Plot
Mia and her mother lose their restaurant jobs after Mia accidentally does this.
What is breaking several plates?
The Tangs remain hopeful and accept the motel job even after experiencing many difficulties. This illustrates this theme.
What is hope and perseverance?
This word describes people who leave one country to live in another.
What are immigrants?
Mia and her parents moved to the United States from this country.
What is China?
This ten-year-old girl narrates the story and begins helping her parents operate the motel’s front desk.
Who is Mia Tang?
Mr. Yao offers Mia’s parents free lodging and this amount of money each day to manage the motel.
What is $150 a day?
Mia shares jasmine tea with Hank, and the weekly guests invite her to play Monopoly. These actions begin to develop this theme.
What is friendship and community?
The motel office has this special type of glass designed to resist gunfire.
What is bulletproof glass?
The motel is located in this California city, also known as the home of Disneyland.
What is Anaheim?
This stingy motel owner hires Mia’s parents and creates strict rules that make their job more difficult.
Who is Mr. Yao?
According to Mr. Yao’s contract, the Tang family can never leave the motel together because of this rule.
What is that one family member must always remain at the motel?
Mia once expected America to bring her family hamburgers, a house, and a dog—but their actual experience is much harder. This contrast introduces this central idea.
What is the difference between the American dream and the reality of immigrant life?
Mr. Yao asks Mia’s parents to sign this written legal agreement explaining the rules of their job.
What is a contract?
This is the name of the motel that the Tang family agrees to manage.
What is the Calivista Motel?
This kindhearted weekly motel guest has a scar on his face and begins forming a friendship with Mia after she offers him jasmine tea.
Who is Hank?