In 1993, Ruth Chan (Chinese Canadian) was living a happy life as a middle school student in Toronto when her parents decided to move back to Hong Kong. The move allowed her mother to be close with her family and her dad to take a great new job in mainland China. Ruth’s older brother stayed in Canada to finish his senior year in boarding school. Devastated to leave her close group of friends, Ruth was unsure of her new life in a place she had only visited a few times. Ruth’s emotional and physical journey is shown in parallel to the story of how her father’s family fled their homeland in southern China in 1944 during the Sino-Japanese war. While Ruth has heard this story many times, it takes on a new meaning as it is retold incrementally during her transition to life in Hong Kong. Ruth’s experience of being uprooted is different from her father’s in many ways. She makes a few friends, enjoys time at the mall, and appreciates the new climate. However, she also feels lonely and unseen, both by her mom (who is busy with reconnecting with family), by her dad, who visits from the mainland infrequently, and her classmates and extended family, who see her as an outsider who is struggling with Cantonese. Crisp, detailed illustrations depict Ruth’s memories with depth and humor. Font colors distinguish words in English and Cantonese, and Chinese characters are used to show when the author could not fully understand the language.

Perfect for fans of New Kid and A First Time for Everything, a joyful and tearful debut middle grade graphic memoir about one girl being uprooted when she moves to Hong Kong, a place where her family fits in but, for her, it's nothing like home.

Ruth Chan loves her hometown in Toronto, hanging out with her best friends for life, and snacking on ketchup flavored potato chips, which are the best. What Ruth doesn’t love is having to move to Hong Kong after her dad gets a new job there.

Her mom is excited to reunite with her family, but it’s not the same for Ruth. In Hong Kong, her classes are harder, her Cantonese isn’t good enough, and her parents are never around. Ruth feels lonely and completely uprooted.

But as Ruth’s dad tells stories about her family, about how they relied on their strength, courage, and each other to survive the most difficult times, Ruth realizes that she too can be strong. Gradually, she puts down roots, knowing that home will always be where her heart is.