Dragon Chica by May-Lee Chai

Nea is an eleven year old gir, who escapes the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia with her mother and her older sister Sourdi. They land in Texas, where try to sponsor themselves instead of others doing this for them. Then they discover that an aunt and uncle of them are living in the US too, and they are traveling to live with them and are going to work as staff in uncle's restaurant.

But the American Dream they hoped to find, is very different in reality. Their aunt isn't happy with Nea, Sourdi and mom living in her house after a while, and Nea discovers that her mom is having a secret affair with her uncle. More family fights follow, and Nea tries to keep up her good grades at school. When Sourdi leaves the family to get married, she tells Nea a dark family secret..


Dragon Chica is an impressive and beautiful written novel by May-Lee Chai. It is the story of many refugees who came to America to look for a better life.

It was tragical to read but I enjoyed every minute of it! Dragon Chica is published by GemmaMedia in October 2010, and it is really a book to look out for!