Abstract
Reviewed by: Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang Danica Ronquillo Tang, Betty C. Parachute Kids; written and illus. by Betty C. Tang. Graphix/ Scholastic, 2023 [288p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781338832693 $24.99 Paper ed. ISBN 9781338832686 $12.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 4-7 It's February 1981, and ten-year-old Feng-Li is excited to go on vacation to America with her family, only to be confused and enraged when she and her siblings find out they'll be staying in California permanently while their parents go back to Taiwan. Not only are the kids leaving their friends and old life behind in Taiwan, but they must adapt to a new country and confront new problems. Feng-Li is struggling to learn English while taking on adult responsibilities; Jia-Xi is striving for perfection at school while juggling household responsibilities; and Ke-Gāng is trying to be the ideal son while figuring out his sexual identity. Besides having to negotiate peace between her bickering siblings, Feng-Li must also worry about the threat from law enforcement and the children's status as undocumented immigrants. Tang's debut graphic novel effectively telegraphs the characters' fears and anxieties with focused perspectives and animated panels, underscoring the obstacles immigrants must face, and the language barrier is represented in different colored speech bubbles to represent Mandarin and English. There are joyful and humorous moments to help the children cope with their feelings of abandonment and loneliness, and despite breaking promises and making mistakes, Feng-Li's parents have good intentions to provide them the best opportunities in America at a time when Taiwan is facing political issues. The siblings' emotional journey and ultimate ability to appreciate and honor both Western and Taiwanese cultures with friends and family make an aspirational model for young people trying to make the best of relocating in unforeseen situations. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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