Parachutes Book Review
Being labeled a Parachute (Asian) and forced to come to America for an education, does not make watching someone get raped in a pool okay! When rape happens in this story, you may want to cringe like I did and you will certainly want to know what happens next. Asians who are Foreign Exchange Students from China may have a lot to be angry about but the high expectations coming from parents, should not drive students to act out, participating in dangerous, risky behavior such as: Sexting, having unprotected sex,underage drinking, smoking or stealing. In worse case scenarios, Sexting can even lead to sextortion. Choose this book as your Admonishing Read for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Parachutes touches on the challenges associated with status and Social Class. Whether its shown through Parents who have become accustomed to lying about their valuation based on income or Real Estate or students who are dishonest about how many Brand Name purses they own,it became obvious very quickly that there are so many hot button issues surfacing for discussions, as Author Kelly Yang makes waves, leading to the telling of stories that, in some way, mirror her own. One only needs to watch the news and there will often be some tragic rape victim story shown that gets your attention. Though there are many reasons to read Parachutes, you should read it if, you want realistic examples of how consumerism becomes all about owning Brand Names and having a credit card with a high spending limit. Get a glimpse into how fitting in can make you step outside of yourself sometimes. Add Parachutes to your library and you will will not regret having a useful resource, to refer to, before or during those conversations that are sometimes arkward to introduce, when its time to have those talks. You will surely be able to create open dialogues with children, encouraging the type of communication needed to build trust.
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A major take away for Parents
is being able to look into the minds of these young characters and realizing how some young people get sucked into behavior that places them
in danger.
Finally, coming to America for an education is worthwhile for more than bragging rights and young Asians from China are actually able to manage their
lives extraordinarily well,even after having little to no control within the structured confines of their parents and other family members who have usually
planned out the their lives with little or no input from the children themselves. Reading Parachutes will entice you to question how Foreign Exchange
Students will factor in what they receive up against the many challenges they face, as
they are coming of age, building relationships, and pursing higher education and an Americanized Way of Life. The strong theme of community and
togetherness among the Asians who are called Parachutes because they have a safety net and an advanatage coming from families of means, is something
that will make you think about how you relate to your own tribe. If all people
sought to build community like the Parachutes did in this story, the bonds shared between loved ones would be unbreakable and future generations
stronger, wiser, and wealthier.
Kelly Yang managed to express what needed to be shared and said, in a creative, intellectual and inspirational manner. Based on her style and ability to
connect the dots, on many issues threateing to weaken relationships, destory lives, or even corrupt society, I am confident storytelling will continue
to encourage larger and more important conversations, like the ones I want to have with you using
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