What This Book Is About
When Covid reaches Hong Kong in early 2020, ten-year-old Knox Wei-Evans is moved to California with his mother and his two siblings, while his father stays behind in Hong Kong. America in 2020 is not the safe place they were hoping for. Knox's new classmates treat him as though he brought the virus with him, and his mother loses her job.
Knox, who has ADHD, decides it is his job to hold the family together across an ocean. The book is based on Kelly Yang's own experience of moving her family out of Hong Kong at the start of the pandemic, which is why the small details of that year land the way they do.
Available at Popular bookstores, Kinokuniya, and the Singapore National Library.
Why UWC Chose This Book
For students at UWC Singapore—many of whom have lived in Hong Kong, have family ties across Asia, or have experienced the disruptions of COVID firsthand—this book hits close to home in the best possible way. Knox's experience of being the "new kid" in a country that doesn't fully welcome him mirrors what many international school students feel when they relocate. The book validates those feelings while showing that identity is something you build, not something that is done to you.
The novel also confronts anti-Asian racism with age-appropriate honesty, making it an invaluable text for classroom discussions about discrimination, allyship, and standing up for what is right. UWC's commitment to diversity and intercultural understanding makes this book a natural fit—it gives students language and frameworks to discuss experiences that many Asian students in Singapore have lived through but rarely see reflected in the books they read at school.
Reading Level Guide
Too challenging at A1. Try Front Desk (also by Kelly Yang) at a lower reading level first.
Sweet spot. The conversational, first-person voice and low Lexile (630L) make it very accessible for A2 readers, while the themes give B1 readers plenty to discuss.
A quick, meaningful read at B2. Try Wonder or Born Behind Bars for more linguistic challenge.
Other UWC Recommended Books for This Grade
Not sure if this book is right for your child? Take our free 30-minute English assessment to find their CEFR level, then choose books that match.