You are Here: Connecting Flights

You are Here: Connecting Flights

Ellen Oh, Editor

HarperCollins, 2023

265 pages

Grades 5-8

Short Stories

Twelve connected short stories tell of the different experiences of twelve different Asian-American tweens as they navigate their journeys--on many different levels. All of the accounts take place at the same airport (Chicago's O'Hare) on the same day. A raging summer storm has delayed, cancelled, and grounded flights. Travelers are stuck at the airport for an unknown amount of time and tempers are flaring. The first story takes place at customs as a boy's grandmother causes a commotion at customs as she tries to smuggle her late husband's ashes through to return to Thailand. The delay closes down a line of travelers and results in a racist incident. This story builds into the next as the different characters from different circumstances and traveling to different Asian countries encounter each other, if only briefly, and find strength in a shared experience. The final story, contributed by Oh, brings the other stories together, the racist lady is put in her place, and redemption is fulfilled.

I love reading short stories, especially when they are interconnected, such as this collection. Following up her groundbreaking Flying Lessons and Other Stories, one of the founders of We Need Diverse Books turns her talents to gething this group of tales and authors of Asian heritage. Some of the authors are famous, such as Grace Lin, Erin Entrada Kelly, and Christina Soontornvat, while others are less known. There is certainly an agenda in the collection: to showcase the different cultures represented within the Asian-American community and the different experiences. I particularly enjoyed the story of the New York girl with two dads who adopted her from Korea and want to take her to connect with her "homeland". Culture and family can be complicated and messy and this book highlights this. Other important themes include Asian hate (especially since the pandemic), stereotyping, and police harassment. Many of the characters experience growth while waiting for their flights and learn more about who they are as people. A solid collection that will be particularly enjoyed by Asian Americans, but should be read by all.