by Kelly Yang
First published 2021
Mia Tang boards a plane to China for her first family vacation in years. She walks through Beijing's bustling streets, reconnecting with her cousin Shen and watching the city transform around her. The trip gives her space to think about the changes waiting back home in California. Her friend Lupe now takes high school classes while Mia's writing dreams feel stalled. Something went wrong with Jason, and she doesn't know how to fix it. Worst of all, developers are building around the Calivista Motel, forcing out the small businesses that make their community home. Mia watches her family's livelihood threatened by forces beyond their control. As she moves between two worlds, Mia must find the courage to fight for what matters most. The vacation becomes more than rest. It becomes the place where she discovers she finally has room to dream.
Genres: fiction, family-life, contemporary, young-adult
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Beijing, California, Calivista Motel
Period: First Family Vacation in Years
320 pages · Hardcover · Scholastic Press