Spelling Bee by Laurene Chambers Chinn

In my opinion, the two will be closer than ever. Mama really had to reach outside herself to attend the spelling bee, but she did it for her daughter..... she did it out of love. Ellen, on the other hand, was willing to lose on purpose because her mother wasn't there.... because she wanted her mother to be a part of her life..... American or Cantonese. When her mother showed up at the competition, Ellen understood that her mother was willing to cross over that cultural line for her daughter's happiness. It was only the beginning.