Coming straight from Hong Kong, Kimberly Chang and her mother discover a very different future from what they expected in New York City.  Living in an unheated apartment filled with rats, roaches, and broken windows, Kim helps her mother with finishing work in a sweatshop clothing factory in Chinatown.  Kim’s limited English leaves her confused and frustrated at school with a less than understanding sixth grade teacher.  She is accused of cheating when she asks for a pencil and does not understand the teacher’s mortification or her classmates giggles when she innocently asks for a rubber, or erasor.  In spite of these difficulties, Kim strives to regain the confidence and excellence in school she left behind in Hong Kong.

Once she wins a scholarship to a private secondary school, Kimberly must straddle two very different worlds.  By day she is the scholarship minority student who doesn’t quite fit in with her wealthy classmates.  By night she assists her mother with piecework in the steaming factory.  Her work is needed to help them survive and repay their debts to family.  These two worlds never meet until Kim is forced to choose between two boys who love her and her own dreams for her future.

Jean Kwok weaves a  story where Kim’s spirit and determination triumph over the harsh poverty and crushing challenges of her life.  The most squalid scenes are framed in lyrical words that transcend their surroundings and haunt the heart. It is by far the most breathtakingly beautiful book I have read in a long time.