★ 04/01/2023
Gr 4 Up—In 1981, Feng-Li, 10, travels to California from Taiwan with her family for what she thinks is a vacation, but her parents planned for the siblings to stay in "the land of opportunity." They adopt American names for school, and Feng-Li (now Ann) holds fast to her "tomorrow will be better" fortune cookie paper, despite her struggles with English. When both parents have to return to Taiwan, the undocumented siblings are on their own, with older sister Jia-Xi (Jessie) in charge, and middle son Ke-G ng (Jason) resentful. Feng-Li plays peacemaker between her two siblings, but the three face frightening obstacles before their family is reunited. Feng-Li wonders, "How has everything gone so wrong? Aren't we here for the American dream? So far it has been nothing but a nightmare." But when her sister falls into depression, the plucky girl swings into action, inspiring her siblings to pull together, and the ending is hopeful. There are sometimes six or seven panels on a page, but the action and the characters' emotions are easy to follow; red text in yellow speech balloons denote when they are speaking Chinese, black text in white balloons signifies English. A subplot indicates that Ke-G ng is gay, something his mother wants him to suppress, and his new friends reject him for. An author's note explains that she herself was a "parachute kid," and that the story is a mix of fiction, memory, and anecdotes. VERDICT At once common and unique, this is a compelling story of immigration and family bonds; highly recommended.—Jenny Arch
02/06/2023
Three siblings living undocumented in America must learn to adapt and fend for themselves when expired visas force their parents to return to Taiwan in Tang’s uplifting graphic novel debut. Ten-year-old Feng-Li Lin is ecstatic for her family vacation to America, but excitement becomes shock when her parents reveal that the kids will be staying in California under the care of family friends. The siblings enroll in new schools, struggle to learn English, and bristle at 1980s American culture and conventions surrounding fashion and food, all while contending with racist bullying. Feng-Li’s older sister Jia-xi, 16, manages the household while expediting her studies for upcoming SATs; 14-year-old brother Ke-gaˉng, who’s navigating private realizations about his sexuality, falls in with an unruly crowd; and Feng-Li just wants her siblings to stop bickering, and to fit in at school. 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. Ages 9–12. (Apr.)
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
"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
A full cast dramatizes this story of three Taiwanese kids who are left alone in the U.S. after a vacation while their loving parents return home to support them from afar. Author-illustrator Betty Tang opens this adaptation of her graphic novel by explaining that the English-language dialogue spoken by 10-year-old Feng-Li and her family is halting and heavily accented to emphasize the challenges of the language barrier they encounter. The effortless American-accented English listeners hear when the characters speak Mandarin with one another effectively drives the point home. Voicing the ebullient protagonist, Jenny Chan takes listeners through the highs and lows Feng-Li experiences as she navigates her strange new life. Kenton Chen and Ell also shine as Feng-Li's fully realized older siblings. V.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
A full cast dramatizes this story of three Taiwanese kids who are left alone in the U.S. after a vacation while their loving parents return home to support them from afar. Author-illustrator Betty Tang opens this adaptation of her graphic novel by explaining that the English-language dialogue spoken by 10-year-old Feng-Li and her family is halting and heavily accented to emphasize the challenges of the language barrier they encounter. The effortless American-accented English listeners hear when the characters speak Mandarin with one another effectively drives the point home. Voicing the ebullient protagonist, Jenny Chan takes listeners through the highs and lows Feng-Li experiences as she navigates her strange new life. Kenton Chen and Ell also shine as Feng-Li's fully realized older siblings. V.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
★ 2023-01-25
A family from Taiwan pursues the American dream.
It is February 1981, when the Lin family lands in Los Angeles for the first time. Their monthlong vacation becomes a journey of circumstantial immigration when the three children find out they are staying—enrolling in local schools for political safety and a better future with more opportunities. When Mama’s tourist visa extension is denied, she leaves 10-year-old Feng-Ling, or Ann; 14-year-old Ke-Gāng, or Jason; and 16-year-old Jia-Xi, or Jessie, to live on their own—with some support and supervision from family friends who immigrated earlier. With an endearing artistic style and colors that pop, this graphic novel explores how such a process, for better or worse, alters relationships and family dynamics. While learning English, navigating social interactions, and confronting racism, the siblings face additional challenges that deliver tough life lessons: Studious Jia-Xi falls for a scam with devastating consequences, Ke-Gāng’s struggles with his identity lead to a serious accident, and Feng-Ling follows bad influences and does something she regrets. By the time Baba and Mama rejoin them, however, the siblings can serve up a decent meal and show off their savings from summer jobs. 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. (author’s note) (Graphic fiction. 9-13)
