Scan barcode
thetorturedpoetsdepartment's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gosh this one really tugged on my heartstrings🥹
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Homophobia, and Racism
librandian's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
isabelle8794's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
panda_incognito's review
3.0
This graphic novel is inspired by the author's experience and conversations with other "parachute kids" who have lived in America while their parents remained in Asian countries. The art style is appealing, and I like how the dialogue is color-coded to show whether the characters are talking in Chinese or English.
This book deals with a lot of serious real-life issues and family dynamics in a realistic way, but it ended up being way heavier than I expected based on the main character's age and the perky cover. The story deals with a lot of trauma and leaves too much of it unresolved, in my opinion. It's impossible to tie everything together happily, but some middle grade readers will be caught off guard by how intense and depressing this is, especially with the older brother's story line.
My description includes major spoilers, but there's no way to explain it adequately without going into detail. Even so, the details still do nothing to convey the emotional intensity of seeing it play out in the book.
This book will appeal to many middle grade readers, and a lot of them will be able to handle the intense content just fine. However, parents, teachers, and librarians should know that this isn't your average middle grade graphic novel, and that even though the main character is young and childlike, the book as a whole skews more towards YA-level content. This book will be too much for some sensitive readers in the target audience to handle, especially since there isn't adequate catharsis at the end.
This book deals with a lot of serious real-life issues and family dynamics in a realistic way, but it ended up being way heavier than I expected based on the main character's age and the perky cover. The story deals with a lot of trauma and leaves too much of it unresolved, in my opinion. It's impossible to tie everything together happily, but some middle grade readers will be caught off guard by how intense and depressing this is, especially with the older brother's story line.
My description includes major spoilers, but there's no way to explain it adequately without going into detail. Even so, the details still do nothing to convey the emotional intensity of seeing it play out in the book.
Spoiler
It becomes clear about halfway through the book that the brother is gay. When he and a friend are sitting on an embankment and talking together, they lean in towards each other to kiss, and someone catches them and harasses them. The friend shoves him away, and the brother tumbles down a significant distance and winds up in the hospital with broken limbs and a concussion. He's in a coma for a while, and the sisters deal with continued stress and anxiety about this. He eventually recovers, and a scene near the end shows his former friend group shunning him at school. The end! There's a few more pages left about the family, but that's the conclusion of the brother's arc.This book will appeal to many middle grade readers, and a lot of them will be able to handle the intense content just fine. However, parents, teachers, and librarians should know that this isn't your average middle grade graphic novel, and that even though the main character is young and childlike, the book as a whole skews more towards YA-level content. This book will be too much for some sensitive readers in the target audience to handle, especially since there isn't adequate catharsis at the end.
librarianaaryn's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
lzprsn's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
rikkir77's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
jcarsrud's review
5.0
I have never heard the term “parachute kids,” so I was intrigued to pick up this book. It was an engrossing graphic novel and I hope many pick it up so that they can see that life is difficult for many and that perseverance is the best choice.
fernthepanda's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0