Review by Booklist Review
Yu's middle-grade debut offers a compelling and heartfelt exploration of identity, family, and friendship. Chinese American fifth-grader Ping-Ping faces ongoing challenges both at school and at home. She struggles with microaggressions from not being seen as American, while her relatives treat her as not being Chinese enough. Regularly teased at school about her name, Ping-Ping often fantasizes about adopting a more conventional name like Megan. To make matters worse, her classmate Lee Beaumont keeps bullying her, and she might even have to suddenly move with her family to Kenya for her father's job with the United Nations. Inspired by her own childhood experiences growing up in the suburbs of New York City, Yu crafts a relatable first-person narrative exploring themes that will resonate with many readers facing cultural duality or questions of identity. There is plenty to root for as Ping-Ping navigates her journey of self-discovery through taekwondo, music, and the support of close friends and family.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A Chinese American tween living in Queens, N.Y., grapples with cultural identity in Yu's heartening debut. Ten-year-old Ping-Ping is tired of her grandmother lamenting the fact that she's "so" American. Though Ping-Ping wishes she was named Megan--maybe then annoying white-cued classmate Lee Beaumont would stop calling her "French Fry" due to the tofu sticks she eats at lunch--her immigrant parents encourage her and her younger brother Xy to ignore bullies and embrace their heritage. Even more pressing for Ping-Ping than Lee's harassment, however, is the possibility that the family must relocate to Kenya for Baba's UN job. She'd hate to leave her Italian American best friend Ana behind. But Ping-Ping soon learns that, unlike her ability to kick her frustrations away in taekwondo or her affinity for always playing with perfect poise during piano practice, some things are out of her control. Ping-Ping's bravery and self-awareness, relayed via inviting prose, immediately endears her to the audience. Empathetic portrayals of the protagonist's stern yet supportive family inject warmth into a story that will empower readers to stay true to themselves. Ages 8--12. (Feb.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young girl navigates fifth grade with cheer and determination. Ping-Ping's family is no stranger to big moves. Long before Ping-Ping was born, her mother moved from China's Anhui Province to Taiwan to the United States, where she met Ping-Ping's father. Now, her father's job with the United Nations has the family traveling the world each summer. Still, Ping-Ping is shocked to discover that her father's upcoming promotion might result in the family relocating to Nairobi, Kenya. Worried that the move is financially motivated, Ping-Ping and her younger brother, Xy, find ways to make extra money. But new worries emerge: Can she take pride in her Chinese heritage and still be 100 percent American? Would her bully (who's inexplicably saddled her with the nickname French Fry) leave her alone if she changed her name to Megan? Can she perfect the three-kick routine before her taekwondo belt test? Through it all, Ping-Ping's experiences are anchored by empathetic parents and supportive friends who validate her feelings. Short chapters move the plot along briskly, briefly integrating other relatably funny or frustrating minor conflicts--Ping-Ping getting new glasses or commiserating with Xy over dry Thanksgiving turkey. Ping-Ping's strength and thoughtfulness when navigating microaggressions based on race and gender will especially resonate with readers who share her background; her humor and tenacity will win over all. A comforting coming-of-age tale that celebrates family and friendship.(Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
