In the Beautiful Country

Kuo debuts with a pensive novel in verse centering a Taiwanese girl grappling with a new life in America. On the cusp of her 11th birthday in 1980, Zhang Ai Shi leaves behind the only place she's ever known--along with all the people, places, and food that she loves--to move with her mother from Taipei to Duarte, California, and join her father to co-run a small fast-food restaurant. Their new home is in "the beautiful country," as America is translated in Chinese, but it doesn't feel beautiful, and it definitely doesn't feel like home. As she works to familiarize herself with unfamiliar language, surroundings, and traditions, Ai Shi grapples for joy and comfort amid increasingly upsetting changes, including instances of classism, school bullies, and vandals attacking the family's struggling new business as well as leveling racist slurs. Together, Ai Shi's family must find a way to adjust while holding on to their memories and to each other. Employing a reflective tone and sincere lines that capture the heartbreak of leaving home alongside a clear portrayal of the family's varied experiences, Kuo paints a vivid story of interpersonal bonds and persistence that also touches on nuances of navigating shared Taiwanese and Chinese ancestry. Ages 8-up. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (June)

Gr 5 Up--A beautifully written novel in verse about finding your way in the world. Set in 1980, Ai Shi/Anna, a Taiwanese girl, moves with her parents to California--or as they call it, the beautiful country. Anna is thrilled to be moving, until she arrives and learns that life in California isn't what she expected. She is the only Asian student at school, and the kids bully her for being different. Her parents put all their money into a fast food restaurant that is costing them more than they make, especially with reoccurring vandalism. What started as a big dream may actually be a big mistake. Kuo doesn't shy away from the hardships, but presents them in a suitable manner for the target audience. The racism that Anna and her parents experience is very relevant today, with some of the depictions (pulling at eyelids and reciting racist rhymes) likely to cause discomfort. This book is a work of fiction, but is inspired by Kuo and her family's immigration to the United States. While Anna was born in Taiwan, her father is Chinese, and she discovers what it means to be from both places during that time. Anna's story is a true journey, and Kuo skillfully breaks it into parts that allow readers to think and reflect on each piece before moving ont VERDICT A moving historical fiction book that is valuable for all readers and belongs in libraries and classrooms.--Amanda Borgia

"Vivid, heartbreaking, and hopeful in all the right ways." — Gene Luen Yang, award-winning author of American Born Chinese