Parachute Kids

Written & illustrated by Betty C. Tang

A young Taiwanese girl navigates her new life in America, dealing with challenges in school, cultural differences, and her complicated relationship with her family

4.2/5 Goodreads · 4,899 ratings

286 pages· 12,586 words· Est. 2 hour read

$12.99Save 4%

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Bookroo's summary

Feng-Li's dream trip to America turns into a nightmare when her parents leave her and her siblings to fend for themselves. Struggling with a new school, language, and household, the siblings face constant bickering and escalating tensions. As they navigate this strange world, can Feng-Li hold her family together amidst bad choices and loneliness? Discover the heartwarming and humorous journey of resilience and family bonds in this compelling tale of undocumented immigrants.

From the publisher

From New York Times bestselling comic artist Betty C. Tang comes a funny, fast-paced, and heartrending story about three siblings living on their own as undocumented new immigrants, inspired by the author’s own childhood as a parachute kid. Perfect for fans of New Kid and Front Desk.★ “Emotionally moving and beautifully executed.” – Kirkus Reviews, starred review★ “A compelling story of immigration and family bonds; highly recommended.” – School Library Journal, starred review★ “Readers will find this story hard to put down.” – Booklist, starred review★ “Poignant and triumphant.” – The Horn Book, starred reviewA DREAM TRIP TO AMERICA TURNS INTO A NIGHTMARE!Feng-Li can’t 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 world–and 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 Sis’s constant bickering makes everything worse. Thankfully, there are some hilarious moments to balance the stress and loneliness. But as tensions escalate–and all three kids get tangled in a web of bad choices–can Feng-Li keep her family together?