Recent immigrants from China and desperate for work and money,
ten-year-old Mia Tang's parents take a job managing a rundown motel
in Southern California, even though the owner, Mr. Yao is a nasty
skinflint who exploits them. While her mother (who was an engineer in
China) does the cleaning, Mia works the front desk and tries to cope
with demanding customers and other recent immigrants—not to mention
being only one of two Chinese in her fifth grade class, the other
being Mr. Yao's son, Jason.
