Jill Rubalcaba opens her newest book with the story of a young boy born in 1917 in Canton, China. Before he turns fourteen, he must deal with his mother’s death, his father’s virtual abandonment, and his relocation to his extended family’s home. A move to America for college takes him one step further along the path that will ultimately lead him to become I.M. Pei: Architect of Time, Place, and Purpose (Marshall Cavendish, $23.99). This in-depth and moving biography does justice to I.M. Pei’s genius with photographs, sketches, and floor plans that combine to make a beautifully designed book. Ages 12 and up. JLM