Dragonwings is a historical novel by author Laurence Yep who won the Newberry Award. In this novel, Moon Shadow comes to America to be with his father, Windrider, from their home in the Middle Kingdom. As Moon Shadow and his father struggle to survive in a hostile country, they somehow find time to focus on their dreams. Windrider has read about the flying machine the Wright brothers built and believes he can build a better one and fly. Moon Shadow struggles alongside his father as they both build their dream and work to survive both natural and man-made disasters. Dragonwings is a novel of the Asian community of the early 1900s and the spirit that kept them from giving up their dreams.
Moon Shadow has never met his father. Windrider left to make his fortune in America before Moon Shadows birth. Therefore, Moon Shadow is excited when a distant relative comes and tells him that Moon Shadow is to travel with him to America to live with his father. The trip by ship is very exciting, but not near as exciting as setting foot in the Land of the Golden Mountain and meeting the father he has only heard stories about.
For the first several years of his life in America, Moon Shadow lives with his father in the laundry that is owned by his fathers uncle and several friends and relatives. Moon Shadow goes along…
Just as the machine is ready to fly, the cousin returns and steals all their money. Windrider learns that they are about to be evicted by the landlord with no means to move the flying machine. The Company appears on that final day and helps move the flying machine to the top of the hill where Windrider is able to fly it over the valley. Unfortunately, one of the wings breaks and Windrider crashes. Windrider survives and learns from the ordeal that family is more important. Windrider returns to the Company to work for the day he can bring his wife to…
