Clap When You Land Summary

Clap When You Land is told from 16-year-olds Yahaira and Camino’s alternating perspectives. Though they share the same father, Papi, neither knows the other exists.

Camino, who lives in the Dominican Republic with her aunt and caregiver, Tía Solana, discovers that Papi died in a plane crash when she skips school to meet him at the airport for his annual summer visit. Now, she feels like she’s truly an orphan, as Mamá died of dengue fever almost a decade ago. Meanwhile, in New York, Yahaira’s mother comes to Yahaira’s school to tell Yahaira about Papi’s death. They walk home together and Yahaira, knowing that someone needs to be strong, answers phone calls and heats up dinner while Mami sobs in her room.

Over the next few days, both Yahaira and Camino struggle with their grief. Camino tries grieve Papi by swimming at the beach, where Papi taught her to swim. But a pimp named El Cero, whom Papi has paid for years to leave Camino alone, appears on the beach. Though he wants Camino to work for him, he leaves her alone when she ignores him—at least for now. Yahaira, meanwhile, refuses to acknowledge Papi’s death. She thinks about other aspects of her life instead, like her history as a competitive chess player and her relationship with Dre, her girlfriend and next-door neighbor. Both Camino and Yahaira hope that ignoring news of the crash will help their pain, but it still hurts when, a few days after the crash, the news officially announces that there were no survivors.

Papi’s death hits Camino especially hard, as Papi financially supported Camino and Tía. He paid Camino’s tuition at a fancy private school, but without his money—or his ability to help her get a visa—Camino fears she’ll have to drop out and abandon her dream of attending Columbia University and becoming an obstetrician. She shares none of these fears with Tía or her best friend Carline, who’s heavily pregnant. Still, Carline tries to get Camino out of the house. Meanwhile, in New York, Yahaira skips school and spends her days walking or with Dre’s mom, Dr. Johnson.

Once officials identify Papi’s remains, Yahaira’s family in New York flies into action, making funeral arrangements. Tío Jorge, Papi’s brother, informs Mami that according to Papi’s will, he wants to be buried in the Dominican Republic. This enrages Mami, and she insists that she and Yahaira won’t attend the funeral. Mami’s anger makes Yahaira wonder if Mami—or indeed, the entire rest of the extended family—knows the secret Yahaira learned last year: that Papi has another wife in the Dominican Republic, and that she is the person he visits every summer. Yahaira discovered Papi’s secret last summer. After a man assaulted her on the subway, she tried to contact Papi, who was in the Dominican Republic at the time. She went looking for a phone number for Papi and found the marriage license. After the assault and this revelation about Papi, she quit chess and stopped talking to Papi altogether.

When Camino learns about the discovery of Papi’s remains, she’s on the beach, and El Cero is harassing her again. When she gets home, Tía insinuates that she believes Camino is soliciting El Cero’s attention, which makes Camino believe she can’t tell her aunt the truth or ask for help. That night, Carline goes into labor several weeks early. Tía and Camino attend the birth, and thanks to Tía’s relationship with the Saints, the baby boy finally breathes.

An airline representative visits Mami, Yahaira, and Tío Jorge to share that the airline is offering a half-million dollar payout to avoid lawsuits. They’re all shocked. Once Tío Jorge calls Tía to share the news, Tía finally tells Camino that Papi has a wife in New York, Zoila (Mami), and another daughter with her. She says Camino can apply for some of the money since she’s one of Papi’s dependents, but Zoila will probably fight the claim. Camino is shocked to learn that she has a sister, but she also feels like her dreams might come true now that she has money coming her way.

In New York, once news gets out about the advance, relatives start stopping by to ask Mami for money. Yahaira hates this, but Mami writes checks to everyone who asks. Meanwhile, curious about her sister, Camino looks Yahaira up on social media and finds Yahaira’s profile. She sends her sister a message, but for weeks, Yahaira doesn’t check social media and doesn’t see Camino’s message. Finally, Yahaira logs on and finds a friend request from Camino. Camino’s profile picture is of her with Papi. When Yahaira screams for Mami and asks her what’s going on, Mami tells the truth: that Papi married a woman in the Dominican Republic (Mamá) after he married her, and they had a daughter, Camino. Their marriage wasn’t legally valid, and Mamá died about nine years ago. Mami explains that Papi was complicated and a bad husband, but he tried to do right by his daughters.

Yahaira messages Camino back, suggesting they video chat. In the days between when the girls agree to talk and when they actually talk, Mami remains firm that she and Yahaira aren’t going to the funeral in the Dominican Republic—so Yahaira secretly buys herself a ticket with Mami’s credit card. When Camino learns this, she admires Yahaira’s nerve, but she resents how privileged Yahaira is—Camino and Tía will be struggling to eat soon.

Camino has been avoiding the beach for several weeks now to avoid El Cero, but Tía finally sends Camino to go swim. When Camino gets out of the water, El Cero and a strange, smelly man try to catch her, but Camino escapes and races home. That evening, she and Yahaira video chat for the first time. Days later, a few days before Yahaira is set to arrive in the Dominican Republic, Camino calls and says she won’t help Yahaira unless Yahaira wires $10,000. Yahaira wires the money and a few days later, she attends the New York wake for Papi. Afterward, Yahaira tells Dre her plan to sneak out of the country. She asks to spend the night at Dre’s so she doesn’t arouse Mami’s suspicions when she leaves in the morning.

On the day of Yahaira’s arrival, Camino makes sancocho, an involved dish traditionally made to welcome visitors. Don Mateo drives Camino to the airport and, though Camino can barely bring herself to enter the building, she goes inside and finally meets Yahaira. Tía welcomes Yahaira and later, Mami calls, worried and angry at what Yahaira did. Mami decides to come as soon as she can and shows up the next day in a little Prius.

Papi’s funeral is a grand affair that everyone in the neighborhood attends. Camino keeps it quiet until almost midnight, but it’s also her birthday—and once Yahaira goes to sleep, Camino begins to carry out her plan. She locates Yahaira’s passport, takes some money, and leaves a note for Tía—she’s going to immigrate to the U.S. herself, since Mami clearly doesn’t want to help her. Camino goes to the beach to say goodbye to her favorite place first. As a storm picks up, El Cero appears, takes Camino’s money and the passport, and attempts to assault her. Back at the house, Yahaira, Mami, and Tía realize that Camino has run away and head for the beach to find her. They frighten El Cero away after bullying him into giving back the money and the passport. Yahaira sleeps close to Camino that night, while Mami sleeps in the corner of Camino’s bedroom.

When she gets up in the morning, Yahaira tells Mami that they need to bring Camino back home with them. That day, Mami—who has family connections at the consulate—pulls some strings and gets an appointment for Camino in three days. Camino and Mami travel all over the island together, completing the paperwork and appointments necessary to get Camino the visa. Finally, Camino is ready to go to New York with Mami and Yahaira. She says goodbye to Tía, and though she’s sad to leave her home, she looks forward to her future.