The Gold Mountain Diary of Chin Mei-ling
Vancouver, British Columbia, 1922
by Gillian Chan
ISBN: 0-439-98979-5 Hardcover
224 pages
Ages 8-12
5 ¼" x 7 5/8"
Mei-ling lives with her father in Vancouver, but her mother and baby brother are still in China. Mei-ling works after school, and her father holds down several jobs, in a frantic effort to come up with the head tax that will allow her mother and brother to come to Canada. They must have that money before the Exclusion Act bars any more Chinese from immigrating. Mei-ling cannot stop thinking about what will happen if they are unable to come up with the money to reunite their family?
An Excerpt from Mei-ling's Diary
Monday, November 13, 1922
My Baba looked very serious and he asked me how much I thought about Ma. Every day, was what I said, but I did not tell him that I thought of Ma many times each day. Baba smiled and said that he did too. He looked very hard at me, making sure our eyes saw each other. "I promise, Mei-ling," he said, "that we will do everything we can to bring your mother and brother here." He gripped my arm, so tight that it hurt. I knew that what Baba said was true. If we continue to work hard and save our money, we can pay their fares and tax just like Uncle Wing-lok did for us.
Thursday, November 16, 1922
Baba has never told me exactly how much we have saved, but I know his dream is for both Ma and Little Brother to come together. When I think how much money we need, I feel very small. A thousand dollars and their fare on the boat — how many hours will we have to work for that?
From Dear Canada: An Ocean Apart, text copyright © 2004 by Gillian Chan.
"I love this book, I'm glad I read it! It was very nice, and I rate this one 8! A Chinese immigrant and hardworking, Chin Mei-Ling must be a very kind daughter!"
Eloise N., Age 10, Ontario, Rating: 8
"I like all of the books. They are very interesting, and I like that not everything is hard to understand. I have read 13 of the 15 books."
Kara F., Age 12, British Columbia, Rating: 10
"I really liked this book about a girl that never gives up and because it was my first Dear Canada book I am going to read more Dear Canada books!"
Michele C., Age 13, Manitoba, Rating: 8
"I just love Chin Mei-ling's life. It is so interesting. My favourite part is when Chin Mei-ling meets her mother and her brother."
Brandi D., Age 10, Alberta, Rating: 8
"Mei-ling I know how you feel! Mei-ling is almost exactly like me, with rude classmates, a very close friend who moved but still comes to school, and a family who is from a different country, so no one wants you here."
Selina M., Age 13, Ontario, Rating: 10
"This book was the best book I've ever read."
Eliza L., Age 9, Manitoba, Rating: 10
"This is the BEST book I have ever read!"
Ashley S., Age 12, Ontario, Rating: 10
"This book is GREAT! I loved reading it because I'm half Chinese. When I read this book it made me want to cry. I love reading about Canadian history. "
Heather M., Age 12, British Columbia, Rating: 10
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