I was a bit sad at how annoying Alvin was for the first part of the book, like really, really annoying. Also many of the "jokes" at the beginning only make sense if you're a frequent flyer and understand airport security. Most children are not well-versed in that.
I was also disappointed that Chinese culture wasn't really delved into until the very end. The ending was more like the Alvin I know but I don't know if I would recommend it to students. ( )

This is the first Alvin Ho book that I've read. I enjoyed it. It's for a younger audience than I expected. I'll be recommending it to students in grades 2-4. There is a lot of humor, and many children will identify with Alvin's worries. You can think of this as Scaredy Squirrel in novel form, with a side of Asian-American experience. I suspect it would make a great read-aloud. All that being said, I found Alvin's antics repetitive and I am not compelled to read any more in the series. ( )

Within a couple pages of the front cover, Alvin has already stripped down to his birthday suit in the airport security line and emptied the highly suspicious contents (you know, knives, lighter fluid, etc.) of his PDK onto the x-ray conveyor belt. And the rest of the book continues in typical Alvin fashion, all the way to the high rises and air pollution and ancient history of Beijing to visit his relatives.

Alvin is just as lovable across the globe as he is in Concord – but you’ll be thankful you don’t have to travel with him. ( )