This is a middle grade book in verse about a Taiwanese family that moves into "the beautiful country" (the name they use for the USA) in the 1980s. The family pours their life savings into a fast food restaurant, but they soon realize that finding success isn't just about working hard when you barely know the language and have no support.

Anna is the American name the 11-year-old daughter of the family assumes for herself after the move. If her parents are struggling to stay afloat financially, she is struggling to fit in at school. The other students are racist bullies, and she only knows rudimentary English at the start.

The book recounts the journey the family goes through during their first year in the States through Anna’s eyes. Along the way Anna learns what usually tends to lie at the root of bullying, and by the end things might not look so bleak anymore.

This was a really quick read, and I’m sure it would be a helpful book for any middle grade aged children to read and learn empathy. ( )

Anna's parents have purchased a restaurant property in California and the family moves from Taiwan to Duarte, CA, hoping for a new life "in the beautiful country" that is America. But they struggle to make money because of the seller's deception about the restaurant's potential, business is slow, and vandalism adds to their costs. The family doesn't quite fit in at the Chinese church and Anna is bullied at school. Anger, frustration, exhaustion, and fear batter the family until they reach the point that they decide it is time to sell and return to Taiwan. Amidst the darkness of being strangers in a strange land are small moments of light: friendships with Richard and Terry, fellowship at the Chinese church, a trip to Disneyland, a new friend at school. Heartwrenching and hopeful. ( )

Beautifully written, with strong emotions that shine through. I particularly loved that even while Anna's parents were struggling with their business and with each other, they gave her coping strategies that seemed to help. Also that Anna is sophisticated enough to see that there is a cycle of hurt that gets expressed in bullying and hatred, and finds her own way out of that cycle. Powerful. Love that it is based on the author's own experiences. ( )

A novel in verse of a year in the life of Zhang Ai Shi (Anna), who moves with her parents from China to California in hopes of a better life. The restaurant they've bought, however, isn't as profitable as they were led to believe, and vandals repeatedly target them; they also struggle with the language, and at school, Anna is bullied by racist classmates. Connecting with other immigrants at church helps somewhat, but even better is their friendship with grocery clerk Terry and her family. After a year during which none of them are sure if they'll stay or go, Anna's English improves, Terry's husband Don scares away the vandals, and Anna's mother begins putting her own spin on American recipes, causing business to pick up.

See also: Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Quotes

I don't know what it means to miss a place.
This is the only place I've known. (8)

Years from now when I look at [my cousin] Mei,
will I see what my life would have been like
if I'd never left? (20)

Sometimes we don't get to choose
how we say goodbye. (21)

I'd like to have friends
but I'll settle
for being left alone. (78)

I have the words,
I just don't have the courage. (81)

And a person,
can a person feel two different emotions,
can a person be both grateful and sad,
at exactly the same time? (117)

I see what my life
would have been like
if we'd never left. (181)

The secret to making friends
is not to care so much
about what other people think. (265)

The secret to getting people to like you
is to like yourself. (265) ( )