Review Detail

Feng-Li (Ann) Lin and her family travel from Taiwan to the US in 1981 to visit Disneyland and California, but the parents leave the children and return to Taiwan. Outsider Kids picks this story up. An aunt visits with Ann's cousin, Josephine, who has been accepted into a prestigious music school. The plan is for the mother to stay with her in the US, but when the grandfather back in Taiwan becomes ill, and the aunt has unspecified troubles back home, Josephine ends up staying with Ann and her older brother and sister. Josephine speaks much better English, and wins over all but a couple of Ann's friends. The two have a lot of animosity, and there are other problems in the family as well. Jason, the brother, develops a relationship with a boy, and when his religious sister (who is a friend of Jessie Lin) finds out, the families quarrell. Jessie is having trouble at work, since her boss pays her less and treats her terribly because of her undocumented status. After Ann writes a letter to the music school suggesting that Josephine is too mean to attend, Josephine finds out and calls the police to report the Lins to immigration. The three children are unable to take a bus to live with family friends, but Jessie manages to drive there.