"deftly traces the physical and emotional journey of a 13-year-old orphan...author creates a delicate, credible balance between sorrow and joy" PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW Publishers Weekly, Starred
"Shea's text successfully portrays the turmoil, excitement, and heartbreak that come with repatriating...satisfying conclusion." KIRKUS REVIEWS Kirkus Reviews
"Mai wrestles with peer pressure and family expectations in a story that will resonate with immigrant students and enlighten others." BOOKLIST Booklist, ALA
"bittersweet story...of a family tapping roots into a new homeland...shows the emotions behind...today's diverse immigration experiences" SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL School Library Journal
"Shea captures the complicated emotions of a thirteen-year-old girl in the midst of enormous personal changes....multiple curricular possibilities" THE BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"engaging...a delightful protagonist...adeptly uses...first-person narrative...important because it is the first YA novel...with a Hmong protagonist" VOYA (VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES) VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)