"Four short stories set in a hutong, or residential alleyway, of Beijing, China. Yu'er, her grandfather, and their eccentric neighbors experience the magic of everyday life."--

Raised by his Japanese mother, Ichiro idolizes his dead American father and struggles to fit in. When his mother decides to visit Japan, Ichiro is left with his grandfather in a country he doesn't know. Grandfather becomes Ichi's guide, sharing Japan with him. But one night, a monster drags Ichi away--into the domain of the gods! Now, he must face his fears and learn about the nature of man, of gods, and of war. He also learns there are no easy answers--for...

"Beatriz loves music. More than her school, more than her friends, and definitely more than her homework. After Beatriz discovers that her grandfather's soul is trapped in his guitar, she becomes determined to get him out. But the only way to free him is to play the perfect song...his perfect song, a song that he never actually wrote down. Fixated on freeing her grandfather, music slowly consumes Beatriz's life. She soon finds herself growing obsessed...

We Are Not Strangers explores a unique situation of Japanese and Jewish Americans living side by side in a country at war. Marco Calvo always knew his grandfather, affectionately called Papoo, was a good man. After all, he was named for him. A first-generation Jewish immigrant, Papoo was hardworking, smart, and caring. When Papoo peacefully passes away, Marco expects the funeral to be simple. However, he is caught off guard by something unusual. Among...

"Ignacio "Iggy" Garcia is an Ohio-born Colombian American teen living his best life. After bumping into Marisol (and her coffee) at school, Iggy's world is spun around. But Marisol has too much going on to be bothered with the likes of Iggy. She has school, work, family, and the uphill battle of getting her legal papers. As Iggy stresses over how to get Marisol to like him, his grandfather comes to the rescue. The thing is, not only is his abuelito...