{"product_id":"9780063569447","title":"Ping Pong Kids: A Novel","description":"\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor\/Contributor(s):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003eGong, Renny\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEcco\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4\/6\/2027\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBinding:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003eHardcover\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003eNEW\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn uproariously funny and surprisingly tender debut novel following a junior ping pong player who travels from Los Angeles to rural China to spend a transformative summer at an elite Table Tennis Academy\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen our twelve-year-old narrator arrives at the Academy in Qingdao, he thinks he’s prepared: he’s the No. 5 ranked table tennis player in the US for his age, and under Mother’s watch, has trained his whole life for his hard-won success. However, the Academy is no summer camp, and the boy quickly learns that he’s arrived at a militant breeding ground for champion ping pong players, complete with 2.5-mile runs each morning, ten hours of training every day, and strict punishments for misbehavior. He must find his way in this grueling pecking order amid the preteen antics of his new peers, who regard their fresh competitor with suspicion and who snidely give him the nickname America. As America slowly acclimates to his surroundings and to life without Mother, he finds a small measure of independence and a tender friendship with his roommate, Durian.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJust as America finds his footing, Mother appears without warning in Qingdao, and America’s new life shifts again. Mother’s presence is both a source of comfort and stress. At tryouts for a high-stakes provincial tournament, a head-to-head matchup with Durian destabilizes the boys’ friendship and causes an explosive fight between America and Mother, and the future they have always worked for together hangs in the balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePing pong matches shot through with energy are paired with hilarious, poignant scenes of boyhood and a robust cast of memorable, utterly unique characters, resulting in a singular, unforgettable novel. \u003ci\u003ePing Pong Kids\u003c\/i\u003e is a nuanced look at tiger parenting, an innovative exploration of Chinese American identity and cultural diaspora, and an earnest defense of the sport of table tennis.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ecco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48797879533823,"sku":"9780063569447","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0452\/0886\/2873\/files\/9780063569447.jpg?v=1783361066","url":"https:\/\/massivebookshop.com\/products\/9780063569447","provider":"MASSIVE BOOKSHOP","version":"1.0","type":"link"}