Chinatwon, Vancouver, of the early 194Os provides the backdrop for this fresh, uplifting, award-winning first novel, told through the reminiscences of the three young children of an immigrant Chinese family.

Jook-Liang is the "useless girl" of the family, who dreams of becoming Shirley Temple and escaping the rigid, old ways of China. Jung-Sum is the adopted middle son who triumphs over loss and prejudice through boxing, and soon finds himself grappling with a bewildering sexual attraction. Lastly, Sekky - the sickly youngest child - surprises the entire family by teaching them how to mourn, and how to go on living.

Finally, there are the secrets and magic of two respected elders: Old Wong, "The Monkey King," whose past returns to threaten his present and Poh-Poh, or Grandmother, who is the heart and pillar of the family. Side by side, her three grandchildren survive hardships and heartbreaks with grit and humor, discovering a new land without forgetting their common ground.