Dragon Chica

Dragon Chica

Nea, a Chinese Cambodian teenage refugee from the Khmer Rouge, flees with what's left of her family to Texas when a miracle occurs. Struggling to get by in a strange new world, Nea's mother receives word that a wealthy aunt and uncle have made it to America as well. The resolute little family stuffs Hefty bags full of belongings into the Ford and head north. They are thrilled to help run the newly discovered family business. a Chinese restaurant in Nebraska. The family is reunited, but soon Nea discovers their miracle is not what she had expected. Tempers flare; local reception is lukewarm if not downright hostile; fights erupt; and Nea's beloved sister Sourdi is growing up and away from her too fast. Then the past - and a forbidden love- threaten to tear them all apart. Dragon Chica follows Nea, an indomitable character in the tradition of Holden Caulfield and Scout Finch, as she fights to save her family... and herself. "Eleven-year-old Nea has seen the very worst this world has to offer - from civil war in Cambodia, to the rice fields of the Khmer Rouge, to the bullying hallways of American public school. Thankfully, her heart and imagination bloom wide enough to let her continue longing for the best. As she grows into a woman, Nea navigates her difficult life with clear-eyed and courageous idealism. May-lee Chai has written a brilliant and important coming-of-age story about a young refugee who refuses to give up her search for that promised refuge. Dragon Chica is an important and deliciously readable novel that will hold you in thrall; you won't be able to look away from these pages, even as your eyes fill up with tears."--Nina de Gramont, author of Every Little Thing in the World and Gossip of the Starlings. --Nina de Gramont "It is very rare that a coming of age novel transcends its inherent limitations and attains the complex emotional resonance of adult fiction. Dragon Chica does this with great aplomb. The book explores with subtlety and depth the mature, universal issues of identity and connection, but it also retains its direct appeal to younger readers. May-lee Chai has performed a remarkable act of literary magic." -Robert Olen Butler, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain May-lee Chai is the author of eight books, including the memoir Hapa Girl, a Kiriyama Prize Notable Book; the novel Dragon Chica; and the novel Tiger Girl, which won an Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. She teaches creative writing and literary translation at San Francisco State University. In 2017, Chai received Doris Bakwin Award for writing by women, presented by Carolina Wren Press of Durham.