Stacy Palmer almost never thinks about being Chinese American. As far as she's concerned, she's just like everyone else.
Then Hong Ch'un comes to Stacy's school from China. Stacy and Hong Ch'un don't exactly get along, but when Hong Ch'un is accused of stealing and runs away, Stacy knows she must try to find her.
With her family's help, Stacy searches the tiny back streets of San Francisco's Chinatown. There, she gets a glimpse of what it was like for her Chinese mother, growing up in a different culture. And for the first time in her life she realises her true heritage and finally understands what it means to be Chinese American.