Making Friends with Billy Wong

Making Friends with Billy Wong is a poignant historical fiction novel set in Paris Junction, Arkansas, in 1952. It tells the story of Azalea, an eleven-year-old sent to help her grandmother, and Billy Wong, a Chinese-American boy who faces significant prejudice after his mission school closes. The book sensitively explores themes of friendship, belonging, and racial discrimination during a pivotal time in American history. It offers a gentle yet honest look at the challenges of being an outsider and the power of empathy and courage, making it an excellent choice for discussions about social justice and kindness.

In 1952 eleven-year-old Azalea is sent to Paris Junction, Arkansas, to help out her grandmother who has injured her foot, but does not really seem to want her help; Billy Wong is a Chinese-American boy whose uncle owns the local grocery store, in town to attend the "white" school, since the Chinese mission school has closed, but frustrated by the overt prejudice of the local children--and over the summer the two begin to forge a friendship.