SYNOPSIS

Twelve middle schoolers traveling to all corners of the world – alone, or with teammates, or with family – stay longer than planned at Chicago O’Hare Airport due to bad weather.

Racial prejudice and COVID-spurred anti-Asian sentiments subject some kids to hurtful treatment by strangers – a blond mom accosts multiple Asian families; security guards accuse a boy of stealing his own guitar because “no Asians play the guitar”.

The usual travel stress heightens some family tensions, too – an adopted Korean girl is reluctant to visit Korea despite her dads’ excitement.

But there are also many moments of bonding – a Korean American girl finds a Tagalog-speaking boy to translate for an elderly Filipino couple; a boy helps a lost toddler join her family; a mom educates her children about cross-cultural respect by engaging another mom about her home-made Korean snacks.

PERFECT AGE 10 – 14

We love

• How children step up to defend themselves, their families and strangers when heritage is ridiculed or attacked.
• The deep perspectives into children’s strong emotions in response to strangers’ glib prejudice.
• How the individual stories are connected to each other – characters interacting with each other, seeing the same situation, etc.
• A unique project and wonderful opportunity to see multiple authors’ approach to the task of being “seen”.

WATCH OUT FOR (Language, Big / Sensitive Topics, Outdated Concepts):

• As expected, examples of racist speech and disrespect toward Asian families, culture, languages are central to most of the stories.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• Which one was your favorite story? How about a favorite character? Why?
• What do you think AJ tells his Filipino teammates once he screws up the courage to address them?
• In the story about Henri and James, does it change their attitude toward their actions when you learn they are both autistic? How so?