Maisie Chan - Danny Chung Sums It Up

PUBLISHERs NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for and may be obtained from the Library of Congress.

ISBN 978-1-4197-4821-9
eISBN 9781647000349

Text copyright 2021 Maisie Chan

Illustrations copyright 2021 Natelle Quek

Book design by Marcie J. Lawrence

Originally published in the United Kingdom in 2021 by Piccadilly Press, under the title Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths. Published in the United States in 2021 by Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

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This book is dedicated to the memory of Jean and Ronmy mum and dad. And to the Chan, Kwan, and Mui families who I grew up with and who inspired this book.

Drawing makes me feel good.

I draw literally everywhere: in bed with a flashlight, and even on the toilet (well, you can be sitting there for quite a while, and yes, I always wash my hands afterward). Sometimes I sketch in the park on weekends with Ravi, my best friend. My favorite part is coming up with new characters: ones that are half one thing and half anotherthe best of both worlds, like whole wheat bread and white bread put together.

I was really pleased with my newest creation, which I called a DRUCKON. It was a mutant duck with a dragons head. Its very Chinese, if you ask me. Dragons are the most beloved and lucky creatures in Chinese mythology, and ducks are yummy and succulent. The tricky part was the head. Chinese dragons dont look like other dragons and they have no wings. Ravi is basically an expert on knights and all things medieval. He says that Chinese dragons are anomalies, which is a nice way of saying they are weird. And they dont go around trying to eat princesses or battle knights. I think thats nice. A druckon is a Chinese win-win.

Under my duvet, I heard the door to my room squeak open.

Danny? Where are you? It was Ba. I could tell from the sesame-oil smell.

Not now, I prayed. I wasnt done drawing. I had nearly finished the camel-like head of the dragon. The ducks body would, of course, be in scale with the head. You wouldnt want a tiny ducks body and a massive dragons head. That thing would bobble around and flop over. I slid my duvet up over my head some more, hoping Ba wouldnt see me. Saturdays were usually very busy. My parents wanted me to help out by folding menus or piling soda cans on the shelf behind the counter of our takeout restaurant downstairs. But Id rather just draw in my pajamas instead.

We can see you, Danny Chung, Mas voice said. Come on, you need to leave your bedroom now. Ba and I have to clean under your bedits like a garbage can under there. There has to be more space in here.

What? I peeked out from under the duvet. Ma was wearing her red apron, which she wore when she worked at the counter each evening, and bright yellow rubber gloves. Under her armpit was the handle of the feather duster. She was scanning my bedroom like she was on a mission. Ba knelt down with a pearly green dustpan and brush; he threw some black bags onto the carpet. Something wasnt right. His head was sweaty and he was all huffy. They never came in here to clean my room.

Yes, we dont have much time, Ba said. Weve been so busy and now we only have a few hours left. He started frantically dragging out random things that I had shoved under my bed frame. What was going on? A few hours left until what? Ba flung an old teddy bear out from under my bedit only had one eye. Next, he stretched and pulled out a stack of old sketchbooks that were filled to the brim with my creations.

Clean? But its Saturday. Cant I just relax like the kids at school? On the weekends they play computer games and go for ice cream. Saturdays are for doing I dunno nothing. Uh-oh. I regretted it as soon as I had uttered the word nothing. I was going to get my dads Chinese Way lecture.

Doing nothing? Nothing? Ba got up from his knees and wiped the dust bunnies and hair from his pant legs. It is not the Chinese Way to do nothing, Danny. Ma raised her eyebrows at me. She knew what was coming. She started humming a little out-of-tune ditty while her feather duster skimmed the top of my wardrobe.

The Chinese Way is hard work. It is about listening to and respecting our elders. It is about family and helping each other gain success. We have to work doubly hard in this country. Six days a week. No one gives us anything for free. We dont do nothing, Ba blustered.

I didnt mean it that way. I meant What did I mean? I just like drawing, thats all. Its not really doing nothing. Look, Im making something. I turned my sketchbook around so he could see what I was working on. Ma peeked over Bas shoulder to get a glimpse and squinted, her head tilted. She was obviously confused. They swapped places. Ba sighed, then got back down on the floor, and Ma moved in closer to see my picture.

Its a dragon-and-duck hybrid, I told her. I hoped she would see how great and Chinese it was. I turned the book back toward me. They didnt get it.

Oh okay oh look, its Blue Bear! she said, bending down. She picked up the dirty old bear. It was more gray than blue now. I havent seen him for years. He just needs a good wash, Ma said, brushing off the cobwebs.

Its kinda disgusting, Ma, and Im eleven, not two, I said, wondering why shed want to keep that ugly thing. You can throw it away.

How can you say that? Nai Nai sent it for you all the way from China, said Ma.

She wont even know its gone, I replied. If there was one thing I didnt mind being thrown in the trash, it was that bear. My Chinese grandmother, whom Id never even seen, wouldnt know it had been chucked in the trash can, so why did I need to keep it?

She will know, Danny I mean she will know that you didnt appreciate her gift, she said quickly.