Charlene Chua's illustrations are bright, cartoon-like feasts of colour that invoke a sense of movement that will keep young eyes flowing from page to page. Sequences depicted as scenes from the Brandy Wu movie Julie is watching at different points in the story have borders made to look like film edging, creating a rather enchanting feeling of watching a movie inside a book... Once again, Chin has provided young readers with a fun, informative and interesting story that should engage even the most reluctant reader while providing a rich source of information and thought-provoking concepts." - CM Magazine
"What I love about both of these books is how it takes the girl to be the heroine in a typically male sport. I also love how it brings races (Brandon is white) together to have the same goal of bettering each person. The messages are so well woven into the stories. In the first book, Julie learns to not give up and keep trying even when it seems hard. In the second book, Julie and Brandon learn not to compare themselves to others, but to focus on oneself. The books themselves are written in an almost comic form, so it is a great way to expose younger children to comics and the upcoming graphic novels. I read the first book to Hazel this morning and she really liked it. She cannot wait to hear the second one." - Crafty Moms Share
"Sports that teach self-defense are particularly good at instilling a sense of respect for self, for others, and the capability of one's own body. That's why we've put Julie Black Belt book at the top of our list."
- Toward the Stars: Empowering Ideas for Girls: Top Picks
"With its bright, action-packed cover in super hero style, this book will draw young readers in, especially those interested in martial arts. Julie's hero Brandy Wu stars in The Belt of Fire. Through this film and her own experiences with the new boy Brandon in her martial arts class, she learns that working together as allies rather than as adversaries brings out the best in both of them. Originally she and Brandon are self-conscious around each other and perform badly, but with the insight of their teacher (sifu) Mr. Fong's guest, Master Zhou, they learn to "Concentrate on improving yourself, and not on impressing others." Thus they are successful in earning their next belts plus a surprise gift from this wise woman that ties into the film The Belt of Fire. Girls, especially, may welcome a female protagonist in a kung fu book, but primary boys will most likely enjoy this story as well."
- Puget Sound Council for Reviewing Children's Literature/Media
"My daughter was happy to see this as she too is a little ball of energy and there aren't many English books with Asian girl characters like her! The comic book style fits well with the high energy character and Chua's illustrations are great fun. We can't wait for the next Julie Black Belt book!" - Perogies & Gyoza
"In the first book, Julie learned that earning a black belt requires hard work and regular practice; in The Belt of Fire, she actively works to fulfill her dream. She has earned the rank of yellow belt, and is almost ready to take the test for an orange belt. But then she meets a new student in her martial arts class, who just might be better than she is! Appealing, brightly colored illustrations bring to life this story about the values of sportsmanship and being a respectful partner or teammate, in training or any other activity. Highly recommended"
- Midwest Book Review
"The clever use of black and white bands, like the edges of old style movie tapes, surrounds the illustrations oldie video of Jade Crane and the Belt of Fire. This allows a minimizing of text when the narrative jumps to the movie that Julie likes to watch and back to the story of Julie and her life." - Resource Links
Recommended books
- Great Prairie Area Education Agency
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