An Ocean Apart: The Gold Mountain Diary of Chin Mei-Ling

Dear Canada

by Gillian Chan

With over 400,000 books already in print, the Dear Canada series has fast become the book series for children. Each fictional diary invites readers into the world of a girl living through a particular period in Canada's past. Gillian Chan's latest addition illustrates the effect the Chinese Head Tax has on one young girl and her family. Mei-ling and her father are struggling to pay the head tax that will allow her mother and brother, who are still living in China, to come to Canada. They must have that money before the impending Exclusion Act bars any more Chinese from immigrating. What will happen if they can't come up with enough in time to reunite their family?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Canada, Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Middle Grade

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

I am English by birth, Canadian by choice. I live in Dundas, Ontario, with my husband and sometimes my son (he goes to boarding school, and no, it's his choice, not because he is a bad boy!)

I love history, especially anything to do with Norse history and Vikings. Researching any of my historical novels is my idea of fun. I am currently researching the fall of Hong Kong in 1941 to write a book in Scholastic's I Am Canada series from the point of view of a young soldier from Winnipeg.

I also love fantasy and science fiction and still plan to write an epic fantasy based on Norse history and mythology with a few werebears thrown in. I did mention that I love Vikings, didn't I?

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

So yes and for the most part I have found Gillian Chan's 2004 An Ocean Apart: The Gold Mountain Diary of Chin Mei-Ling (another instalment in the Dear Canada series of historical fiction diaries) both delightfully realistic with regard to historical time and place (early to mid 20th century Canada, especially and in particular Vancouver, British Columbia and its so-called Chinatown and how Mei-Ling and her father are trying to raise enough cash to have her mother and younger brother be able to join them in Vancouver from China) and also generally sufficiently culturally sensitive (and indeed also with Mei-Ling's voice in An Ocean Apart: The Gold Mountain Diary of Chin Mei-Ling sounding like I am truly reading the journal of a generally rather typical tween girl and thus and thankfully not the musings and attitudes of the author, of Gillian Chan, pretending to, masquerading as a girl, something that to and for me is always always most essential if I am reading first person narration in fiction, since for me, inauthentic narrative voices are indeed a huge potential reading pleasure lessener if not killer).

However, even though I do think that and as already alluded to above An Ocean Apart: The Gold Mountain Diary of Chin Mei-Ling strives to be culturally sensitive and to have Mei-Ling appear as a diarist who tells the truth as she sees it with fairness and lack of stereotyping, there nevertheless are in her diaries, in Mei-Ling's fictional journal entries a few instances where in my opinion, she does show and present a bit of one-sidedness, realistically rendered in my opinion, but something that does still need to be pointed out and discussed (like for example how Mei-Ling seems to have no issues whatsoever with her neighbour Mr. Chee being nasty and bigoted towards anyone who is not of Chinese background but then does not see and realise that Ivor Jones' schoolyard bullying of her because of Mei-Ling's own ethnicity is pretty well the same and akin to how Mr. Chee acts and talks).

But this small (and yes, also generally realistic enough) tendency of An Ocean Apart: The Gold Mountain Diary of Chin Mei-Ling notwithstanding, I definitely do warmly recommend this book and think that Gillian Chan has done a generally wonderful job providing readers with both a wonderful and personally relatable fictional diarist and also a gentle but still necessarily harsh enough introduction to one of the in my humble opinion most shameful episodes of Canadian history and Canadian immigration policies (that most Chinese immigrants had to pay head taxes and that from 1923 to 1947, the Exclusion Act basically meant that NO immigration to Canada from China was even possible, was not permitted, and as the historical note at the back of An Ocean Apart: The Gold Mountain Diary of Chin Mei-Ling clearly underlines, even if Mei-Ling's journal entries are still at times hopeful that the Exclusion Act will soon be repealed and scrapped).

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine entry into the Dear Canada series. This author, Gillian Chan, is new to me so I didn't know what to expect in regards to the writing but was pleasantly pleased to find an engaging, well-written story. This "diary" is not about a particular incident but focuses in on the Chinese experience in Canada post World War I. This is a time when the country had immigration laws imposed upon the Chinese in particular so that while it had an influx of men, who had worked on the railway in the previous forty years or so, the government was at work to limit new Chinese from entering the country by imposing immigration fees and head taxes eventually up to $500 on each individual, even babies. This is where we find our main characters, a community of Chinese men, related in various ways from young to old, who are all saving up to bring back wives, children and parents. Mai has been brought over by her father, which is rare for a daughter to be treated so and the only thing a bit unbelievable about this book, but one must assume it was indeed done at times, though sons and wives would have been ahead of a daughter in most circumstances. A touching and realistic look into life for Chinese-Canadians at this period in time but Chan doesn't limit herself there. She also shows the intolerant nature between the races of that society with Mai's Irish Catholic best friend being a target for school teasing and her family for contempt. At one point the teacher makes a plea [I'm paraphrasing] of how he can't understand the necessity for the children to concentrate on where they came from. Why the gangs of boys? British against Portuguese? Italian against Irish? Dutch against Spanish? etc. Mai makes note that there are not enough Chinese boys to make a gang. A good read, I enjoyed this one and it serves a good purpose within the series itself.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Mei-Ling (May to her teachers and schoolmates) and her father work hard to pay the passage and the head tax to bring her mother and brother to Canada. Mei-Ling's father works hard in as a private cook and in a restaurant while Mei helps in the restaurant and does what she can to raise money. She's learning a lot in school but doesn't understand the bullying she experiences from a boy in her class. Soon she has to decide if she wants to take advantage of a kindly seeming missionary's offer of an education. If she works hard in high school Mei-Ling can get a better job and the sooner they can send for her mother and brother but with rumbles of a new law preventing more Chinese from coming, Mei and her father may be racing against a clock. Mei-Ling is determined to see her mother again even if it means going back to China. Where is home for Baba? Is it in Canada where he has lived half his life with close friends who have become family or back in China with the rest of the family?

I liked Mei-Ling's voice. It sounded true to a girl of her age and one who had learned the English language but still trying to figure out her place in the world and the mysterious ways of Canadians. Why does everyone form cliques based on their country of origin? Aren't they all Canadians now? Mei-Ling doesn't understand the Catholic/Protestant tensions or why her friend Bess, an Irish girl, is also bullied. Bess has blond hair, she speaks English, isn't she Canadian? I really liked how the racism and religious tensions were just built into the story as Mei-Ling writes about her days. She writes well in English but she has a lot to learn. It took me a long time to read her diary though. I had a bad feeling it wasn't going to go well and all that racism was tough to get through. Sadly, this story is VERY timely even though it was written long before COVID and Asian hate.

I didn't get much of a sense of time period in the story. I had to check the cover to see what this was set. I was surprised Canada had a Chinese exclusion act but it was passed MUCH MUCH later than ours in the U.S. (1882, 1892, 1902 U.S.; 1923 Canada). I'm not familiar enough with Canadian history to know automatically what year that law was passed. There are clues in the text from the Chinese community discussing Sun-Yet-Sen but that didn't help me much either. Maybe a little more 1920s references would have helped. There are students in Bess's class who certainly would be familiar with movie stars and pop culture movements of the day.

Mei's Baba is likable but sometimes he's a little TOO proud and can't swallow his pride to accept what's best for his daughter. He does encourage her education which is unusual for fathers in the 20s. He's lived in Canada more than half his life. He doesn't remember the ancestral village and his parents very well. That is so sad! I feel terrible for Mei's mother. She was 16, had an arranged marriage and has only met her husband twice! Every time he comes to see her she ends up pregnant. First with Mei-Ling and then with her little brother, a kid Mei has never seen. Mei's mother has to do all the work caring for her son, her in-laws and the farm. Baba had big dreams and high hopes for Canada. Unfortunately those dreams were dashed by unscrupulous men and now he toils for a living. He doesn't have a lot of free time to spend with his daughter yet they seem close.

Baba and Mei-Ling have a family in the Chinese community. Mr. Chee is like a grandfather to Mei-Ling. He is overprotective and insists on escorting her everywhere. Mr. Chee is just as bad as Ivor and the bullies because he hates English Canadians. He doesn't see any redeeming value in any of them and of course he's seen the destruction the British wrought in his homeland but now he's in their country and if you want them to like you and accept you as a Canadian citizen, try not to spit at them or be openly hostile. Wong Bak and Tsung Sook are Mei-Ling's uncles by default. They all help each other and understand the struggles and challenges of trying to maintain ties to family or origin or create a family. Wong Bak is older and needs to retire. Tsung Sook is saving to go to China to buy a bride.

The Mahs are a wealthier Chinese family. Mr. Mah is a successful businessman, rapidly becoming Canadian. They have a bonded servant, Yook Jieh, Mei Ling's best friend. Yook Jieh toils away in the kitchen and doesn't have time to go to school or act like the child she is. She's still in her early teens and is about to be married off to the highest bidder. Mr. Mah is cheap and I worried he wouldn't do the right thing by the girl. The Lees are another upwardly mobile family. They have a large brood of young children and only Lily, the oldest, is well behaved. Mei-Ling manages to deal with the children and even charm them. Sounds like Anne Shirley to me! Mrs. Lee is kindly and generous though even though she's overwhelmed by small children and yet another pregnancy.

The school plot is reminiscent of Anne of Green Gables, with Mei-Ling as Anne and Bess as Diana. Mei-Ling even reads Anne of Green Gables! Her teacher made me a little uncomfortable with how nice he is and how Mei-Ling is his star pupil. I wonder what the other kids think of that and what they tell their parents? I can see the mean gossips causing trouble for Mr. Hughes. That Ivor kid really needs to be punished. Sadly he's not the only racist bully and is probably repeating things he's heard his dad say. Even Bess is not immune to listening and repeating things that are unkind and make Mei-Ling feel unhappy.

I REALLY REALLY could have done without the stereotypical Irish drunk subplot. Really?! The author took great care to research Mei-Ling's background and consult her husband and scholars yet still resorted to the usual tired plot. Not ALL Irish men were drunks who couldn't support their families. Plenty were thriving and doing well by the 1920s. I knew right away what Bess' problem would be and why she did what she did in the department store. That doesn't make it right by any stretch of the imagination, but to a child, especially one raised without a strong sense of right and wrong or wrong = English and all the Anglos have done to the Irish over the centuries. I, as an adult and historian, also understood why Bess refused to go near Miss MacDonald and kept labeling her a do-gooder. Yes Miss MacDonald IS a do-gooder but as far as missionaries go, she's rather nice. She does truly want to help and doesn't press her Bible on Mei-Ling too much until Mei-Ling needs comfort after a loved one dies. She lets Mei make her own decisions though and doesn't push. Miss M is a good mentor to Mei.

The final diary entry is not from Mei but dated 2003. I liked that connection and seeing what happened to everyone. The author's note is very interesting and I appreciate how hard she worked to make this story, which is not her own, as authentic as possible.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book because it's about a young chinese girl in foreign lands with only her father who doesn't get her. She's surrounded by bad influences but pulls through and makes the best of everything wwhile she can and works hard to become a doctor which she may or may not become... hint hint... ;) I love this story but it's kind of sad and made me want to cry because I learned how girls my age and younger had to struggle so hard and I don't have to do anything in comparison to that!

[Jongwoo Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Overview
An Ocean Apart by Gillian Chan, is a diary of a girl named Chin Mei-ling (Mei for short). Mei is a Chinese girl who immigrated to Canada with her Baba when she was young. Unfortunately, her Ma and her brother could not come along because of the expensive head taxes, which automatically sets a goal for Mei and Baba, which is to reunite the family in Canada. In order for this goal to be achieved, they have to save up great amount of money. Baba works at his friend, Wong Bak’s restaurant, and Mei helps afterschool. Mei, who desperately wants her Ma and brother, does everything she can to help Baba save up money, such as walking her neighbor’s kid to school. Mei does not have many friends at school. Bess, an Irish girl, is Mei’s one and only friend. Days without Ma and brother keeps on passing by, and the Chinese immigrants run into a major problem. The Exclusion Act. The act only lets “Special Chinese” into Canada, and Mei’s Ma and little brother does not qualify for that condition. After hearing this terrible news, Mei and Baba has no choice but to make enough money before the law passes the court.

Personal Response
An Ocean Apart by Gillian Chan describes the lives of the first generation Chinese immigrants very well. It shows how tough their lives were. The immigrants had to pay the over priced head taxes to immigrate to Canada, and they arrived in Canada only to face discrimination and hatred. But the Chinese did not give up. They worked very hard to make money for their families back in China, so that one day, their families could reunite in Canada. This book taught me how desperately the Chinese wanted to make things better for their families. The characters and the plot was very believable because I learned about the Chinese Immigration in Social Studies 10. I personally loved how the author wrote the book like a diary. It helped me really set myself up in Mei-ling’s position, and it made it fairly easy for me to read because it was divided into short entries. Fortunately, I do not have any personal connections with Mei-ling, because life as an immigrant isn’t as hard as it was for Mei and her family, which is a very good thing for me and the other immigrants.

Quotes
“I promise, Mei-ling, that we will do everything we can to bring your mother and brother here.” In this quote, Baba is promising Mei-ling that their family will soon be reunited in Canada. This quote is meaningful because this is the reason why Baba and Mei-ling are doing everything they can to make money for their Ma and brother’s head taxes.
“A thousand dollars and their fare on the boat – how many hours will we have to work for that?” In this quote, Mei-ling is sad and worried because the amount of money they need will require a long time for them to make. I connected this quote with another quote, “I did not know what to say, so I said the first number I thought of: 10 cents.” In this quote, Mrs. Lee, Mei-ling’s neighbor, asked Mei how much she is expecting to be paid for walking her daughter to school every morning, and Mei only asks for 10 cents, and she gives all the money she earns to her Baba. These quotes really stood out to me because first, Mei did not spend any of her earnings for herself, second, she did not give up even though the amount of money she makes is barely anything compared to the amount she needs.
“What we have come to, Ah-Mei, that we have to accept the kindness of others just to keep warm.” This quote is said by Baba after receiving a pair of old gloves from his neighbor, and he is ashamed because he needs help from others with very little, basic things. I thought this quote is meaningful because it demonstrates how tough the lives of the Chinese workers were.
“I am very good at keeping promises. Today I saw Ma and my little brother [...] your pages are getting tear stained again, Diary, but these are special tears – tears of happiness.” In this quote, Mei-ling is finally reunited with her family. This quote is very meaningful because her dream of seeing her Ma and brother came true.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good! My younger sister has liked the Dear Canada series for a long time, and reading this book, I can see why. I felt like the book was culturally sensitive without shying away from serious issues like discrimination, poverty and racism, and Canada's diversity problems. The main character, Mei, is not fearless or adventurous but had an enduring spirit that deals with every high and low with more grace than any 12 year old might be expected to have. I'd love to read more of these, even as an adult, and this is already a classroom favorite for many schools. Definitely take a look into this series if you haven't already!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one! A perfect little snapshot of a kid bumbling through adolescence in extraordinary circumstances, and Mei-Ling surrounds herself with good people and rises to the occasion during a particularly nasty moment in Canadian history. This is all revealed through the backstory of the text over time, so that we don't get the complete picture until the middle, but: Mei-Ling's father marries her mother in China and then follows his uncle to Canada to seek his fortune. He does well and returns to Canada when Mei-Ling is eight years old. Mei-Ling's grandfather tells him to take Mei-Ling back, because she's a bright girl and she'll do better in Canada than under the Chinese patriarchy. Mei-Ling and her father return to Vancouver to find that her father's uncle has died and the business partners "used the money her father would have earned from the successful business to pay her uncle's debts." Uh huh. With no recourse, Mei-Ling and her father move into a single room in a boarding house catering to Chinese bachelors and men whose wives are back in China. Her new Chinese "uncles" help her father run a restaurant while he's also working as a houseboy for a white family, and Mei-Ling works in the restaurant and works as mother's help to a Chinese family who run a store. Mei-Ling has a good Chinese girl friend, an indentured servant who's bound in a wealthy family until they marry her off to somebody far too old.

Mei-Ling is an outsider at school. Her school is primarily immigrants but the Chinese are a minority and she's the only Chinese girl. A wayward Irish girl who's also an outcast because she's an Irish Catholic with an alcoholic dad takes Mei-Ling for a friend even though Mei-Ling is a swot and this girl isn't. Mei-Ling runs from job to school to job and makes it work. She's recommended to a Protestant do-gooder who her Irish friend doesn't trust, who wants Mei-Ling to go on to high school even though Mei-Ling only wants to earn money to pay the head tax on her mother and brother's immigration to Canada, but towards the end of the book, the Canadian answer to the Chinese Exclusion Act goes to Parliament and Mei-Ling might never see her mother and brother until the epilogue. This was an absolutely rock solid and fascinating bit of historical fiction. Loved it.

I'm always a little iffy when the characters in these books grow up to be historically important people, instead of the average people that most of us are, but Gillian Chan makes it work. Much appreciated.

[Holly L'Heureux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good. I am so happy to be reading this series. The information given about the characters lives and the situations they are in through time is beautifully written. The author took a lot of time and effort to get the information correct and accurate to the time the novel took place in. The events of the head tax on Chinese immigrants as well as the Chinese Exclusion act is crazy to think about from an American point of view. I know it happened in America, but I had no idea that it happened in Canada as well. These books are great for history buffs as well as people who want to slowly become immersed in the Canadian Culture.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Mei-ling, a 12 (?) year old who lives with her father in a tiny one room apartment in a lodgings building. He works two jobs, saving every scrap of money he can once he has paid the bills and sent money back to China where his parents, his wife, and his three year old son still live. Mei-Ling wasn't supposed to be the one that came, but her grandfather insisted she go rather then her mother.

Mei-Ling knows it was a great disappointment for her father so she does her best by studying hard, helping at the restaurant when she can and eventually taking on more tasks. She works part time for the Lee family, helping take care of their many children since Mrs. Lee is quite pregnant. She gets 10 cents a day for this, which adds up to 50 cents a school week. On Saturdays she completely cleans everything in their small apartment, then goes down and does the same for Mr. Chee, though he owns little more then a bed and a chair.

This is Mei-Ling's life, coupled with being bullied at school. Her only friend there is a poor irish girl named Bess, who scares the majority of the bullies away as she is quite rough around the edges. But Mei-Ling is befriended by Miss MacDonald, who takes a personal interest in helping her because she is Chinese and her church is working on a mission to china and helping those in the local area. Here Mei-Ling takes on even more work, going everyday after school to get additional schooling and tutoring. Truly, this girl's work ethic is a wonder to behold.

Trouble comes in the form of a bill going through parliament that will severely limit the amount of Chinese able to come to Canada. Mei-Ling and her father scramble to get enough money together to bring over Mei-ling's mother. But that means leaving her young brother behind with their grandparents.


Conclusion?

It's and interesting read showing the struggles Chinese immigrants had coming to Canada when there was a head tax upon them to try and slow them down. While the struggle for them here in Canada is well depicted, I felt kind of disappointed that it wasn't better explained exactly WHY they wanted to come to Canada. I mean, as an adult I obviously have a pretty good idea of what was happening at the time, but I wouldn't expect a child who is reading this to know. There are brief mentionings here and there, but nothing overly concert.

[Young Adult Historical Vault · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is reasonably well-written and interesting, but fairly quiet and depressed-feeling for all that. I was far more interested in Mei's life after the diary ended! The details about Chinatown in Vancouver are interesting, but more introspection about Mei herself would have been great development.

For a more detailed recap and review including spoilers, check out Young Adult Historical Vault https://yahistoricalvault.com/2017/07...

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chin Mei-ling and her father set foot in Canada, and are collecting money to let the rest of their family come over to Canada, from China, and they are having trouble with it. They must get that money before the rest of their family can come, but what if they can't get that money? What if it is too late?

[Nika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is about a poor chinese girl who immigrated to canada with her dad and is trying to make enough money to send her mother and little brother to Canada too, but only makes a few cents a day. I hope you read and enjoy this book!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay "Dear Canada" book that I felt could have been better...even when I was younger, I found it lacking, and was not a fan of the story line. It did not seem complete, and it felt repeated.
However, not too bad, and overall another "Dear Canada" book to put as "read".

[Shanelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book as I am always learning more and more about Canada's history from this series. The main character in this book, Chin Mei-ling, is very hard working and her story will be sure to inspire.

[Ke · Rating 1 out of 5]

I remember why this book weirded me out as a kid. It was the Dear Canada book that gave me the biggest white saviour vibes. I understand why it was written like that, it just made little me uncomfortable.

[Ocean · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is good. It is a little girls diary and it is
verry interesting.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it!
Have it!
It is a good book!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite. I don't think I actually finished it, because I sort of lost interest in it.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

hits so close to home.

[Amanda H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

there's alot of information but you get submerged into the culter and get to walk a day (ok, well, a few days) in the character's shoes

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this series to be a very good way for kids to learn about the past. My son is interested but the majority of the books in the series seem to have girls as the main character.

[Meaghan Steeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story, it's so beautiful.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first, I was excited to read this book. Unfortunately, my excitement turned to disappointment when the story started getting dull 100 pages later.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the story part of this book. I also enjoyed the honest look that Chan took at a shameful period of Canada's history; the one of discrimination against Chinese people and immigrants to our country.

I might have given this book four stars, but often, too often, Chan placed the emphasis on the wrong sylLABle, so to speak. This series, the Dear Canada books, are based on girls/young women writing their stories in their diaries, which we, the readers, read and learn about the character and her story. In this case, Chan seemed to pay more attention to the 'it's a diary' part than the 'telling her story' part. I got tired of and frustrated by the 'dear diary, I did the same thing today as I wrote about yesterday and the day before; let me write about it again.' Many times, I thought that the book would read better if Mei-Ling wrote less often rather than repeating the same thing over and over. But no, Chan switched to once a week for chunks of the book, but then every part of those chunks started with 'dear diary, how horrible I am. I haven't written for a week! Oh no, how horrible... and on and on...'. The one-sided self-flagellation conversations that Mei-Ling had with her diary were also tiresome and frustrating.

I wish Chan had chosen instead to focus on the story part of the premise for this series rather than the diary part. The story part was good. Strangely, the epilogue and historical notes were better. Maybe because they just told the story?

Chan is able to tell a good tale. Maybe at some point I will look up other work by her, but definitely other work that does not also require a framework like a diary or some other characteristic.

[theglamourgranola · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mei-Ling is a twelve year old Chinese girl who immigrates with her father to work and save money to bring over her mother and baby brother. Mei-Ling adjusts to life in Canada; attending school, working and living in Chinatown, exploring themes of immigration and identity, racism and exclusion, and family and cultural expectations.

Not a lot actually happens. We see Mei-Ling face discrimination at school and outside of Chinatown, and develop a friendship with an Irish girl (ugh drunk, Irish stereotypes, boo hiss). One of the teachers takes a special interest in her intelligence and invests in her, but the relationship at times feels fetishized and othering. The teacher, Miss MacDonald, is involved in her church and has aspirations to do missionary work in China. She’s often asking Mei-Ling about her culture and language and experience and shows disappointment when she finds out that a friend Mei-Ling wants to include in tutoring is Irish. Towards the end of the book Mei-Ling chronicles the politics and eventual implementation of harsh anti-Chinese laws—including the Chinese Exclusion Act and the head tax.

Actual written use of the Chinese slurs in a Children’s book was jarring, especially as the book was written by a white woman. Were there no Chinese Canadian writers in existence in 2004? In typical Scholastic fashion we have another white woman writing in the voice of bipoc children. I love this series, I wish Scholastic would continue producing them in a more modern and authentic way.

[Erin Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid entry in the Dear Canada series. Chin Mei-Ling comes to Canada to join her father when she is eight years old. She hardly knows her father, as he first went to Canada as a child to work at his Uncle's store, and has only returned twice - once to marry, and the second time to bring her back with him. The journal starts with her age 12. Mei-ling's life is not an easy one - she works very hard, lives in a cramped boarding house, and is bullied at school for being Chinese. Through her, we meet a wide range of characters and learn about the breadth of experience in and around Vancouver's Chinatown in the early 1920s. We celebrate with her for Chinese New Year and experience her bewilderment about Santa Claus and her first Christian church service. We learn about the head tax for restricting Chinese immigration, and experience her horror at new legislation that will hurt her family. I liked that the story didn't wrap up smoothly with a simplistic happy ending. For parents choosing this for your children, i recommend reading it in advance, or with them, as there are several topics you may want to talk with your kids about - including implied sexual harrasment, indentured servitude, drug use, and racial stereotyping. I highly recommend this book, both as an engaging read and for the historical content.

[LobsterQuadrille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gillian Chan's contribution to the Dear Canada series is a well-crafted and convincing story that satisfies without wrapping everything up too unrealistically. Mei-Ling is easy to like and her story is both sad and hopeful. Her friendship with an Irish girl(also a marginalized ethnic group back in the day) works very well as a way to compare and contrast some of the cultures of 1920s Canada. The setting in the Chinatown area of Vancouver, BC is a great change of pace from most of the historical fiction I have read. I would have liked to read more about what happened with Yook Jieh since her subplot was a pretty interesting one.

Definitely try An Ocean Apart if you have enjoyed anything else from this series or from the Dear America books!

[Belinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book is written for younger children it was still captivating to me as an older reader. I found Mei Ling to be a charming likeable character. I really liked that this book was set in Vancouver and about a Chinese immigrant family. It was easy for me to relate to Mei Ling and sympathise with her situation. The author did a great job at distinguishing the social divide. Mei Ling is admirably strong and smart. She knows that she is disadvantaged but she works twice as hard to become a doctor. I liked that there was an epilogue at the end.

[Tegan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know. I loved The Royal Diaries series as a kid, and I always tried to get into the Dear Canada books as well, but I just couldn’t. They feel too much like reading a normal person’s diary, but not in the fun scandalous way… in the boring this person didn’t do very much today kind of way.

[jasmine ₍⸍⸌̣ʷ̣̫⸍̣⸌₎]

okay i read this in like 6th grade for a school project and literally forgot everything