Paper Daughter

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 Chen is a high school intern at the local news station, following in the footsteps of her father, who was recently killed in a car accident. when she stumbles upon some of her father's notes and a local politically motivated murder is uncovered, Maggie starts to piece together the coincidences into a big question about who her father really was.Fai-yi and Sucheng Li, a brother and sister, fled to America in the midst of the Chinese Exclusion Act, when the U.S. began restricting Chinese immigration into the country in the post-gold rush era. they are considered paper children, illegally claimed as the children of Chinese Americans for a fee, allowing them to enter the country. as the two stories are told in alternating chapters, the story begins to unfold and Maggie finally begins to understand who her father was, and who she is.the writing is clean and simple and the storyline is engaging, making for a quick read. although i didn't find the unfolding of events overly compelling in their presentation, the slight hints of mystery and family saga were enough to keep me reading. the characters were a little on the shallow side, but altogether believable. i think Paper Daughter was good, but not great, though the potential was definitely there. with the family history unfolding in front of this budding journalist, and with loads of cultural and historical significance, this could have been an amazing read. but, instead, it was just good.in the end, i'm glad i read it, but wish that Ingold had been able to pull it all together into the stunning novel that this could have been. i'd still recommend it to anyone that has an interest in Chinese-American culture.

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"