Learning to Fly

by Paul Yee

Jason is an outsider. A recent immigrant from China, he lives in a close-minded town with his mother and younger brother. Falling in with the wrong crowd, trying to fit in, Jason takes chances and ends up in trouble with the police. Holding on to his friendship with an Indigenous boy, also an outsider, Jason finds he needs to fight to belong and to find a new home.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Asian American

108 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Paul Yee never planned to be an author but got published in 1983 and followed up with over twenty books in his area of obsession: Chinese immigrants to North America. He wrote mostly for young readers, from picture books to Young Adult fiction, as well as histories for everyone. His university degrees in history, plus working as an archivist, plunged him into researching the past. His work has been translated into French and Chinese, and used in animated films as well as stage plays. Born in small-town prairie Canada, he grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, but Toronto tempted him away from that west coast paradise in 1988.

Reviews

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Jason is seventeen. He spends most of his time helping his immigrant mother run their Chinese deli at the mall. His chief complaint about working there, besides the fact that he works for free, is that people don't look at him when they stop to place an order. Just because he is Chinese it's like they expect him to speak broken English and not have a brain.

Shortly after the family arrived in the U.S., Jason's father left to run off with a younger woman, leaving Jason's mother to handle the business, Jason, and his little brother, Josh, who is fourteen years younger than Jason. His mother is constantly urging him to make friends at school and bring them home with him. But there are two problems with that: 1) no one at school is interested in a friendship with an oddball like Jason, and 2) when he does finally bring a few buddies home, his mother doesn't approve.

Jason's few acquaintances help him discover that a little bit of pot certainly helps make his life more bearable. He knows his mother would never approve, but she doesn't pay enough attention for it to be a real problem. As his frustration with working at the deli for nothing and taking the odd twenty dollar bill from his mother's purse becomes more of a hassle, Jason thinks maybe becoming a dealer would offer enough money and product to keep him satisfied.

However, this new deal also comes with complications, and they might be more than Jason can handle.

Author Paul Yee brings his Chinese-Canadian background to LEARNING TO FLY. His characters and their life struggles ring true and are likely to connect well with teen readers. Written in a fast-paced, easy-to-read style, this book should be successful with reluctant readers.

[Miguel Contreras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning to Fly by Paul Yee is about a teenage immigrant from China called Jason who moves to a small Ontario town with his mom and brother. They decided to travel from China to Canada because Jason’s father migrated to Canada. Jason’s mother owns a deli inside Milson Mall. At the deli, Jason encounters racism from customers who expect him to speak in broken English because they see a Chinese face. Racism is only one of many issues Jason faces since moving into the small town. One of Jason’s main issues since settling from China is making friends in his new school and town. When Jason ends up hanging out with a group of kids that smoke pot, he starts establishing friendships.

I liked this book because it’s about a teenager facing social problems like trying to fit in with other groups of teenagers. Something else I liked about this book is that when Jason finally makes some friends at his school, it shows their friendship and how they care about each other, especially when they get into sticky situations like when they end up getting in trouble with the law. Overall, I really recommend this book. It is a concise book but it has lots of amusing situations and an exciting plot.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just okay. I think I find it harder to relate to male characters and I was not a fan of the writing. The ending also could have been better. I think it does discuss important topics but could be done better.

[Owen Housotn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read “Learning How to Fly” the book was really cool to read. The age group I would recommend this book for is 16 year old or older because it does talk about pot. The story had many scares in it so if you like that this is definitely your book to read. The book is not very long it’s about 110 pages long. Some struggles in the book were smoking pot, moving countries, deaths. It’s a very fast read. So if you plan on reading this it doesn't take long. In the book jake had to experience one of his friends trying to commit suicide it was really crazy but I don’t wanna spoil anything. Jake had a very difficult time time moving from china to the united states where his mom had bought a deli on the mall. Jake had struggled in school and was smoking pot and dont have friends until he got to be friends with the “Stoners”. But when you hang out with the wrong crowd you get in trouble (hint hint). Some things that I liked that the author included is how many high schooler can relate too is his parents being annoying and doing what they want. So they go hangout with friends and start messing around. This book was really good book and i was not expecting it to be good at all but it was!! I really liked the book so im for sure recommending it!!

[Krysta]

Jason, is a seventeen year old Chinese immigrant. Jason spends most of his time running the deli with his mom. Being the new kid in town Jason doesn’t fit in with the majority of kids at his school and ends up getting into the wrong crowd, the troubled crowd.

I really enjoyed this book. I was very surprised on how much conflict was in such a little book, but that’s what made it. Learning To Fly, helps you understand what it’s like for immigrants that come to the US and how that aren’t always expected. While reading this book it really opened my eyes. I don't think people realize the struggles immigrants go through and this can really give them a better understanding and hopefully if they aren't as excepting as they should be, this book will help them be. The author, Paul Yee, did a really good job at sharing his experience as a US immigrant. I would recommend this book to anyone but I would recommend this book more to other immigrants because they could maybe relate to Paul Yees' experience and it might help them.

[Luna'S Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love books like these.

In a way I could relate. I’m not an immigrant nor Chinese but my parents are immigrants and Indian. I understood the way Jason’s mother acted, very similar to mine, and her beliefs just as much as Jason’s. I could feel why he chose to cope with his problems the way he did because maybe I would have done the same too.

It was pretty short yet still could convey its message without feeling rushed. This book brought out a lot of perspectives from white people in North America to its immigrants and Native people that lived before. At the same time, Jason felt like an individual with a single point of view that didn’t seem too preachy or bitter.

Well... short review for a short book I guess. Overall: 9/10 do recommend for those who like contemporary novels.

[Sanaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Iliana Noory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This such a short book but yet soooo good!

[Minley Smith]

this book is about a teenage boy who lived in china with his mom and brother and dad. his dad moved to america for his job so the mom took her and her kids with her to america to be with her husband. but 2 years later he divorced his wife and left his kids. so the wife couldnt just pack everything and leave after getting comfortable for the past 2 years. so they decided to stay.

but jason starts hanging out th with the wrong group of friends, and starts getting into trouble. his mom doesnt like his new friends that he has made because they are all pot heads and do not respect her home. but he doesnt listen to his mom and he keeps hanging out with them. then chief and danny get caught with potand get arrested.

jasons mom is not happy what so ever because he almost got arrested also. she does not want him hanging out with them anymore. i reccomend this book to anyone who really likes reading the life stories of teenage kids. because this book probably can relate to yourself or kids at your own school or neighborhood.

[Caden Yanko · Rating 1 out of 5]

not good, very repetitive

[Jose Rosas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read "Learning to Fly"and I found it to be a very interesting to read. Once I finished this book I have found out that this book was based on a true story. It starts as Jason being an outsider from America, His mother and his Brother know very little of this country. As Jason gets a job he was reminded by his mother in his thoughts saying that he should find friends to learn more English. As he starts working he does not know how life is going to affect him know when he finds new friends in the mall. Now as Jason learns his consequences of having friends in the wrong crowd he has to learn that not all friends can be trustful and helpful in his life. Join Jason if he can find new friends or will have same friends that were not accepted by his mother.

[Dilan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learning to fly is about a boy named Jason who is seventeen. He spends most of his time helping his mother run a deli. The bad thing is that she's an immigrant. People that go to his deli are racist. They expect him to speak bad english and to be stupid.

I can connect this to the world. There are a lot of deli's with immigrants and they are often disrespected. People in the world could be really racist.

I gave this book 4 stars because its a sad story. This is like an inspiration because if you have an immigrant mother and you're going threw a tough time its really sad and inspiring.

[Mel Raschke]

Jason is seventeen. He spends most of his time helping his immigrant mother run their Chinese deli at the mall. His chief complaint about working there, besides the fact that he works for free, is that people don't look at him when they stop to place an order. Just because he is Chinese it's like they expect him to speak broken English and not have a brain. Shortly after the family arrived in the U.S., Jason's father left to run off with a younger woman, leaving Jason's mother to handle the business, Jason, and his little brother, Josh, who is fourteen years younger than Jason. His mother is constantly urging him to make friends at school and bring them home .

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of conflict in this compact little book. The characters are edgy and real. I wrote in my classroom library copy: You will like this book if you are new to the U.S., if your mother works hard to support your family, if you use or know someone who uses drugs, if you've ever been in jail, if you've ever experienced racism. This is the kind of book my reluctant readers--especially boys, will want to read.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is about a boy whos seventeen who spends like his life helping his mom at the deli. he was being judged by how he looks, people assume he speaks horrible English and is dumb. there was like no way he could fit in. and he gets in trouble with the police
this is a very sad book anyone who wants to read teenager who experience such suffer, this is the book you might want to read.

[Yoonmee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now here's an Asian American (author Paul Yee write about the Asian Canadian experience) young adult book I loved. It's a short, easy read but there's just so much packed into these 108 pages. Others have given plot summaries, so I'll just say that that this book is pretty awesome.

[RJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent book; too short.

EDIT: It has finally occurred to me that this is part of Orca's reluctant reader series, and short on purpose! Upping my review because I am definitely glad this series exists.

[Williamproctor · Rating 4 out of 5]

it is a good book

[Lilly [Hiatus due to School] · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story as a teen.

[Delac · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book!

[Janaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was such a great book! I loved it! I'd love to read it again, anytime!

[Caroline Lampinen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Appreciate the cast of characters and it was a solid standard of "fine". Nothing particular on either side - engaging enough.

[Groat meal · Rating 2 out of 5]

i did not like as much

[Ashton Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the book was pretty bad, but still occasionally had its moments. In the book, “Learning to Fly”, a Seventeen-year-old boy named Jason had immigrated to a small town in the united states, makes some terrible friends, and is arrested for marijuana possession. The author makes this completely boring sounding idea, and makes it even more boring. There isn’t really any huge plot twist. But the only decently funny thing about this book is that the main character is called China by his friends. I would recommend this book to people who absolutely love reading terrible books. If I knew what it was going to have been like, I wouldn’t have read it, so if I were you, I wouldn’t read it at all.