Before bringing in the construction crew, the Heffleys attempt to do minor maintenance and repairs themselves-during which Greg fails at the work in various slapstick scenes. Greg’s mom calls a family meeting to determine what to do with their share, proposing home improvements and then overruling the family’s cartoonish wish lists and instead pushing for an addition to the kitchen. When Great Aunt Reba dies, she leaves some money to the family.
The Heffley family’s house undergoes a disastrous attempt at home improvement. What’s needed are more insights from Billy and his unique perspective on this historical setting.Įven though this is mostly Azalea’s tale, it’s a refreshing novel inspired by real-life Chinese-American communities not often seen in stories. Azalea’s voice feels the more developed of the two and dominates the story. Writing in alternating prose and verse voices for Azalea and Billy, respectively, Scattergood paints an honest portrait of two young characters dealing with quick judgments, prejudice, and racism. Despite their different backgrounds (and as the title suggests), a tender friendship between Azalea and Billy develops. How she can become friends with someone from China? Can he even speak English? As garden helpers arrive, Azalea must interact with more strangers, including the town troublemaker. Grandma Clark claims they can be friends, but Azalea has doubts. The boy is Billy Wong, a budding reporter, whose family owns Lucky Foods, the only grocery store in town. Right off the bat, Azalea sees someone she’s never seen before: a Chinese-American boy in a tree waving to her. And Paris Junction seems to be full of them. The last thing Azalea wants is to talk to strangers. Worse, Mama appears dead set on leaving fast before dropping off Azalea with the grandmother Azalea barely knows and whose enormous garden will need serious tending.
It’s 1952, and Azalea Ann Morgan, an 11-year-old white girl, doesn’t want to leave Texas and help Grandma Clark, who hurt her foot and lives in Paris Junction, Arkansas.
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