Honestly, out of all the orphan stories I’ve ever read, “Digging in China” by Michelle Yu will always stand out to me. Michelle writes how she’s always wondered about her birth mom- especially why she decided to give up her own child. Now this is a normal plot for a typical orphan story; but Michelle’s is different in my eyes. I especially liked this piece because she described every detail and feeling of hers so clearly. While I was reading it, it was as if I could feel every emotion she felt when she thought about her mother.
The ending of “Digging in China” also touched my heart. It is very understandable for an orphan to be angry at their birth mother for giving them up, and most orphans feel that way their whole lives. Although Michelle does write about her feelings of anger, she chooses to forgive her in the end. I found especially touching, “Even though she took away part of my childhood, she gave me much more in the end- a life of greater opportunity."