The Leavers

by Lisa Ko

"As Deming scooped rice out of the pot, a clump fell on the table. 'Don't waste food!' Vivian swept the spilled rice onto her plate and took his bowl away. 'Maybe your mama left because she was tired of feeding such an ungrateful boy.'" pg. 39

"Vivian had cooked a casserole of tofu and beef and mushrooms, greens wih garlic, noddles, cripsy pork, and even a whole steamed fish. The smells were comforting, ones Daniel hadn't experienced in years." pg. 107

“She introduced me to the best places to buy vegetables, fish, and meat, took me to a tea shop on Bayard that sold sweet black sesame soup with chewy dumplings, which we slurped sitting next to American-born Chinese kids who teased one another in loud, slangy English." pg. 140

"She passed him a plate with a slice of chocolate cake, the icing already melting, and a plate of egg tarts. Two coffees, one for her and one for him, and a pile of sugar packets and plastic pods of creamer.

'Thank you.' He took the spoon she offered and a bite of the cake. The frosting was so sweet it made his tongue curl.

His mother watched him. 'Is the cake good?'

'It's good.'" pg. 289

"One put peppers in her beef, another fried her vegetables but barely salted them. I made fish balls and although the ingredients weren't as good as the ones back home, the taste made my chest hurt." pg. 139

"He found a noodle stall tucked between two of the houses and ordered a bowl of vermicelli noodles in pork broth with vegetables, glad nobody commented on his Fuzhounese." pg. 269