Synopsis:

An incandescent memoir from an astonishing new talent, Beautiful Country puts readers in the shoes of an undocumented child living in poverty in the richest country in the world.

In Chinese, the word for America, Mei Guo, translates directly to “beautiful country.” Yet when seven-year-old Qian arrives in New York City in 1994 full of curiosity, she is overwhelmed by crushing fear and scarcity. In China, Qian’s parents were professors; in America, her family is “illegal” and it will require all the determination and small joys they can muster to survive.

In Chinatown, Qian’s parents labor in sweatshops. Instead of laughing at her jokes, they fight constantly, taking out the stress of their new life on one another. Shunned by her classmates and teachers for her limited English, Qian takes refuge in the library and masters the language through books, coming to think of The Berenstain Bears as her first American friends. And where there is delight to be found, Qian relishes it: her first bite of gloriously greasy pizza, weekly “shopping days,” when Qian finds small treasures in the trash lining Brooklyn’s streets, and a magical Christmas visit to Rockefeller Center—confirmation that the New York City she saw in movies does exist after all.

But then Qian’s headstrong Ma Ma collapses, revealing an illness that she has kept secret for months for fear of the cost and scrutiny of a doctor’s visit. As Ba Ba retreats further inward, Qian has little to hold onto beyond his constant refrain: Whatever happens, say that you were born here, that you’ve always lived here.

Inhabiting her childhood perspective with exquisite lyric clarity and unforgettable charm and strength, Qian Julie Wang has penned an essential American story about a family fracturing under the weight of invisibility, and a girl coming of age in the shadows, who never stops seeking the light.

Qian Julie Wang’s memoir about her life growing up as an undocumented child in New York in the 1990s is humbling, eye-opening, and beautifully rendered. Experiencing the confusion, hardships, and racism through the eyes of a child is especially heart-breaking. Beautiful Country (which translates to Mei Guo, America in Chinese) perfectly captures the enduring hope and courage of an immigrant’s struggle to obtain the very basic needs every human deserves.

“Hunger was a constant, reliable friend in Mei Guo. She came second only to loneliness.“

Qian Julie Wang, Beautiful Country

Beautiful Country is also the perfect memoir for book lovers. Qian’s love of books and the world they opened for her illustrates the importance of stories, how they can rescue and heal the loneliest child. When Qian is placed in a “special needs” classroom because she can’t speak English, she uses books like The Berenstain Bears and Clifford to teach herself to read. It’s inspiring, but also devastating. 

So much of her story is devastating. The racism her and her parents endure simply because they wanted a better life, something everyone has a right to. And in a country that was built on the foundation of welcoming the persecuted. They’re forced to live in poverty, always hungry, in a country with enough wealth to share.

“You cannot know that some things are not enough until you have them.”

Qian Julie Wang, Beautiful Country

Her story may be heart-wrenching, but it’s also witty and sweet, hopeful and engrossing. I was lead through a range of emotions, from smiling to crying. She has recalled her tumultuous childhood—the only buffer between her warring parents, her desperation for friends—with honesty. And her love of reading shines through her lyrical words.

I feel like saying too much about this memoir will only lead to unnecessary spoilers. I’m so very happy to see this one is receiving the attention it deserves, with awards and landing on so many must-read lists. Read this one to be reminded of the power of books. To be inspired, to be more knowledgeable, and to be more empathetic.