Published by Allida

Summary:  These twelve short stories are all written by different authors about different Asian Americans kids and their families, but the stories connect to one another.  Everyone is traveling through Chicago’s O’Hare airport on a busy, stormy Fourth of July weekend, with flights delayed and canceled.  Whether they’re traveling to see family, attend a basketball tournament, or move to another country, each protagonist experiences some form of racism or microaggression from a fellow traveler.  Characters from different stories appear throughout the book, often offering support or solidarity as the kids learn to stand up for themselves or their families.  In the final story, Soojin’s mother is ready to move back to Korea after the family store is vandalized with racial slurs, but she eventually sees how much Soojin loves America and how many Americans are kind and supportive, ending the book on a hopeful note.  Includes an editor’s note telling how the book was created and brief biographies of all the writers.  272 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  After Ellen Oh edited the short story collection Flying Lessons, she learned that there wasn’t enough Asian American representation in that book which led to the creation of this one.  It’s a great collection, with thoughtful, interesting characters and situations in stories that can stand alone or be enjoyed as an ensemble.

Cons:  I started to find the similar situations and setting a bit monotonous; I preferred the greater variety of Flying Lessons.