Yep’s Dragonwings is the story of Moon Shadow, who emigrates from China to San Francisco in 1903 to live with his father, Windrider. Together, they endure racial antagonism but prosper, supported by Windrider’s work in the family laundry and then as a handyman.
Windrider’s passion is to build kites and fly in an airplane like Wilbur and Orville Wright. While preparing his prototype, Dragonwings, Windrider makes kites. On one afternoon, Windrider, Moon Shadow take an afternoon to picnic at the beach with Miss Whitlaw, where they rent a room. Whitlaw’s niece Robin, about 12 years old, also attends.
The lunch is a mixture of American and Chinese foods. Miss Whitlaw packs thick turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce and bread stuffing, gingersnap cookies, and lemonade.
At the Tang food shops in Chinatown, Moon Shadow buys meat-filled dumplings and “pastries filled with various kinds of ground meat and shrimp.” There is also tea.
See Laurence Yep. Dragonwings. New York: HarperCollins, 1975.