About the Book and Author
Parachute Kids is a graphic novel which digs deep into the hardships and psychological challenges of being left to fend for yourself in an unfamiliar place, while celebrating the comical moments and the incredible courage it takes to make a life on your own.
It offers insight into life in the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant. Ten-year-old Feng Li Lin is so excited for her family’s first trip to the United States! But after an action-packed two weeks, she and her siblings learn that they will remain indefinitely in California while first their father and then their mother returns to Taiwan. Suddenly Feng Li and her siblings are thrust into an alien world where the fear of being discovered by immigration become a daily reality.
Betty C. Tang is the New York Times bestselling illustrator of the Jacky Ha-Ha series of graphic novels by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein.
Book Review
This book is my first graphic novel however won’t be my last as I really enjoyed the storyline together with the pictures
This book is my first graphic novel however won’t be my last as I really enjoyed the storyline together with the pictures. This combination made the book more interesting and offered something new which I don’t see in other books.
In this story there are three important characters Feng-Li the main protagonist, her brother and sister (Aiya).
Feng-li and her family go on a trip to America to visit places such as Disneyland and Warne Bro studios. Their parents then abandon them in the house suddenly and they have to learn how to look after themselves. With the help of their auntie they learn how to cook and their parents wire transfer money to them. Feng-Li brother starts getting rebellious, stealing, smoking and sneaking into places with his new Chinese friends while his sister studies as hard as she can for her SATS in 8 months. Aiya has dreams of getting into Harvard.
Then something horrific happens… What seems like the I.N.S call Aiya (the family is in America illegally) and threaten to arrest them all unless they send them $10000 for permits in a week however this turns out it’s a scam as the permits never come. While the brother is with his friends, he falls off an embarkment and he’s unconscious with a bill of $20000 but by the time he’s conscious his parents arrive to support the family before shortly departing again. They must ration food but then Feng-Li knocks on houses to do jobs for money, and this inspires her sister to get a job at a Chinese restaurant. They continued with life and jobs until their parents could permanently return.
This book is a bit more realistic and sadder to what usually happens in other books I read but still the tone is fun and bouncy.
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Reviewer Profile
- Name: Tobi
- Age: 11 years
- Likes: Swimming, high jumps and video games
- Dislikes: Spiteful people and housework!
- Favourite Book: Danger Gang by Tom Fletcher
