Parachute Kids
By (Author) Betty C. Tang
Scholastic US
Scholastic US
1st June 2023
13th April 2023
United States
Children
Fiction
Childrens / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction
Childrens / Teenage personal and social topics: Racism and anti-racism
Childrens / Teenage social topics: Migration / refugees
741.5
Paperback
288
Width 143mm, Height 205mm, Spine 23mm
520g
A dream trip to America turns into a nightmare! Feng-Li cant wait to discover America with her family! But after an action-packed vacation, her parents deliver shocking news: They are returning to Taiwan and leaving Feng-Li and her older siblings in California on their own. Suddenly, the three kids must fend for themselves in a strange new worldand get along. Starting a new school, learning a new language and trying to make new friends while managing a household is hard enough, but Bro and Siss constant bickering makes everything worse. Thankfully, there are some hilarious moments to balance the stress and loneliness. But as tensions escalateand all three kids get tangled in a web of bad choicescan Feng-Li keep her family together
Praise for Parachute Kids:
"The development of the characters and their relationships is convincing and balanced, and the siblings' respective experiences are relatable for anyone who has tried to fit in somewhere. This empathic story centers a less widely recognized community and thoughtfully presents a distinct facet of immigration. Emotionally moving and beautifully executed." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"At once common and unique, this is a compelling story of immigration and family bonds; highly recommended." -- School Library Journal, starred review
"Tang's artwork clearly conveys the emotions of each scene, and readers will find this story hard to put down." -- Booklist, starred review
"Uplifting...Across crisp, boldly colored panels, the creator addresses heavy topics such as bullying, queer identity, and racism. Inspired by her own experience as a "parachute kid," defined in an author's note as children brought to live with friends or relatives in foreign countries, Tang balances humor and heart with the difficult realities of what parachute kids may face." -- Publishers Weekly
Betty C. Tang is the New York Times bestselling illustrator of the Jacky Ha-Ha series of graphic novels by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. She has worked for various Hollywood animation studios including Disney TV and Dreamworks Animation, and codirected an animated feature called Where's the Dragon Betty is also a fourth degree black belt in aikido, a Japanese martial art. Born in Taiwan, Betty immigrated to California as a Parachute Kid when she was ten. She lives in Los Angeles. Learn more about her work at bettyctang.com.