An-Ying wants to be an American. When she is with friends, she acts more American, and she is called Cathy. She feels annoyed that her parents are treating her as if she were still in China. At one point, her mother was telling her that if she were more Chinese, and were obedient like the Chinese are, then she will have a good life. Then An-ying said to her mother what she felt by telling a story, the way her mother does: "If a fish decides to leave the sea and go live in a tree like a bird, the fish would have to learn some of a bird's ways. It would have to learn to breathe air instead of water. It would have to learn to fly instead of swim. If it didn't learn these things, that fish wouldn't survive. It's the same way with Chinese who move to America. You have to learn American ways..." (p. 2) Then, she said to herself: "I know that if my parents don't let me learn how to fly and how to breathe air, I will suffocate." (p. 2)

If you like books about real life stories you are going to like this book. There are many exciting scenes in this book. In one them, An-Ying's brother was in trouble because he was in gangs and doing drugs. She knew that her brother was in trouble and so she went to this club where her brother was about to get beat up and she saved him. Besides the exciting scenes, you might also enjoy the book if you are in the same type of position that An-Ying is. If your parents don't let you have enough freedom, then you should read this book, because it might teach you some ways to get more freedom from your parents.