I read this with my teen grandchildren before reading some sections with the younger children. Although still a hard hitting story it is more sensitively presented for younger readers. An important historical story to tell.

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown, adapted for young readers version, by Heather B. Moore and Allison Hong Merrill is a truly touching story. It is based on the true story of young Asian girls being victims of human trafficking in the 1890s and left me feeling emotional and hopeful. Tai Choi/Tien Fu is the main figure as the story starts. Her journey is tracked until she ends up at the home for young women where Dolly resides. I appreciated the young readers view, as the handling of these truly horrific crimes is well done. The reader is aware of the atrocities these young women experienced, but without the explicit horrifying details. It creates excellent discussion points and awareness of a very sensitive, yet relative topic. I thought it was handled tastefully while still representing the truth of the events.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

I received an ARC from Shadow Mountain and NetGalley in exchange for my opinions.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Audience: YA, upper MG

THE PAPER DAUGHTERS OF CHINATOWN gripped me from the opening page. The authors, Heather B. Moore and Allison Hong Merrill, have both won writing awards, and this book is the perfect fusion of their many talents.

My heart positively ached for Tai Choi, who is renamed Tien Fu Wu. To only be six-years-old and sent away from your family. I'm amazed she could remember much about them. Tien Fu is not your average girl—she's full of snark as well as distrust.

Dolly, Donaldina Cameron, sacrificed so much to changing the lives of the girls rescued and housed within the mission home. The way Tien Fu's journey intertwines with Dolly's life shows how we are stronger together, how we can work for a common goal, and how we can built trust. It's absolutely fabulous. Historically, these two women remained close until Dolly passed away.

This book deals with the serious subject of human trafficking—specifically around the Chinese girls and women who were sent to America, sold into slavery in the late 1800s to the early 1900s. A classroom could coordinate reading this book with teaching about the current state of human trafficking, history, immigration laws, danger from gangs, changes within the court systems, and cultural differences.

The authors are able to put everything on the page in a slightly softened way—meaning there are not long explanations of the function of brothels or the prostitutes. However, there is violence on the page with physical and emotional abuse. Opium usage is also mentioned.

I highly recommend this book! It's such an important topic to consider how we treat others and how we can learn from the past.

Happy reading!

I had a love hate relationship with this book I absolutely loved the the plot of this book but when reading tea in Wu’s story and hearing her inner dialogue I just thought these are not the thoughts of a 5,6,7 and 12 year old girl. Like when she was seven years old and contemplating how wrong it was to sell another person children at that age do not have a long track memory and lives in the here now but that is just one small item they were all the things but I am focusing on the negative when I should tell you how great the rest of this book was it broke my heart to hear T ends story and I thought this was just one example of what one girl went through and can’t believe that they are still girls from China being sex trafficked and brought all over the world even America. Just know if you read this book you will cry happy tears but mostly sad heartbroken tears it is historically accurate when it comes to dates times and places but I don’t think the author had a great grasp on how children really think because she made them emotionally way smarter than they actually are but that is one small thing it’s something I shouldn’t have even mentioned because this is really is a good book. I didn’t do a summary only because other people have done great jobs I would just say read this book if you love historical fiction especially those based on real people you would absolutely love the Paper daughters of Chinatown I would love to read a nonfiction book about this and I’m definitely going to search one out I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Wow, I was surprised when I read this! Having previously read the original "Paper Daughters of Chinatown" and having Heather Moore host our online book club to discuss it, I was expecting this book to be the same story but in an easier-to-read form for younger readers.

Here's where the surprise came in! It was the same San Francisco orphanage for the abused Chinese girls and the same Dolly Cameron, and I enjoyed finding references to instances I remembered from the original book; however, the story revolved around a different "paper daughter, Tien Fu. I kind of hate to say it, but I actually enjoyed this version more! I found myself getting up in the middle of the night to read more. I highly recommend this to everyone, whether or not they have read the first one, but it's an excellent read for young adults!

Based on fact and a sad part of world history, the building still stands.

So grateful to NetGalley for the chance to read it early and at no cost.

This is an adapted for young readers version of the original historical novel, The Paper Daughters of Chinatown. It still conveyed the horror these young Chinese girls went through when they were sold as children to either pay gambling debts, bring in money to survive, or as punishment. This human trafficking went on for decades with nothing to stop it until the mid 1800's when a mission was founded in San Francisco to rescue and educate the girls who had been kept as slaves.

This is the story of Tai Choi, who was sold at age 6 to pay her father's gambling debts. After a few years of being abused as a servant, she is rescued by the women at the Occidental Mission Home for Girls. Her name as a slave had been changed to Tien Fu, and she was unable to trust anyone.

Dolly Cameron came to the mission home to teach the girls to sew, but soon found herself very involved in rescuing more, and tried to befriend Tien Fu.. Over many years and many adventures, they become close friends and continued in their mission.

This book is based upon actual historical characters, Some parts were difficult to read, and I found myself tearing up in some sections. Although it is targeted at middle-grade, I'd put it at the upper end of middle grade and into YA. I highly recommend this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Having previously read the adult version of this book--which is incredibly well written but deals with very heavy topics--I was curious as to how this would be adapted for younger readers. I think the authors did a great job introducing a dark part of history without getting too deep, making a great introduction to the topic of human trafficking that readers can delve more deeply into if they so desire. I love how the book focuses a lot on Tien Fu Wu and her struggles and feelings as well as showing Dolly Cameron and her work and worries. This is definitely a book I'll be sharing with my children when they're older (oldest is only 9 now, so too young right now). Very well written book on a very important topic.

4.5 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I have not read the adult version of this book, but I do think this version for young readers is done very well. It does not skip over some of the trials the girls had to go through, but it is not so graphic that it would upset a young reader. I loved seeing the progression of Tien Fu and how by consistency and love, her heart was won over. I will definitely be putting the adult version of this book on my list to read.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

a hard but important book to read. especially love the way this is written for younger readers so the writing is very accessible and gets the information across

I read the original Paper Daughters of Chinatown from Heather B Moore (one of my favorite authors) so I was excited to see what she and the wonderful Allison Hong Merrill would do with this adapted version for young readers. Of course, it was phenomenal. So well written, powerful, and heartfelt. Tien Fu Wu was incredible. What this amazing girl (who grew into an even more amazing woman) had to endure broke my heart. Her journey back to trust and love was very well done. All of the characters whether fictional or based on real people were handled with care, as their experiences were terrible. I was brought to tears many times while reading and I felt Dolly's sincere love for these girls.
I enjoyed the alternating point of view from Tien Fu and Donaldina Cameron's perspectives. It really helped dive into what they could have been feeling at the time. This hard topic was addressed in a way suitable for a younger audience. I appreciate the connection at the end of the this book with the main focus of the original, Mei Lien.

This is another book set in a time and place in history of which I was unfamiliar. Tien Fu Wu was sold by her father to pay off gambling debts and eventually ends up in San Francisco. Based on the true stories of the Occidental Mission Home for Girls and many of it's occupants, this book takes readers into the dark world of human trafficking in the early 1900s in Chinatown, San Francisco. Despite it being the young readers edition, the authors did not gloss over or sugarcoat things. I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

When I saw there was a version for youth I was all over it. I love Dolly and her love for the girls at the Mission Home. She sacrificed so much to help the woman and children at the mission. Her story and the girls who lived there story is amazing. It is a part of history I new nothing about. It is sad to think this type of slavery still exists today. I can’t even imagine how Tai Choi felt once to she discovered she was going to visit her grandmother. This book was very tastefully done and I loved being able to share this story with my girls. It was a great opportunity to teach them about a topic this important to be aware of! I am the type of parent who is very open with my children about all kinds of things. But it is because I would rather them learn about these topics from me then someone else. That is my job as their parent!! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

I did receive a ARC from the author and publisher via NetGalley! Thank you both for the chance to review it!

I am an adult and feel that this would be ok for mid-teens, probably not so much for younger teens/pre-teens.

I admit that I was given the chance to get a review copy of the original book, The Paper Daughters of China Town and was worried that it would be too upsetting to read. (I still haven't read that one, and have no idea if it is upsetting, or not.) So, when this story came along, I was eager to read it!

The story is excellent and is tactfully presented. I found it compelling and inspirational! There are not upsetting details, but enough to create tension. The authors found a good balance.

Obviously well-researched and the fictional characters are very believable, as well.

An excellent book about human trafficking back at the turn of the century. But heart-warming and inspirational!

I received a review copy through Net Galley, but the opinions expressed are my honest review.

Paper Daughters of Chinatown tells an important, little known story of girls in China sold into slavery by their families in the late nineteenth century. Aged six, Wien Fu’s father sells her. She ends up in Chinatown in San Francisco. Dolly Cameron accepts a job at a mission home in San Francisco where she rescues and works with the girls. The book is disturbing and inspiring. The content is appropriately horrifying for the intended audience. The writing style was at times too simplistic and could have flowed better. This is an adaptation of an adult novel that I have not read.

In chinese, Tien Fu means Heavenly Blessing, like a godsend. Ironically, this new given name that the highbinder had brutally forced Tai Choi to take almost fell like a gracious gift, a congenial compliment.
What a read is this for Women's History month.
The paper daughters of Chinatown is the true story of several incredible women, two of which are the protagonists of this book: Tien Fu Wo/Tai Choi and Dolly Cameron.
Every page you will read of this book will make you think that it is impossible that his is a true story, that the events Heather B. Moore and Allison Hong Merrill are describing must be fictional. Yet they happened. And they are horrifying.
The two authors had such delicacy in dealing with the dark topics in this book, such as kidnapping, violence, human trafficking, slavery, and so mutch worse, that allows the book never to become too umbearable to read. Ideal for the youg adult audience they re-wrote it for.
Becouse this is a rewriting, there is an original book written for a mature audience, which I will definetly read.

The story of Tien Fu and Dolly is dramatic, and at 195 pages (for the ebook version) it will keep you glued to the text until the end. I myself have baiscally read the entirety of this book in one day, for it was impossible to leat go, to not now what happens next to this inspiring woman.

It is, in my opinion, one of those books that every high school students must read. It is a story that has to be known, becouse if you, for a moment, forget the 1900 references, you could easily image Tien Fu and Dolly being two 20ieth century women fighting for what is still a very real humanitarian problem.

After reading The Paper Daughters of Chinatown, I appreciated being able to understand Tien Fu Wu better in this young readers adaptation. It is heart wrenching to read what these paper daughters were going through and subjected to. Donaldina (Dolly) Cameron is a new hero of mine. She selflessly put herself in danger countless times to save these Chinese girls and women. This version is definitely easy to read and flows well, making it perfect for a younger audience. I also think the cover looks amazing. I appreciate reading books where it is obvious that a lot of time and research went into it. It is good to be informed, even if some things are hard to hear about sometimes. What is great about this book is that you are also able to see growth, goodness, and happiness shine through. There are so many wonderful examples of resilience and strength in this historical book. I highly recommend it.

The strength and endurance of the young girls in this story is absolutely inspiring. Based on a true story of human trafficking in San Franscisco in the late 1800s, this story highlights issues that are still prevalent today- yes this still happens today.

A much needed (an appreciated) introduction for young readers into the real life battle to end human slavery, I definitely recommend this. It should be in middle grade and high school classes around the country. I also plan on reading the adult book as well now that I've read this one.

4.5 stars/5

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was AMAZING. I have so many good things to mention about this book!

The book tells the story of Tien Fu Wu, a little girl who was sold into slavery by her father and brought from China to San Francisco. When she arrives in San Francisco, life as a servant is hard, and she gets punished a lot. Luckily she is rescued by the women of the mission home, where she lives with a lot of other girls rescued from similar fates. Slowly, Tien Fu Wu begins to trust the other girls and women leading the mission home. The story also tells you about other rescues performed by the women of the mission home and the daily life of the girls in the mission home.

I found it really impressive that such a heavy story as the one told in “The Paper Daughters of Chinatown” could be adapted into a children's book. The book gripped me from the first page, and I immediately fell in love with the book's characters. Also, the character development from not only Tien Fu but also Ms. Cameron over the span of the novel was great. You really feel like they both grew a lot since their first page. Additionally, the details with which the story was told were really descriptive, and I could see myself walking along the streets of San Francisco, which I visited recently. Another aspect of the book I really liked was that the story was based on real historical events, which unfortunately are still relevant to this day.

There were only a few moments in the story where I was a bit confused or which I disliked, like the incident where one of the girls gets arrested (is this typical for the USA at this point in time or is it just chaotic?), or the fact that the newly appointed director was racist (why would anyone like that be appointed for such a job?). In both situations, it felt like the system failed so hard that I was annoyed (which was probably what the author was aiming for).

Overall, I would definitely recommend anyone to read this very accessible work of historical fiction based on a true story set in San Francisco. But be warned, you will start to care for the Chinese girls from page 1 and that feeling won’t go away! :)

And lastly, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

" Some of the girls are kidnapped and their families have no idea that their daughters are alive. The girls take on new names in America, so they become paper daughters without a home. Without care of love. "

This version of The Paper Daughters of Chinatown is adapted novel from same title but for young adult readers. The story following a young girl name Tien Fu Wu whom sold into slavery by her own father since childhood. She was a smart and fierce girl. My heart so broken saw her cruel journey break her spirit slowly. But her story also give us big hope when she meet her rescuer Miss Cameron and help her to save another girls from same path.

Her story was happened at 130 years ago, the book started with question why we should care now? Because human trafficking still become big issue right now and read this book will awaken awareness in the world expecially between young readers. This book really amazing and perfect for reader who love historical story based on true event.

Thank you Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publisher for provided me my copy. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

The historical fiction novel The Paper Daughters of Chinatown (which has been adapted for young readers) by Heather B. Moore and Allison Hong Merrill (Shadow Mountain, April 2023) is based on the lives of two women, Donaldina Cameron and the young Tien Fu Wu. Dolly was a young charismatic woman hoping to help the unfortunate in turn-of-the century San Francisco, and Tien Fu Wu was a young Chinese girl who had been sold into slavery and sent to America. With Dolly’s determination to save the Chinese “paper daughters” in slavery, she and Tien Fu became friends who worked together to rescue and educate the girls in Chinatown.


I had heard of “paper daughters” before, and I learned more from this book. Due to the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), it was not easy for Chinese people to immigrate to the USA, unless they had family already located here. To get around this, people would become “paper daughters” to another person: that is, a child only on paper. Unfortunately, as The Paper Daughters of Chinatown so sadly illustrates, so many young women thus arriving in America were put to work as mui tsai, or household servants. As the discerning adult can imagine, this likewise includes many young women sold into prostitution.

The book alternates between the point of view of Tien Fu Wu (who had been sold to pay her father’s gambling debts at age six) and that of Dolly Cameron, who came to the Christian charity home in Chinatown in 1894, innocently hoping to help the young girls. Although the book does illustrate Tien Fu’s childhood, the majority of the book focuses on the developing bond between the determined Miss Cameron and the bitter and hesitant ten-year-old Tien Fu.

After I read this book, I was touched to read that these two women truly worked together throughout their lives as true friends, and Tien Fu was even buried next to Miss Cameron. In the novel, I liked seeing Tien Fu’s transformation as she learned to trust, find her own worth, and love those around her who likewise needed help healing. Also, the story subtly emphasizes the role of Christianity in the charity work as well as a part of the children’s eventual transformation into capable members of society.

If I’d change anything, I’d simply like a little bit more, especially as an “additional information” note to the book. In the afterword, we do learn that we did not know Tien Fu’s original name, since she was so young when she left China. I also wanted to know which of the difficult “adventures” that Miss Cameron faced were true, and if Tien Fu’s first friend as mui tsai in China likewise was based on a real person. The coincidence of these two meeting up in San Francisco 10 years after their first meeting felt a bit too convenient. That said, it was revealing to see that even this supposedly “privileged” slave girl, who was given an education and special care as a child, was only educated and brought up to likewise become an abused teen (prostitute) in America.

The middle grade novel I read rarely uses the word prostitution, mentions opium abuse only in passing, and tones down the details of the physical abuse the children and young women had received, thus making this book a suitable book for older middle grade and teen readers. I imagine that the original adult version of this book is heartbreaking in its further detail. The theme is dark and difficult. But human trafficking is still an issue. While it is a disturbing issue, this historical account of the issue in the 1890s Chinatown in San Francisco is an important look into just one of the many underbellies of American history and even today.

I received a review copy of this book for consideration.