Eleven-year-old Maizy Chen visits her estranged grandparents, who own and run a Chinese restaurant in Last Chance, Minnesota; as her visit lengthens, she makes unexpected discoveries about her family's history and herself.

Nancy writes a report for school about her great-grandfather, making things up so he seems less ordinary, but when she learns that Grandpa will be there to hear her read the report aloud she realizes she was dishonest.

"Chuck Whipplethorp learns that he comes from a fascinating lineage of Whipplethorps, so he sets off to carve his own mark--by collecting bugs"--

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering....

"Everyone has a family tree, no matter how big or small. But what happens when mine has more than just the roots, trunk, and branches? I've got six parents (yes, six--you can count with me and see) and enough siblings to take up almost all of my fingers. Will this piece of paper, with the stems, branches, leaves, trunk, berries, and nuts of the great, big, loud, colorful, fun, crazy family I call mine, even fit on Ms. Collin's wall at school? Florence...