Mei Ling in China City (book)

Mei Ling In China City (2008) by Icy Smith tells the story of 12-year-old Chinese American Mei Ling Lee who lives in China City, an "old Chinatown" in Los Angeles which does not survive today. Mei Ling is lonely because her best friend Yayeko Akiyama was sent to Manzanar . The girls write to each other over the course of the war—the book includes handwritten correspondence between them—but they lose touch after the war is over. The main focus of the story is Mei Ling's determination to raise the most funds for the United China Relief campaign, which sought funds for food and medical supplies for war victims in mainland China. Her wish is to present the grand prize to Yayeko upon her return to China City. Based on a true story, the real Mei Ling still hopes to find her friend Yayeko again someday.

Includes Author's Notes on Manzanar and an extensive historical photograph collection of China City's golden years in Los Angeles.