SYNOPSIS

Shortly after arriving in LA from Taiwan, Feng-Li, Ke-Gang and Jia-Xi learn that this is far from a family vacation trip.

Rather, both parents return to Taiwan (to apply for permanent U.S. visas), leaving the kids to care for themselves, with some help from distant relatives.

Jia-Xi, the oldest sister, is put in charge of the “household” while she tries to learn English and excel on the SAT’s for her university applications.

Ke-Gang, the middle brother, takes up with a crowd of rebels who teach him to smoke, steal and skip school.

And Feng-Li, the youngest sibling, struggles to adjust to school because she doesn’t speak English and the only other Chinese-speaking classmate avoids her.

Jia-Xi loses all the savings left by her parents on a scam which promised her citizenship for the whole family.

While Feng-Li does odd jobs in the neighborhood for some money, her brother is injured and ends up in the hospital.

The kids’ parents return to the US, visas in tow, just in time to lend support and begin life in a new world.

PERFECT AGE 9 – 12

We love

• The focus on an unfamiliar historical moment which many emigrating families went through.
• Adorable children, independently struggling to acclimate to a foreign country and lack of friends.
• An opportunity to focus on discrimination and instinctive stereotypes in 1980’s US, and recognize the efforts made to combat those.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• How would you feel when you first go to a new school? What if you don’t speak the language??
• What were some reasons Ke-Gang was frustrated with his parents and sister? How was his new friends’ treatment different / better?
• Can you guess what went through Jia-Xi’s mind when she decided to give up the money? What might she have thought afterwards?
• How do you explain why the siblings’ parents left them alone in a foreign country? What may have motivated the decision?