Outsider Kids: A Parachute Kids Graphic Novel (Parachute Kids #2)

by Betty C. Tang, Betty C. Tang (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Perfect for fans of Dan Santat and Raina Telgemeier, Outsider Kids follows a sibling trio through the trials of middle school, relentless immigration authorities and one obnoxious cousin who comes to town.

Can one spoiled cousin upend three kids’ hard-won happiness? Find out in this hilarious, big-hearted, high stakes companion to the award-winning bestseller Parachute Kids! Perfect for fans of School Trip, A First Time for Everything, The Tryout, and The Squad.

★ "Humorous and relatable…tugs at the heartstrings." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “Powerful and triumphant.” —School Library Journal, starred review

"Another truly superb graphic novel from Betty C. Tang! Fascinating, funny, and, at times, heart-wrenching. I adored this story!" —Christina Soontornvat, New York Times bestselling author of The Squad and The Tryout

“An incredible, refreshing, heartfelt companion to Parachute Kids that is not afraid to illustrate the hardships of many immigrant families. I could not put this book down!” —Joanna Cacao, New York Times bestselling illustrator of The Squad and The Tryout

WITH FAMILY LIKE THIS, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?

After seven months on their own as undocumented immigrants, the Lin siblings have settled into their new lives in California. Sis has a new job, Bro has a new crush, and Feng-Li (Ann) is excited to celebrate her eleventh birthday with her new friends. Their parents still await visa approval in Taiwan, so the trio is trying to take better care of one another and stay under the radar of immigration authorities.

But when their cousin Josephine—a violin prodigy—arrives with her privilege and demands, suddenly their world is turned upside down. Will they have to give up the life and the stability they worked so hard to achieve?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338832716
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	04/15/2025
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	HL190L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Betty C. Tang is the creator of Parachute Kids, a 2023 National Book Awards Longlist title and an ALA Asian/ Pacific American Award Honor Book, among its many distinctions. She illustrated the New York Times bestselling Jacky Ha-Ha series of graphic novels by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. Before becoming a full-time graphic novelist, Betty worked for various Hollywood animation studios, including Disney TV and DreamWorks Animation, and codirected an animated feature called Where’s the Dragon? She is also a fourth-degree black belt in aikido. Betty immigrated to California as a parachute kid when she was ten and currently lives in Los Angeles. Learn more about her work at bettyctang.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Parachute Kids:

**A National Book Award Longlist Title in the Young People's Literature Category**

ALA APALA Honor Book

ABA Indie Bestsellers List

School Library Journal Best Book

NPR Best Book

Kirkus Reviews Best Book

The Horn Book Best Book

★ "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

★ "Tang weaves themes of family, racial stereotyping, cultural adaptation, sacrifice, peer pressure, sexuality, bullying, and survival into a poignant and triumphant story of perseverance and resilience, presenting a remarkably honest depiction of an Asian American immigrant experience." — The Horn Book, 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

"Tang's debut graphic novel effectively telegraphs the characters' fears and anxieties with focused perspectives and animated panels, underscoring the obstacles immigrants must face... 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." — TheBulletin of the Center for Children's Books, recommended

From the Publisher

★ 03/01/2025

Gr 5 Up—This companion to Parachute Kids begins on Halloween 1981 with Ann, the Taiwanese youngest sibling of three, trick-or-treating with her sixth grade friends, who are kind and patient with Ann's developing English-language skills. English text is in black inside white speech balloons; Chinese is in red on a yellow background. The Li siblings' relative peace and stability is broken by the arrival of their auntie and cousin Josephine, who attended a European school in Taiwan and has been accepted to music school in Los Angeles. Ann is excited to see her cousin again and practice music together, but Josephine is horrible to her, and it gets worse when Auntie returns to Taiwan. Readers will commiserate with oldest sister Jessie, who is left to manage everything, including studying for her SATs and working at a restaurant where she's being cheated out of wages due to her illegal status. The other siblings also have their own storylines with middle brother Jason finding a friendship-to-romance with Jessie's best friend's brother, Alex. Meanwhile, Ann misses her parents and keenly feels the fragility of her American life, and her lack of control over it, which is highlighted when Josephine betrays them. Throughout the book, these characters face real challenges and subsequently show real growth. Readers will cheer on the siblings as they band together to overcome every obstacle, proving they can make their American life work. VERDICT As powerful and triumphant as the first book, this eye-opening read belongs on all shelves.—Jenny Arch

School Library Journal

★ 2025-02-01
Three siblings continue their immigrant journeys in 1980s California.

In this sequel toParachute Kids (2023), sixth grader Feng-Ling (Ann), older brother Ke-Gāng (Jason), and oldest sister Jia-Xi (Jessie) share their first experiences of Halloween trick-or-treating, a Thanksgiving turkey dinner, and a Christian church service, allowing them to socialize even as they hide their status as undocumented minors whose parents back in Taiwan are still awaiting travel visas. Life gets even more complicated when a visit by two relatives introduces unwelcome dynamics and triggers plot twists and turns that force the siblings to reevaluate their actions, circumstances, and relationships. The central conflict sparking from Ann’s falling-out with their 11-year-old cousin, Ting-Ting (Josephine)—a violin prodigy bound for an elite music school in Los Angeles who also speaks four languages—climaxes in a dangerous situation that the siblings must face as a team. The resourceful trio adapt to their latest challenge and resolve to “make it work.” The closing dedication—“To all kids facing adversity”—boosts the can-do message. The brisk, well-crafted dialogue and attractive, comic-style drawings support the narrative flow, weaving in intercultural perspectives that are at once humorous and relatable while candidly addressing difficult issues, societal controversies, and sensitive interpersonal matters: teenage romance, bullying, racism, gender stereotypes, undocumented immigration, and exploitation of the vulnerable.

Tugs at the heartstrings and will spark important, age-appropriate conversations on pertinent, broadly relevant topics. (author’s note)(Graphic fiction. 9-13)

Kirkus Reviews