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“An immigrant from China, Jason, 17, struggles with his father’s betrayal of his mother when he left her for another woman and the underlying sentiments of racism in a small Canadian town. Smoking pot is his way of coping, and, because of this habit, he finds himself with a new group of friends. While he is happy that some people have accepted him, he also feels that he has fallen in with the wrong crowd. The exception is Chief, a First Nations boy who can identify with some of what Jason experiences as a minority. They both must make life-altering decisions when Jason gets charged with drug trafficking and tragedy befalls Chief’s family.”

– School Library Journal

Learning to Fly

Written by Paul Yee
Published by Orca Book Publishers

Jason is an outsider. A recent immigrant from China, he lives in a close-minded town with his mother and younger brother.

Falling in with the wrong crowd, trying to fit in, Jason takes chances and ends up in trouble with the police. Holding on to his friendship with an Indigenous boy, also an outsider, Jason finds he needs to fight to belong and to find a new home.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Primary ISBN:
Publication Date: October 2008
Available As: Paperback, eBook
Young Adult, Age 12 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , ,

Setting: Canada (Ontario)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Immigrant

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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