Paper Daughter

Paper Daughter by Jeanette Ingold is a story of family. It follows Maggie Chen, an average high school girl, living an average life until one day, while going through her father's last effects she uncovers a piece of information which sets her world spinning.Coupled with this information is the possibility that her father may have been involved with some shady business. Oh, and did I mention Maggie is interning at the local newspaper? She's totally in for a crazy summer. I devoured Paper Daughter. It had a slight air of mystery, intermingling with flashbacks from the past, the Chinese Exclusion Act. Pieces of information were dangled in small bits, and I found them to be rather tantalizing. I suppose it was compelling in the way that a scandal is compelling, you just want to know, because of the DRAMZ. (I'm pretty big on dramz, dontcha know) I wanted to know Maggie's story. I wanted to know where she came from and what the deal with her father was. Maggie, I felt, was courageous, intelligent, and a strong character. Plus, I like seeing YA characters with cars not being shuttled around by the parents. Overall, the cast of characters were well fleshed out. One of the other interns, Jillian, is wicked annoying, but we do find out just why she's so grating, and we see that she's got layers, like an onion, or a ogre. The flashback characters were very intriguing. I loved that subplot, as that is where the pacing was the fastest, plus I'm a bit of a history nerd. Paper Daughter by Jeanette Ingold is a short read and perfect if you want to lounge around with a contemporary book on a slow afternoon.

Paper Daughter is one of those books that not only has the reader thoroughly engaged and entertained throughout the story, but teaches about a different time in history as well; a combination I always adore! Paper Daughter tells the story of Maggie Chen, a girl who's coming to terms with the death of her prolific journalist father while making her own breakthrough into the journalism world and investing a troubling part of her father's past, and Fai-yi Li, a young boy who came over to America as a paper son in the 1930s, having ties to Maggie that neither could have possibly imagined. I really liked both the main characters of Paper Daughter, and I felt that even with the split narration, I still got a really great feel of who they were. It would be unfair to pick favorites because each had diverse parts to them that made Paper Daughter the fabulous book it was. You see, Fai-yi Li brought to life a story of the past that taught me a thing or two I didn't know before, while Maggie's gave me an inside look into the world of journalism. Also, both brought emotional and lesson portions to the story that I enjoyed and think other's will as well. While short, Paper Daughter still had a rock-solid plot, filled with mystery and suspension. The mystery was always a little basic and predictable, but it still had me flipping through the pages, eager to find out more about what it was that brought Maggie and Fay-yi together and what happened that one night months ago that brought Maggie's father's life to an tragic end. Lastly, Jeanette's writing always moved swiftly. In all, Paper Daughter is a well-done mixing of historical and current times that I highly suggest you pick up the next time you see it at the library or bookstore. Grade: B

Maggie is already lonely in her new city when her father is killed by a hit-and-run driver. Suddenly, her world turns upside down: who was her father, anyway? Does Maggie have the courage to find out? Though she can hardly wait to start a summer internship at the Seattle Herald, Maggie is now is torn between her passion for reporting and her desire to avoid everything that reminds her of her dad. Steven Chen was a respected journalist and he seemed to be on the trail of a personal story when he was killed. When Maggie makes a connection between back door dealing and local politics, she breaks open a story of her own...is the time and place of her father's death a coincidence? In Paper Daughter, Jeanette Ingold skillfully weaves Maggie's story with that of "paper son" Li Fai-yi, a Chinese immigrant who arrived in Seattle near the end of the Exclusion Era (a long period during which Chinese immigrant laborers, and others, were not allowed into the United States except under certain conditions). A wonderful addition to regional historical fiction, this compelling page-turner explores the painful loss - and discovery - of identity. But don't read it too quickly or you will miss the clues! Jeanette Ingold deftly connects events across many generations and illustrates the fragility of family relationships. Her notes at the end add historical detail and she also provides a reference list.

First of all - beautiful cover. It caught my eye instantly and I was so excited to receive the opportunity to read and review this book. Paper Daughter is a double entendre. At first the book appears to be a story of a young woman, the daughter of a newspaper reporter who was killed suddenly. She has plans to follow in her father's footsteps and becomes involved in investigating an interesting story about her local government. In addition, Paper Daughter or Paper Son has another meaning. Q: What is a "Paper Son"? A: "Paper Son" was a term coined for young Chinese males attempting to enter the United States on identity papers that were bought for them. The identity papers were established by American citizens of Chinese descent who left the US to travel back to China. Upon returning, they would claim a marriage and the birth of several sons. Years later, these young Chinese males would appear claiming to be the sons of these citizens. In fact, a substantial number of these boys were sons "on paper only", thus the term "Paper Son". (from [...]) This short, to-the-point book had every ingredient necessary for an interesting novel. I read it in a single sitting and will be encouraging the teens that I know to check it out as well.

Her father would be so proud; at least that's what Maggie Chen hopes. He was a great newspaper reporter, and now Maggie has a coveted intern position at a local newspaper. It hasn't been a year since Maggie's father, Steven Chen, was killed by a hit and run driver. The story is that he was lost and attempting to find his way home from a reporting assignment. Now, Maggie has a chance to move on and focus on something productive and at the same time follow in her father's reporter footsteps. Her mother, busy teaching at the local university, thinks Maggie should relax this summer and have fun. She doesn't seem to want to listen as Maggie tells her how much this internship means, and besides, her friends are all off having their own summer experiences and aren't available to hang out. As she heads off for her first day, she hopes this summer will open new doors and help her feel even closer to her father. The first day on the job doesn't go well, but Maggie is determined to prove herself. Her hard work pays off when she is sent on assignment with another reporter. Together they begin to unravel a mystery at city hall involving the planning commission and a contractor who may have connections to an unsolved murder. The catch is Maggie's father seems to be connected, too. Author of PAPER DAUGHTER, Jeanette Ingold, creates a story-within-a-story. Maggie Chen is excited to prove herself as a future news reporter, and at the same time readers learn about her father's possible secret past. As the current scandal in city government is uncovered, another mystery makes itself known. Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"