Edited by Ellen Oh
New York: Allida, 2023. Short stories. 265 pgs.
On a single day in a busy Chicago airport, all of the flights are either delayed or cancelled. 12 different kids, all East or Southeast Asian American, are stuck in Chicago on their way around the world. Some are traveling with family, some are traveling to family, and some are travelling all alone. This book is a short story anthology -- each chapter is its own complete story about a different character. But the stories are all interconnected with characters crossing paths and popping in and out of the main story. Though the journeys of the kids in this book are all unique, they share similar experiences with identity and belonging. Many of the characters face racist, anti-Asian encounters from fellow airport travelers. For kids looking for a sense of belonging, Asian American or not, this book will offer just the nuanced story they crave.
The anthology format is perfectly executed in this book, and even though each story is written by a different author, they all fit together like pieces of a puzzle. The editor's note talks about the high amount of collaboration between contributors to this book, which is probably to credit with making this anthology feel like it almost has a single narrator. Contributors to this book, by the way, include children's lit powerhouses like Christina Soontornvat, Mike Jung, Erin Entrada Kelly, Linda Sue Park, and others. The emphasis on contemporary Asian American kids is a welcome and needed perspective, executed well here. This book would be great to read a chapter at a time as a family or classroom.
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