Roohi and Nate are not on the same page

In this winsome collaboration from Kelkar (The Cobra's Song) and Lerner (A Work in Progress), two sixth graders become unlikely allies in an effort to save their school library. Indian American Roohi views white-cued classmate Nate as an underachieving slacker. Nate, meanwhile, thinks Roohi is a snobby know-it-all. Then both join Lunch Brunch, their school's newly formed reading club, and--following personal reveals on both sides--they begin seeing each other in a new light. Roohi feels alienated by her track friends after an injury that forced her to take a break, and Nate believes his academic struggles are amplified by his parents constantly comparing him to his genius older brother. Other club members soon start opening up as well, and their honesty and vulnerability forges a stronger bond than any of them anticipated. But when budget cuts threaten to oust their beloved librarian and club adviser, the Lunch Brunch resolves to come to the rescue, even as they navigate personal challenges. Rapid-fire chapters alternate between Roohi and Nate's buoyant POVs. Grayscale comics and spot illustrations accentuate the lighthearted humor of the characters' evergreen adolescent conflicts while earnest prose and a supportive cast emphasize themes of pressure to meet expectations and managing friendships. Ages 8--12. Agents: (for Kelkar) Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary; (for Lerner) Myrsini Stephanides, Arc Literary Management. (Mar.)

Gr 3--7--Roohi and Nate couldn't be more different. Roohi is a star student who overschedules herself with sports and clubs; Nate, cued as potentially dyslexic, hates studying but loves skateboarding with his best friend, Z. Their paths cross when they reluctantly join the Lunch Bunch, a weekly book club hosted by their school librarian, Mrs. Sharp. As they get to know their fellow book clubbers--kids neither of them would have otherwise befriended--Roohi and Nate struggle to figure out how their new friendships will fit with their old ones. The story takes a turn when district budget cuts mean Mrs. Sharp can no longer host the Lunch Bunch, as she must take over librarian duties at multiple schools. The kids rally to save her role and, though ultimately unsuccessful, learn the power of their own voices. The book suffers a little from identity crisis, and the first and second halves almost read like two different books. One is a coming-of-age story about friendship and identity; the other is about agency and the importance of libraries and books in building community. Told in alternating viewpoints by the two authors, the writing is sometimes uneven. Nate's friendship with Z is shown and deeply felt, while Roohi's friendships are recounted but rarely shown. In spite of the book's flaws, students will appreciate the illustrations peppered throughout, as well as the diverse cast of characters led by Roohi (Indian American) and Nate (cued white). VERDICT An additional purchase where friendship stories circulate well.--Lindsay Loup

Two middle schoolers who feel sidelined find friendship and belonging in a school book club. Indian American sixth grader Roohi is an outgoing overachiever, juggling school, athletics, and extracurriculars while also reluctantly babysitting her three younger brothers. Losing her place on the cross-country team--the team her best friends are on--after breaking her toe is a real blow. Nate, who presents white, lives in the shadow of his brilliant older brother, struggles at school, and prefers skateboarding with his rebellious friend Z. When school librarian Mrs. Sharp creates the Lunch Bunch book club, the tweens are thrown together with a diverse crew: nerdy gamer Miles, basketball star Dao, and brooding eighth grader Troy. Discussing their book leads them to open up about topics they can't share with others and to realize they're more than just the stereotypes they've been labelled with. Facing the possibility of losing their beloved Mrs. Sharp, the five band together to find a solution. Told in chapters alternating between Roohi's and Nate's voices and art, the story sensitively explores its characters' struggles with parental expectations, the burden of responsibilities, and friendship anxieties. The fun, relatable story brims with clever wordplay and inventively draws parallels between the kids' experiences and the book they're reading. The interplay of text and comic-style illustrations has strong appeal. Abundant references to Roohi's family's Maharashtrian culture are a refreshing change from generic Indian portrayals. A heartwarming tale of friendship and the power of books to bring people together.(Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.