Mei

Mei is the main character and first person narrator of the novel. She is a young Chinese American girl living in a Sierra Nevada logging camp in 1885. She lives with her father, Hao, who she helps with the cooking at the camp. Although she and her father used to tell stories and pray together, they do not keep these same traditions anymore.

Mei’s best friend is Bee, the daughter of the camp manager, Mister Andersen. Mei and Bee have been friends since they were young. The older they get, however, the more differences arise between them. Mei begins to realize that because her friend is white, she is allowed to have different dreams for the future. Meanwhile, Mei believes that she will be working in a kitchen for the rest of her life.

Mei is known throughout the camp for making the best pies and telling the...