Middle Grade Monday: Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Parachute Kids: a Graphic Novel by Betty C. Tang. 288 p. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc. April, 2023. 9781338832693. (Review of finished, purchased copy.)

Happy Monday! We finally had a weekend without rain here in northern NJ! Saturday was mostly cloudy, but thankfully windless and mild. I spent most of the day raking and blowing leaves. I almost finished them all, but darkness fell and I had no energy left. I took a nice hot bath, but was still so sore on Sunday, I couldn't finish the little bit I had left. Oh well. I did take a nice long walk in the woods with Boo though.

Middle Grade Monday features Parachute Kids: a Graphic Novel by Betty C. Tang. Ten-year-old Feng-Li Lin is excited about her family's trip to California. She can't wait to visit Disney Land. She and her siblings are unhappily surprised when they hear that only their father will be returning to China. Mrs. Lin will remain behind with the children, who will attend public school, learn English and have better opportunities. Then Mrs. Lin application for a Visa extention is denied. She leaves Feng-Li's sixteen-year-old sister, Jia-Xi, who speaks some English, in charge and returns home to China. You can probably imagine how hard it is to move household internationally, but can you imagine doing so without your parents? This graphic novel is based upon the author's experience as a "parachute kid" in the 1980s. An author's note defines parachute kid, a situation is when parents send their children to another country to live with either relatives or family friends.

The art is bright and energetic and keeps the reader engaged. The themes of fitting in and identity are relatable, even if this aspect of the immigrant experience might be unfamiliar. I had never heard the term before and found the entire situation very scary, as so much can go wrong even when the country and language are familiar! 

Parachute Kids: a Graphic Novel should have wide appeal and is recommended for all collections. Happy reading!