Chapters 1-5
What is the name of the city that The Tangs moved to from China?
Anaheim, California
Who was Mrs. Fletcher?
Mrs. Fletcher was Mia's old 4th Grade teacher.
How long did Uncle Ming stay with The Tangs for and why?
Uncle Ming stayed for 3 days because he had "loan sharks" after him for a $5,000 debt he owed. They had beat him up and he was scared they would kill him.
What was the item that Mia and her mother were discussing in the grocery store and whether they could afford it?
Honey Nut Cheerios
What happens at the beginning of Chapter 21 that causes a panic at The Calavista Motel?
Mr. Lorenz's neon green Ford Thunderbird had been stolen out of the Calavista Motel parking lot during the middle of the night.
How were The Tangs living when they first got to America from China?
The Tangs were very poor and lived out of their car
What happened at Mia's old school that issuing those refunds activated in her memory?
Mia was reminded of the time that she was mistaken for having won the class spelling bee in 4th Grade when she really didn't. She wanted the chocolate scented notebook that came with winning and had it ripped from her when it was discovered she was given it in error.
When Uncle Ming and The Tangs were short on the money to fix Uncle Ming's car, how did Ming make up the difference of what was owed?
Uncle Ming had the crazy idea to pay for the remaining costs in coupons that he had collected for free services.
Why did Mia and her dad exchange the money that they got from the can collection for pennies?
Mia and her dad would spend time looking for rare coins such as the "special" 1943 copper alloy that was worth $40,000.
Who do the police officers settle on as the initial suspect for the car theft and why?
At first the police officers are settling on Mrs. Robinson simply because she was the only black person (out of 5 people) that left out in the middle of the night on the night the vehicle went missing.
What were the two reasons Mia was so excited about working at The Calavista Motel?
The Calavista Motel was only 5 miles away from Disneyland and had a pool.
What did Mr. Yao lie about that caused him and The Tangs to argue about the terms of the employment arrangement?
Mr. Yao lied and stated that he said The Tangs could have "5 dollars a customer, not including the first 10 and the weeklies" when he had really only said they would be paid "5 dollars a room".
What is the 3rd mistake that Mia makes that affects her safety at The Calavista Motel?
Mia made the mistake of buzzing in an older, "slightly, disheveled looking white man" that was drunk and looking for a room. He was violent and aggressive with Mia even though she was just a kid.
Who was Mia surprised to find out was the daughter of the cable repairman, Jose?
The daughter of Jose, the cable repairman was "Lupe"/Guadeloupe Garcia (Mia's best friend from school)
Why does Hank lose his job at the gas station on Orange & Knott?
Hank loses his job at the gas station because the police officers were harassing him about the missing car at his job. The interrogation made his boss uncomfortable and he was fired because of it.
What are the names of all 5 "weeklies" staying at The Calavista Motel?
Hank, Billy Bob, Fred, Mrs. Q, and Mrs. T
What was the second huge problem that Mia encountered working the front desk at The Calavista?
The second huge problem Mia faced working the front desk at The Calavista was the missing key from Room 9. She had to make a new key with the key machine but didn't know how.
What 3 suggestions did Mia make to Mr. Yao to improve the safety and security of The Calavista Motel?
1. Install bulletproof glass around the front desk.
2. Install security camera in the front office.
3. Install "panic button" under the front desk to call police.
What two rollercoasters was Lupe's father talking about and what did it symbolize?
The two symbolic "rollercoasters" Lupe's father was speaking of is the "poor life" and the "rich life". The "rich life" rollercoaster allows for good education, great jobs, and success for your children. Whereas the "poor life" rollercoaster yields poor education, financial struggle, and lack of options/employment for them and their children that will repeat in a cycle.
What are the 5 names of the customers of The Calavista Motel that left out the night the neon Green Ford Thunderbird was stolen?
Peter Orviati, Rebecca Thompson, Tommy Smith, Javier Roberto, and Loretta Robinson
What was the huge mistake that Mia made on her first day working the front desk at The Calavista Motel?
The huge mistake Mia made was that she had mistakenly programmed the phone system to wake up Mrs. Clifton in Room 5 at 6:00 AM instead of waking Mr. Stein up in Room 6 at 5:00 AM. This made Mr. Stein late and inconvenienced Mrs. Clifton leading them to have to issue 2 refunds.
What was the "oversight" that Mr. Lewis had a huge reaction to about his room conditions?
The Calavista Motel cleaning staff accidentally left a string of tooth floss in the garbage can and Mr. Lewis was very upset about it even though it wasn't a big deal.
What idea did Mia come up with to help with securing the front desk even though Mr. Yao told her they could not afford her ideas?
Mia came up with the idea of simply putting up a sign that said "Security Camera Installed" to make people think they are being watched even though they could not afford an actual camera.
How did Mr. Yao react to Jason's first day on the front desk with Mia?
Mr. Yao criticizes and berates Jason on his first day on the front desk. He called Jason "awful" and a "disgrace" and stated his "math isn't even as good as the girl's" causing him to become ashamed and embarrassed.
What does Aunt Ling do as repayment for the food and shelter that The Tangs have provided for her in her time of need?
As repayment for the food and shelter the Tangs have provided for her, Aunt Ling gives Mia's mother a much needed manicure as her hands have become rough and damaged from cleaning the rooms.