The Charlotte & William Bloomberg Medford Public Library
April, 02 2025 13:17:38
Chasing Pacquiao
By Pulido, Rod
Experience the extreme joys, sorrows, and triumphs of a queer Filipino-American teenager struggling to prove himself in an unforgiving world. A poignant coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of Patron Saints of Nothing and Juliet Takes a Breath.. Self preservation. That's Bobby's motto for surviving his notoriously violent high school unscathed. Being out and queer would put an unavoidable target on his back, especially in a Filipino community that frowns on homosexuality. It's best to keep his head down, get good grades, and stay out of trouble.. But when Bobby is unwillingly outed in a terrible way, he no longer has the luxury of being invisible. A vicious encounter has him scrambling for a new way to survive - by fighting back. Bobby is inspired by champion Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao to take up boxing and challenge his tormentor.
Publisher: n/a
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9780593526736
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Hardcover
The Ping-Pong Queen of Chinatown
By Yang, Andrew
Perfect for fans of Ben Philippe and Mary H. K. Choi, this charming, insightful YA novel follows two high school students who form a complicated, ground-shifting bond while filming a movie.High school junior Felix Ma wants to prove to his parents that he's not a quitter. After crashing out of piano lessons and competitive ping-pong, Felix starts a film club at his school in a last-ditch attempt to find a star extracurricular for his college applications.Then he meets Cassie Chow, a bubbly high school senior who shares Felix's anxieties about the future and complicated relationship with parental expectations. Felix feels drawn to Cassie for reasons he can't quite articulate, so as an excuse to see her more, he invites Cassie to star in his short film.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063340411
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Hardcover
Meet Me in Mumbai
By Khan, Sabina
Two generations, eighteen years apartAyesha is a world away from home when she meets the boy of her dreams. Like her, Suresh is from India but going to high school in Illinois. Once they get together, they are inseparable... until a twist of fate takes Suresh back to India right when Ayesha discovers she's pregnant. Suddenly she feels she's on her own, navigating the biggest decision she'll ever make.Seventeen years later, Ayesha's daughter Mira finds an old box with letters addressed to her from her birth mother. Although Mira loves the moms who adopted her, she's intrigued to discover something more about her history. In one letter, Ayesha writes that if Mira can forgive her for what she had to do, she should find a way to travel to India for her eighteenth birthday and meet her.
Publisher: n/a
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9781338749281
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Hardcover
Love & Other Natural Disasters
By Sugiura, Misa
This delightfully disastrous queer YA rom-com is a perfect read for fans of Jenny Han, Morgan Matson, and Sandhya Menon. When Nozomi Nagai pictured the ideal summer romance, a fake one wasn't what she had in mind. That was before she met the perfect girl. Willow is gorgeous, glamorous, and ... heartbroken? And when she enlists Nozomi to pose as her new girlfriend to make her ex jealous, Nozomi is a willing volunteer. Because Nozomi has a master plan of her own: one to show Willow she's better than a stand-in, and turn their fauxmance into something real. But as the lies pile up, it's not long before Nozomi's schemes take a turn toward disaster ... and maybe a chance at love she didn't plan for.
Publisher: n/a
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9780062991232
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Hardcover
Magic Has No Borders
By Ahmed, Samira
SamiraAhmedis theNew York Timesbestselling and award winning author of the young adult novelsLove, Hate, & Other Filters,Internment, Mad, Bad, & Dangerous to Know and Hollow Fires.She is also the author of the middle grade fantasy duologyAmira & Hamzaand theMs. Marvel: Beyond theLimitcomic series. She was born in Bombay, India, and grew up in Batavia, IL in a house that smelled like fried onions, garlic, and potpourri. She has lived in New York, Chicago, and Kauai, where she spent a year searching for the perfect mango. She invites you to visit her onlineatwww.samiraahmed.comand on Twitter and Instagram @samayeahm.SonaCharaipotrais the author ofSymptoms of a HeartbreakandHow Maya Got Fierce, and co-author ofThe Rumor GameandTiny Pretty Things, now a Netflix original series.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063208261
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Hardcover
Rani Choudhury Must Die
By Jaigirdar, Adiba
In this sapphic dual POV romance by Adiba Jaigirdar, Meghna and Rani (ex-best-friends-turned-rivals) realize they're dating the same guy, so they team up to beat and expose him at a big science competition! . Meghna Rahman is tired of constantly being compared to her infuriatingly perfect ex best friend now rival. Everyone, except, at least, her boyfriend Zak, seems to think that Rani Choudhury can do no wrong -- even her own parents! It doesn't help that Rani is always accepted into the Young Scientist Exhibition, while Meghna's projects never make it. But this year, she finally has a chance at defeating Rani in something.. Rani Choudhury is tired of feeling like she doesn't have much say in her life -- not when it comes to how her mom wants her to look and act or how her parents encourage her to date incredibly charming close family friend Zak.
Publisher: n/a
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9781250842084
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Hardcover
This Place Is Still Beautiful
By Tian, Xixi
A sweeping debut novel about first love, complicated family dynamics, and the pernicious legacy of racism. Perfect for fans of Tahereh Mafi, Jandy Nelson, and Emily X.R. Pan, with crossover appeal for readers of Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half and Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You.The Flanagan sisters are as different as they come. Seventeen-year-old Annalie is bubbly, sweet, and self-conscious, whereas nineteen-year-old Margaret is sharp and assertive. Margaret looks just like their mother, while Annalie passes for white and looks like the father who abandoned them years ago, leaving their Chinese immigrant mama to raise the girls alone in their small, predominantly white Midwestern town.When their house is vandalized with a shocking racial slur, Margaret rushes home from her summer internship in New York City.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063086029
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Hardcover
Lunar New Year Love Story
By Yang, Gene Luen
Graphic novel superstars Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham join forces in this heartwarming rom-com about fate, family, and falling in love.. She was destined for heartbreak. Then fate handed her love.. Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed -- no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love.. But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever?
Publisher: n/a
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9781626728103
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Hardcover
Only This Beautiful Moment
By Nazemian, Abdi
From the Stonewall Honor-winning author of Like a Love Story comes a sweeping story of three generations of boys in the same Iranian family. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club and Darius the Great Is Not Okay. 2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself.1978. Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country's burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063039377
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Hardcover
Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim
By Park, Patricia
A multicultural teen struggles to fit into her elite prep school, her diverse Queens neighborhood, and even her own home. A hilarious, poignant, and powerful YA novel from the award-winning author of Re Jane.
"Simply brilliant!" - David Yoon, New York Times best-selling author of FRANKLY IN LOVE
"Scathingly funny." - Gayle Forman, New York Times best-selling author of IF I STAY
Alejandra Kim feels like she doesn't belong anywhere.
Not at home, where Ale faces tense silence from Ma since Papi's passing. Not in Jackson Heights, where she isn't considered Latinx enough and is seen as too PC for her own good. Certainly not at her Manhattan prep school, where her predominantly white classmates pride themselves on being "woke".
Publisher: n/a
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9780593563403
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Hardcover
Kween
By Chum, Vichet
A searing, joyful YA debut about a queer Cambodian American teen's journey to find her voice and step into her legacy, perfect for fans of Ibi Zoboi and Elizabeth Acevedo.Soma Kear's verses have gone viral. Trouble is, she didn't exactly think her slam poetry video through. All she knew was that her rhymes were urgent. On fire. An expression of where she was, and that place ... was a hot mess. Following her Ba's deportation back to Cambodia, everything's changed. Her Ma is away trying to help Ba adjust to his new life, and her older sister has taken charge with a new authoritarian tone. Meanwhile, Soma's trending video pushes her to ask if it's time to level up. With her school's spoken word contest looming, Soma must decide: Is she brave enough to put herself out there? To publicly reveal her fears of Ba not returning? To admit that things may never be the same? With every line she spits, Soma searches for a way to make sense of the world around her.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063223356
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Hardcover
An Impossible Thing to Say
By Shahi, Arya
The Poet X meets A Very Large Expanse of Sea in a bold novel-in-verse starring a Persian American teen navigating his first crush, his family's post-9/11 dynamics, andthe role of language in defining who we are."A dazzling story with a whole lot of heart. Read it." - Michael L. Printz Award winner Daniel Nayeri, author of Everything Sad Is Untrue "Funny on one page, poignant on the next, and often both at the same time, this beautiful tale of a tender, bewildered, and generous teen will find its way into readers' hearts." - #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Sue ParkOmid needs the right words to connect with his newly-met grandfather and distant Iranian heritage, words to tell a special girl what she means to him and to show everyone that he truly belongs in Tucson, Arizona, the only home he's ever known.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063248359
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Hardcover
Clementine and Danny Save the World
By Blackburne, Livia
You've Got Mail gets a fresh YA twist in this irresistible rom-com that spotlights the power of activism and community organizing in the face of gentrification, perfect for fans of Tweet Cute and Yes No Maybe So.Clementine Chan believes in the power of the written word. Under the pseudonym Hibiscus, she runs a popular blog reviewing tea shops and discussing larger issues within her Chinatown community. She has a loyal, kind following, save for this one sour grape named BobaBoy888.Danny Mok is allergic to change, and the gentrification seeping into Chinatown breaks his heart. He channels his frustration into his internet alter ego, BobaBoy888, bickering with local blogger Hibiscus over all things Chinatown and tea.When a major corporation reveals plans that threaten to shut down the Mok's beloved tea shop, Clementine and Danny find themselves working together in real life to save this community they both love.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063229891
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Hardcover
This Is Not a Personal Statement
By Badua, Tracy
Admission meets American Panda in this propulsive, poignant YA contemporary novel about a teen who, after getting rejected from her dream college, forges her own acceptance and commits to living a lie. Perfect for fans of Mary H.K. Choi! At sixteen, Perla is the youngest graduating senior of the hypercompetitive Monte Verde High. Praised - and not-so-quietly bashed - as "Perfect Perlie Perez," Perla knows all the late nights, social isolation, and crushing stress will be worth it when she gets into the college of her (and her parents') dreams: Delmont University. Then Perla doesn't get in, and her meticulously planned future shatters. In a panic, she forges her own acceptance letter, and next thing she knows, she's heading to Delmont for real, acceptance or not.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063217751
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Hardcover
The Boy You Always Wanted
By Quach, Michelle
From Not Here to Be Liked author Michelle Quach comes a smartly funny, heartfelt story told in dual POV about a young woman roping in her childhood crush to act as an honorary male heir to fulfill her grandfather's dying wish. A story about first love, familial duties, and finding yourself - perfect for fans of Emiko Jean and Loan Le.Francine loves her grandfather, but their time together is running out. He has one final wish: to see a male heir carry on the family traditions. Francine knows his ideas are outdated, but she would do anything for him. Her solution? Ask Ollie Tran, a family friend (and former crush, not that it matters) , to pretend to be ceremonially adopted and act like the grandson her A Gung never had.Ollie has always made a point of avoiding the odd, too blunt (and fine, sort of cute) Francine, whose intensity has always made him uncomfortable.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063038424
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Hardcover
Stay with My Heart
By Bhuiyan, Tashie
From the author of Counting Down with You and A Show for Two comes a new YA contemporary about a girl who accidentally sabotages an up-and-coming local band and falls for the guitarist while secretly trying to make up for her mistake.. Liana Sarkar lives and breathes music, hoping to follow in the footsteps of her A&R coordinator father. Maybe if she succeeds, he'll finally give her the time of day instead of drowning himself in work to distract from the grief of her mother's passing.. When Liana accidentally sabotages an up-and-coming local band, Third Eye, she makes it her mission to steer them towards success - without them discovering her role in their setback. But as she gets closer to Third Eye, especially their enigmatic leader Skyler Moon, it becomes harder to hide the truth.
Publisher: n/a
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9781335010032
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Hardcover
While You Were Dreaming
By Rai, Alisha
In this debut contemporary YA romance by bestselling author Alisha Rai, a girl with undocumented family members goes viral after saving her crush's life in disguise. A must read for fans of Sandhya Menon and Nicola Yoon. It's a classic story: girl meets boy, girl falls for boy, boy finally notices girl when he sees her in a homemade costume. At least, that's what Sonia Patil is hoping for when she plans to meet her crush at the local comic-con in cosplay.But instead of winning her crush over, Sonia rescues him after he faints into a canal and, suddenly, everything changes. Since she was in disguise, no one knows who the masked do-gooder was . . .but everyone is trying to find out. Sonia can't let that happen - her sister is undocumented, and the girls have been flying under the radar since their mother was deported back to Mumbai.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063083967
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Hardcover
The Cartographers
By Zhang, Amy
Struggling to balance the expectations of her immigrant mother with her own deep ambivalence about her place in the world, seventeen-year-old Ocean Sun takes her savings and goes off the grid. A haunting and romantic novel about family, friendship, philosophy, fitting in, and love from Amy Zhang, the acclaimed author of Falling into Place and This Is Where the World Ends.Ocean Sun has always felt an enormous pressure to succeed. After struggling with depression during her senior year of high school, Ocean moves to New York City, where she has been accepted at a prestigious university. But Ocean feels so emotionally raw and unmoored (and uncertain about what is real and what is not) that she decides to defer and live off her savings until she can get herself together.
Publisher: n/a
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9780062383075
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Hardcover
House of Yesterday
By Zargarpur, Deeba
Taking inspiration from the author's own Afghan-Uzbek heritage, this contemporary YA debut is a breathtaking journey into the grief that lingers through generations of immigrant families, and what it means to confront the ghosts of your past.Struggling to deal with the pain of her parents' impending divorce, fifteen-year-old Sara is facing a world of unknowns and uncertainties. Unfortunately, the one person she could always lean on when things got hard, her beloved Bibi Jan, has become a mere echo of the grandmother she once was. And so Sara retreats into the family business, hoping a summer working on her mom's latest home renovation project will provide a distraction from her fracturing world.But the house holds more than plaster and stone. It holds secrets that have her clinging desperately to the memories of her old life.
Publisher: n/a
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9780374388706
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Hardcover
Throwback
By Goo, Maurene
Back to the Future meets The Joy Luck Club in this YA contemporary romance about a Korean American girl sent back to the '90s to (reluctantly) help her teenage mom win Homecoming Queen.Being a first-generation Asian American immigrant is hard. You know what's harder? Being the daughter of one. Samantha Kang has never gotten along with her mother, Priscilla - and has never understood her bougie-nightmare, John Hughes high school expectations. After a huge fight between them, Sam is desperate to move forward - but instead, finds herself thrown back. Way back.To her shock, Sam finds herself back in high school . . . in the '90s . . . with a 17-year-old Priscilla. Now this Gen Z girl must try to fit into an analog world. She's got the fashion down, but everything else is baffling.
Publisher: n/a
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9781638930204
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Hardcover
My Big, Fat Desi Wedding
By Pickett, Prerna
Drama. Food. Fashion. More drama. More food. Nosey aunties and uncles -- and, of course, the universal language of love. These elements are a must-have for any Desi wedding, inclusive of people indigenous to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. In this anthology, authors from various parts of the Desi community will share genre-bending stories that explore the lush traditions of their region, translating that universal language through the familiar lens of the Ultimate Family Gathering. . In this collection that centers hope, love, and family, readers will enjoy eight stories from both award-winning and debut authors.
Publisher: n/a
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9781645679950
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Hardcover
TJ Powar Has Something to Prove
By Deo, Jesmeen Kaur
A charming rom-com about high school debater TJ Powar who - after becoming the subject of an ugly meme - makes a resolution to stop shaving, plucking, and waxing, and prove that she can be her hairy self and still be beautiful...but soon finds this may be her most difficult debate yet. Perfect for fans of Netflix's Never Have I Ever.When TJ Powar - a pretty, popular debater - and her cousin Simran become the subject of a meme: with TJ being the "expectation" of dating an Indian girl and her Sikh cousin who does not remove her body hair being the "reality" - TJ decides to take a stand. She ditches her razors, cancels her waxing appointments, and sets a debate resolution for herself: "This House Believes That TJ Powar can be her hairy self, and still be beautiful.
Publisher: n/a
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9780593403396
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Hardcover
It All Comes Back to You
By Rishi, Farah Naz
Two exes must revisit their past after their siblings start dating in this rom-com perfect for fans of Sandhya Menon and Morgan Matson.After Kiran Noorani's mom died, Kiran vowed to keep her dad and sister, Amira, close - to keep her family together. But when Amira announces that she's dating someone, Kiran's world is turned upside down.Deen Malik is thrilled that his brother, Faisal, has found a great girlfriend. Maybe a new love will give Faisal a new lease on life, and Deen can stop feeling guilty for the reason that Faisal needs a do-over in the first place.When the families meet, Deen and Kiran find themselves face to face. Again. Three years ago - before Amira and Faisal met - Kiran and Deen dated in secret. Until Deen ghosted Kiran.And now, after discovering hints of Faisal's shady past, Kiran will stop at nothing to find answers.
Publisher: n/a
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9780062741486
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Hardcover
TelesÄ
By Young, Lani Wendt
When Leila moves to Samoa, all she wants is a family, a place to belong. Instead she discovers the local ancient myths of the telesa spirit women are more than just scary stories. The more she finds out about her heritage, the more sinister her new home turns out to be. Embraced by a Covenant Sisterhood of earth's elemental guardians - what will Leila choose? Her fiery birthright as a telesa? Or will she choose the boy who offers her his heart? Daniel - stamped with the distinctive tattoo markings of a noble Pacific warrior and willing to risk everything for the chance to be with her. Can their love stand against the Covenant Keeper?
A thriller-romance with a difference. If you enjoyed Twilight, then you will be enthralled by Telesa as it blends the richness of Pacific mythology into a contemporary young adult love story that will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
Publisher: n/a
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9781466253711
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Book
More Than Just a Pretty Face
By Masood, Syed M.
For fans of Becky Albertalli and Jenny Han, a sweetly funny YA debut about falling in love, family expectations, and being a Renaissance Man.Danyal Jilani doesn't lack confidence. He may not be the smartest guy in the room, but he's funny, gorgeous, and going to make a great chef one day. His father doesn't approve of his career choice, but that hardly matters. What does matter is the opinion of Danyal's longtime crush, the perfect-in-all-ways Kaval, and her family, who consider him a less than ideal arranged marriage prospect.When Danyal gets selected for Renaissance Man, a school-wide academic championship, it's the perfect opportunity to show everyone he's smarter than they think. He recruits the brilliant, totally-uninterested-in-him Bisma to help with the competition, but the more time Danyal spends with her .
Publisher: n/a
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9780316492355
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Hardcover
Himawari House
By Becker, Harmony
Living in a new country is no walk in the park -- Nao, Hyejung, and Tina can all attest to that. The three of them became fast friends through living together in the Himawari House in Tokyo and attending the same Japanese cram school. Nao came to Japan to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, while Hyejung and Tina came to find freedom and their own paths. Though each of them has her own motivations and challenges, they all deal with language barriers, being a fish out of water, self discovery, love, and family.
Publisher: n/a
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9781250235565
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Hardcover
The Knockout
By Patel, Sajni
"A rising star in Muay Thai figures out what (and who) is worth fighting for in this #ownvoices YA debut full of heart. If seventeen-year-old Kareena Thakkar is going to alienate herself from the entire Indian community, she might as well do it gloriously. She's landed the chance of a lifetime, an invitation to the US Muay Thai Open, which could lead to a spot on the first-ever Olympic team. If only her sport wasn't seen as something too rough for girls, something she's afraid to share with anyone outside of her family. Despite pleasing her parents, exceling at school, and making plans to get her family out of debt, Kareena's never felt quite Indian enough, and her training is only making it worse. Which is inconvenient, since she's starting to fall for Amit Patel, who just might be the world's most perfect Indian.
Publisher: n/a
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9781635830590
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Hardcover
The Magic Fish
By Nguyen, Trung Le
Real life isn't a fairytale. But Tin still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It's hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tin, he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going through Is there a way to tell them he's gay A beautifully illustrated story by Trung Le Nguyen that follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected. The Magic Fish tackles tough subjects in a way that accessible with readers of all ages, and teaches us that no matter what - we can all have our own happy endings.
Publisher: n/a
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9781984851598
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Paperback
Patron Saints of Nothing
By Ribay, Randy
A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder.Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story.Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth -- and the part he played in it.As gripping as it is lyrical, Patron Saints of Nothing is a page-turning portrayal of the struggle to reconcile faith, family, and immigrant identity.
Publisher: n/a
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9780525554912
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Hardcover
Super Fake Love Song
By Yoon, David
When Sunny Dae--self-proclaimed total nerd--meets Cirrus Soh, he can't believe how cool and confident she is. So when Cirrus mistakes Sunny's older brother Gray's bedroom--with its electric guitars and rock posters--for Sunny's own, he sort of, kind of, accidentally winds up telling her he's the front man of a rock band.Before he knows it, Sunny is knee-deep in the lie: He ropes his best friends into his scheme, begging them to form a fake band with him, and starts wearing Gray's rock-and-roll castoffs. But no way can he trick this amazing girl into thinking he's cool, right? Just when Sunny is about to come clean, Cirrus asks to see them play sometime. Gulp.Now there's only one thing to do: Fake it till you make it.Sunny goes all in on the lie, and pretty soon, the strangest things start happening.
Publisher: n/a
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9781984812230
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Hardcover
Teine Smoa
By Malaeulu, Dahlia
Teine Smoa means Smoan girl. It's a label that carries with it an unspoken duty to obey, serve and respect your family and Smoan culture. But who can be teine Smoa? When should you be teine Smoa? And how can you be teine Smoa outside of Smoa?Lani is an afakasi, and is unsure of her Smoan heritage and what being Smoan even means. But one thing she knows for sure is that she's afraid of Vai and the 'Real Smoans'. Masina, the free-spirited daughter of a Church Minister, is bound by parental expectations and struggling to fulfill the destiny set by her parents. Teuila is the good Islander girl and proud teine Smoa who realises she doesn't want to be a 'switcher' anymore.How will these junior high school students learn to be, understand and fulfill their obligations as Teine Smoa, living in New Zealand? Teine Smoa is a journey of cultural identity and discovery for four junior high school students, their families, their teachers and, most importantly, anyone who has ever faced the challenges of being a teine Smoa.
Publisher: n/a
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9780473527495
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Paperback
Darius the Great Is Not Okay
By Khorram, Adib
Darius doesn't think he'll ever be enough, in America or in Iran. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this unforgettable debut introduces a brilliant new voice in contemporary YA.Winner of the William C. Morris Debut Award"Heartfelt, tender, and so utterly real. I'd live in this book forever if I could." - Becky Albertalli, award-winning author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens AgendaDarius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He's a Fractional Persian - half, his mom's side - and his first-ever trip to Iran is about to change his life. Darius has never really fit in at home, and he's sure things are going to be the same in Iran. His clinical depression doesn't exactly help matters, and trying to explain his medication to his grandparents only makes things harder. Then Darius meets Sohrab, the boy next door, and everything changes. Soon, they're spending their days together, playing soccer, eating faludeh, and talking for hours on a secret rooftop overlooking the city's skyline. Sohrab calls him Darioush - the original Persian version of his name - and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he's Darioush to Sohrab. Adib Khorram's brilliant debut is for anyone who's ever felt not good enough - then met a friend who makes them feel so much better than okay.
Chasing Pacquiao
By Pulido, Rod
Experience the extreme joys, sorrows, and triumphs of a queer Filipino-American teenager struggling to prove himself in an unforgiving world. A poignant coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of Patron Saints of Nothing and Juliet Takes a Breath.. Self preservation. That's Bobby's motto for surviving his notoriously violent high school unscathed. Being out and queer would put an unavoidable target on his back, especially in a Filipino community that frowns on homosexuality. It's best to keep his head down, get good grades, and stay out of trouble.. But when Bobby is unwillingly outed in a terrible way, he no longer has the luxury of being invisible. A vicious encounter has him scrambling for a new way to survive - by fighting back. Bobby is inspired by champion Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao to take up boxing and challenge his tormentor.
The Ping-Pong Queen of Chinatown
By Yang, Andrew
Perfect for fans of Ben Philippe and Mary H. K. Choi, this charming, insightful YA novel follows two high school students who form a complicated, ground-shifting bond while filming a movie.High school junior Felix Ma wants to prove to his parents that he's not a quitter. After crashing out of piano lessons and competitive ping-pong, Felix starts a film club at his school in a last-ditch attempt to find a star extracurricular for his college applications.Then he meets Cassie Chow, a bubbly high school senior who shares Felix's anxieties about the future and complicated relationship with parental expectations. Felix feels drawn to Cassie for reasons he can't quite articulate, so as an excuse to see her more, he invites Cassie to star in his short film.
Meet Me in Mumbai
By Khan, Sabina
Two generations, eighteen years apartAyesha is a world away from home when she meets the boy of her dreams. Like her, Suresh is from India but going to high school in Illinois. Once they get together, they are inseparable... until a twist of fate takes Suresh back to India right when Ayesha discovers she's pregnant. Suddenly she feels she's on her own, navigating the biggest decision she'll ever make.Seventeen years later, Ayesha's daughter Mira finds an old box with letters addressed to her from her birth mother. Although Mira loves the moms who adopted her, she's intrigued to discover something more about her history. In one letter, Ayesha writes that if Mira can forgive her for what she had to do, she should find a way to travel to India for her eighteenth birthday and meet her.
Love & Other Natural Disasters
By Sugiura, Misa
This delightfully disastrous queer YA rom-com is a perfect read for fans of Jenny Han, Morgan Matson, and Sandhya Menon. When Nozomi Nagai pictured the ideal summer romance, a fake one wasn't what she had in mind. That was before she met the perfect girl. Willow is gorgeous, glamorous, and ... heartbroken? And when she enlists Nozomi to pose as her new girlfriend to make her ex jealous, Nozomi is a willing volunteer. Because Nozomi has a master plan of her own: one to show Willow she's better than a stand-in, and turn their fauxmance into something real. But as the lies pile up, it's not long before Nozomi's schemes take a turn toward disaster ... and maybe a chance at love she didn't plan for.
Magic Has No Borders
By Ahmed, Samira
SamiraAhmedis theNew York Timesbestselling and award winning author of the young adult novelsLove, Hate, & Other Filters,Internment, Mad, Bad, & Dangerous to Know and Hollow Fires.She is also the author of the middle grade fantasy duologyAmira & Hamzaand theMs. Marvel: Beyond theLimitcomic series. She was born in Bombay, India, and grew up in Batavia, IL in a house that smelled like fried onions, garlic, and potpourri. She has lived in New York, Chicago, and Kauai, where she spent a year searching for the perfect mango. She invites you to visit her onlineatwww.samiraahmed.comand on Twitter and Instagram @samayeahm.SonaCharaipotrais the author ofSymptoms of a HeartbreakandHow Maya Got Fierce, and co-author ofThe Rumor GameandTiny Pretty Things, now a Netflix original series.
Rani Choudhury Must Die
By Jaigirdar, Adiba
In this sapphic dual POV romance by Adiba Jaigirdar, Meghna and Rani (ex-best-friends-turned-rivals) realize they're dating the same guy, so they team up to beat and expose him at a big science competition! . Meghna Rahman is tired of constantly being compared to her infuriatingly perfect ex best friend now rival. Everyone, except, at least, her boyfriend Zak, seems to think that Rani Choudhury can do no wrong -- even her own parents! It doesn't help that Rani is always accepted into the Young Scientist Exhibition, while Meghna's projects never make it. But this year, she finally has a chance at defeating Rani in something.. Rani Choudhury is tired of feeling like she doesn't have much say in her life -- not when it comes to how her mom wants her to look and act or how her parents encourage her to date incredibly charming close family friend Zak.
This Place Is Still Beautiful
By Tian, Xixi
A sweeping debut novel about first love, complicated family dynamics, and the pernicious legacy of racism. Perfect for fans of Tahereh Mafi, Jandy Nelson, and Emily X.R. Pan, with crossover appeal for readers of Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half and Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You.The Flanagan sisters are as different as they come. Seventeen-year-old Annalie is bubbly, sweet, and self-conscious, whereas nineteen-year-old Margaret is sharp and assertive. Margaret looks just like their mother, while Annalie passes for white and looks like the father who abandoned them years ago, leaving their Chinese immigrant mama to raise the girls alone in their small, predominantly white Midwestern town.When their house is vandalized with a shocking racial slur, Margaret rushes home from her summer internship in New York City.
Lunar New Year Love Story
By Yang, Gene Luen
Graphic novel superstars Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham join forces in this heartwarming rom-com about fate, family, and falling in love.. She was destined for heartbreak. Then fate handed her love.. Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed -- no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love.. But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever?
Only This Beautiful Moment
By Nazemian, Abdi
From the Stonewall Honor-winning author of Like a Love Story comes a sweeping story of three generations of boys in the same Iranian family. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club and Darius the Great Is Not Okay. 2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself.1978. Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country's burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises.
Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim
By Park, Patricia
A multicultural teen struggles to fit into her elite prep school, her diverse Queens neighborhood, and even her own home. A hilarious, poignant, and powerful YA novel from the award-winning author of Re Jane. "Simply brilliant!" - David Yoon, New York Times best-selling author of FRANKLY IN LOVE "Scathingly funny." - Gayle Forman, New York Times best-selling author of IF I STAY Alejandra Kim feels like she doesn't belong anywhere. Not at home, where Ale faces tense silence from Ma since Papi's passing. Not in Jackson Heights, where she isn't considered Latinx enough and is seen as too PC for her own good. Certainly not at her Manhattan prep school, where her predominantly white classmates pride themselves on being "woke".
Kween
By Chum, Vichet
A searing, joyful YA debut about a queer Cambodian American teen's journey to find her voice and step into her legacy, perfect for fans of Ibi Zoboi and Elizabeth Acevedo.Soma Kear's verses have gone viral. Trouble is, she didn't exactly think her slam poetry video through. All she knew was that her rhymes were urgent. On fire. An expression of where she was, and that place ... was a hot mess. Following her Ba's deportation back to Cambodia, everything's changed. Her Ma is away trying to help Ba adjust to his new life, and her older sister has taken charge with a new authoritarian tone. Meanwhile, Soma's trending video pushes her to ask if it's time to level up. With her school's spoken word contest looming, Soma must decide: Is she brave enough to put herself out there? To publicly reveal her fears of Ba not returning? To admit that things may never be the same? With every line she spits, Soma searches for a way to make sense of the world around her.
An Impossible Thing to Say
By Shahi, Arya
The Poet X meets A Very Large Expanse of Sea in a bold novel-in-verse starring a Persian American teen navigating his first crush, his family's post-9/11 dynamics, andthe role of language in defining who we are."A dazzling story with a whole lot of heart. Read it." - Michael L. Printz Award winner Daniel Nayeri, author of Everything Sad Is Untrue "Funny on one page, poignant on the next, and often both at the same time, this beautiful tale of a tender, bewildered, and generous teen will find its way into readers' hearts." - #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Sue ParkOmid needs the right words to connect with his newly-met grandfather and distant Iranian heritage, words to tell a special girl what she means to him and to show everyone that he truly belongs in Tucson, Arizona, the only home he's ever known.
Clementine and Danny Save the World
By Blackburne, Livia
You've Got Mail gets a fresh YA twist in this irresistible rom-com that spotlights the power of activism and community organizing in the face of gentrification, perfect for fans of Tweet Cute and Yes No Maybe So.Clementine Chan believes in the power of the written word. Under the pseudonym Hibiscus, she runs a popular blog reviewing tea shops and discussing larger issues within her Chinatown community. She has a loyal, kind following, save for this one sour grape named BobaBoy888.Danny Mok is allergic to change, and the gentrification seeping into Chinatown breaks his heart. He channels his frustration into his internet alter ego, BobaBoy888, bickering with local blogger Hibiscus over all things Chinatown and tea.When a major corporation reveals plans that threaten to shut down the Mok's beloved tea shop, Clementine and Danny find themselves working together in real life to save this community they both love.
This Is Not a Personal Statement
By Badua, Tracy
Admission meets American Panda in this propulsive, poignant YA contemporary novel about a teen who, after getting rejected from her dream college, forges her own acceptance and commits to living a lie. Perfect for fans of Mary H.K. Choi! At sixteen, Perla is the youngest graduating senior of the hypercompetitive Monte Verde High. Praised - and not-so-quietly bashed - as "Perfect Perlie Perez," Perla knows all the late nights, social isolation, and crushing stress will be worth it when she gets into the college of her (and her parents') dreams: Delmont University. Then Perla doesn't get in, and her meticulously planned future shatters. In a panic, she forges her own acceptance letter, and next thing she knows, she's heading to Delmont for real, acceptance or not.
The Boy You Always Wanted
By Quach, Michelle
From Not Here to Be Liked author Michelle Quach comes a smartly funny, heartfelt story told in dual POV about a young woman roping in her childhood crush to act as an honorary male heir to fulfill her grandfather's dying wish. A story about first love, familial duties, and finding yourself - perfect for fans of Emiko Jean and Loan Le.Francine loves her grandfather, but their time together is running out. He has one final wish: to see a male heir carry on the family traditions. Francine knows his ideas are outdated, but she would do anything for him. Her solution? Ask Ollie Tran, a family friend (and former crush, not that it matters) , to pretend to be ceremonially adopted and act like the grandson her A Gung never had.Ollie has always made a point of avoiding the odd, too blunt (and fine, sort of cute) Francine, whose intensity has always made him uncomfortable.
Stay with My Heart
By Bhuiyan, Tashie
From the author of Counting Down with You and A Show for Two comes a new YA contemporary about a girl who accidentally sabotages an up-and-coming local band and falls for the guitarist while secretly trying to make up for her mistake.. Liana Sarkar lives and breathes music, hoping to follow in the footsteps of her A&R coordinator father. Maybe if she succeeds, he'll finally give her the time of day instead of drowning himself in work to distract from the grief of her mother's passing.. When Liana accidentally sabotages an up-and-coming local band, Third Eye, she makes it her mission to steer them towards success - without them discovering her role in their setback. But as she gets closer to Third Eye, especially their enigmatic leader Skyler Moon, it becomes harder to hide the truth.
While You Were Dreaming
By Rai, Alisha
In this debut contemporary YA romance by bestselling author Alisha Rai, a girl with undocumented family members goes viral after saving her crush's life in disguise. A must read for fans of Sandhya Menon and Nicola Yoon. It's a classic story: girl meets boy, girl falls for boy, boy finally notices girl when he sees her in a homemade costume. At least, that's what Sonia Patil is hoping for when she plans to meet her crush at the local comic-con in cosplay.But instead of winning her crush over, Sonia rescues him after he faints into a canal and, suddenly, everything changes. Since she was in disguise, no one knows who the masked do-gooder was . . .but everyone is trying to find out. Sonia can't let that happen - her sister is undocumented, and the girls have been flying under the radar since their mother was deported back to Mumbai.
The Cartographers
By Zhang, Amy
Struggling to balance the expectations of her immigrant mother with her own deep ambivalence about her place in the world, seventeen-year-old Ocean Sun takes her savings and goes off the grid. A haunting and romantic novel about family, friendship, philosophy, fitting in, and love from Amy Zhang, the acclaimed author of Falling into Place and This Is Where the World Ends.Ocean Sun has always felt an enormous pressure to succeed. After struggling with depression during her senior year of high school, Ocean moves to New York City, where she has been accepted at a prestigious university. But Ocean feels so emotionally raw and unmoored (and uncertain about what is real and what is not) that she decides to defer and live off her savings until she can get herself together.
House of Yesterday
By Zargarpur, Deeba
Taking inspiration from the author's own Afghan-Uzbek heritage, this contemporary YA debut is a breathtaking journey into the grief that lingers through generations of immigrant families, and what it means to confront the ghosts of your past.Struggling to deal with the pain of her parents' impending divorce, fifteen-year-old Sara is facing a world of unknowns and uncertainties. Unfortunately, the one person she could always lean on when things got hard, her beloved Bibi Jan, has become a mere echo of the grandmother she once was. And so Sara retreats into the family business, hoping a summer working on her mom's latest home renovation project will provide a distraction from her fracturing world.But the house holds more than plaster and stone. It holds secrets that have her clinging desperately to the memories of her old life.
Throwback
By Goo, Maurene
Back to the Future meets The Joy Luck Club in this YA contemporary romance about a Korean American girl sent back to the '90s to (reluctantly) help her teenage mom win Homecoming Queen.Being a first-generation Asian American immigrant is hard. You know what's harder? Being the daughter of one. Samantha Kang has never gotten along with her mother, Priscilla - and has never understood her bougie-nightmare, John Hughes high school expectations. After a huge fight between them, Sam is desperate to move forward - but instead, finds herself thrown back. Way back.To her shock, Sam finds herself back in high school . . . in the '90s . . . with a 17-year-old Priscilla. Now this Gen Z girl must try to fit into an analog world. She's got the fashion down, but everything else is baffling.
My Big, Fat Desi Wedding
By Pickett, Prerna
Drama. Food. Fashion. More drama. More food. Nosey aunties and uncles -- and, of course, the universal language of love. These elements are a must-have for any Desi wedding, inclusive of people indigenous to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. In this anthology, authors from various parts of the Desi community will share genre-bending stories that explore the lush traditions of their region, translating that universal language through the familiar lens of the Ultimate Family Gathering. . In this collection that centers hope, love, and family, readers will enjoy eight stories from both award-winning and debut authors.
TJ Powar Has Something to Prove
By Deo, Jesmeen Kaur
A charming rom-com about high school debater TJ Powar who - after becoming the subject of an ugly meme - makes a resolution to stop shaving, plucking, and waxing, and prove that she can be her hairy self and still be beautiful...but soon finds this may be her most difficult debate yet. Perfect for fans of Netflix's Never Have I Ever.When TJ Powar - a pretty, popular debater - and her cousin Simran become the subject of a meme: with TJ being the "expectation" of dating an Indian girl and her Sikh cousin who does not remove her body hair being the "reality" - TJ decides to take a stand. She ditches her razors, cancels her waxing appointments, and sets a debate resolution for herself: "This House Believes That TJ Powar can be her hairy self, and still be beautiful.
It All Comes Back to You
By Rishi, Farah Naz
Two exes must revisit their past after their siblings start dating in this rom-com perfect for fans of Sandhya Menon and Morgan Matson.After Kiran Noorani's mom died, Kiran vowed to keep her dad and sister, Amira, close - to keep her family together. But when Amira announces that she's dating someone, Kiran's world is turned upside down.Deen Malik is thrilled that his brother, Faisal, has found a great girlfriend. Maybe a new love will give Faisal a new lease on life, and Deen can stop feeling guilty for the reason that Faisal needs a do-over in the first place.When the families meet, Deen and Kiran find themselves face to face. Again. Three years ago - before Amira and Faisal met - Kiran and Deen dated in secret. Until Deen ghosted Kiran.And now, after discovering hints of Faisal's shady past, Kiran will stop at nothing to find answers.
TelesÄ
By Young, Lani Wendt
When Leila moves to Samoa, all she wants is a family, a place to belong. Instead she discovers the local ancient myths of the telesa spirit women are more than just scary stories. The more she finds out about her heritage, the more sinister her new home turns out to be. Embraced by a Covenant Sisterhood of earth's elemental guardians - what will Leila choose? Her fiery birthright as a telesa? Or will she choose the boy who offers her his heart? Daniel - stamped with the distinctive tattoo markings of a noble Pacific warrior and willing to risk everything for the chance to be with her. Can their love stand against the Covenant Keeper? A thriller-romance with a difference. If you enjoyed Twilight, then you will be enthralled by Telesa as it blends the richness of Pacific mythology into a contemporary young adult love story that will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
More Than Just a Pretty Face
By Masood, Syed M.
For fans of Becky Albertalli and Jenny Han, a sweetly funny YA debut about falling in love, family expectations, and being a Renaissance Man.Danyal Jilani doesn't lack confidence. He may not be the smartest guy in the room, but he's funny, gorgeous, and going to make a great chef one day. His father doesn't approve of his career choice, but that hardly matters. What does matter is the opinion of Danyal's longtime crush, the perfect-in-all-ways Kaval, and her family, who consider him a less than ideal arranged marriage prospect.When Danyal gets selected for Renaissance Man, a school-wide academic championship, it's the perfect opportunity to show everyone he's smarter than they think. He recruits the brilliant, totally-uninterested-in-him Bisma to help with the competition, but the more time Danyal spends with her .
Himawari House
By Becker, Harmony
Living in a new country is no walk in the park -- Nao, Hyejung, and Tina can all attest to that. The three of them became fast friends through living together in the Himawari House in Tokyo and attending the same Japanese cram school. Nao came to Japan to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, while Hyejung and Tina came to find freedom and their own paths. Though each of them has her own motivations and challenges, they all deal with language barriers, being a fish out of water, self discovery, love, and family.
The Knockout
By Patel, Sajni
"A rising star in Muay Thai figures out what (and who) is worth fighting for in this #ownvoices YA debut full of heart. If seventeen-year-old Kareena Thakkar is going to alienate herself from the entire Indian community, she might as well do it gloriously. She's landed the chance of a lifetime, an invitation to the US Muay Thai Open, which could lead to a spot on the first-ever Olympic team. If only her sport wasn't seen as something too rough for girls, something she's afraid to share with anyone outside of her family. Despite pleasing her parents, exceling at school, and making plans to get her family out of debt, Kareena's never felt quite Indian enough, and her training is only making it worse. Which is inconvenient, since she's starting to fall for Amit Patel, who just might be the world's most perfect Indian.
The Magic Fish
By Nguyen, Trung Le
Real life isn't a fairytale. But Tin still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It's hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tin, he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going through Is there a way to tell them he's gay A beautifully illustrated story by Trung Le Nguyen that follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected. The Magic Fish tackles tough subjects in a way that accessible with readers of all ages, and teaches us that no matter what - we can all have our own happy endings.
Patron Saints of Nothing
By Ribay, Randy
A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder.Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story.Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth -- and the part he played in it.As gripping as it is lyrical, Patron Saints of Nothing is a page-turning portrayal of the struggle to reconcile faith, family, and immigrant identity.
Super Fake Love Song
By Yoon, David
When Sunny Dae--self-proclaimed total nerd--meets Cirrus Soh, he can't believe how cool and confident she is. So when Cirrus mistakes Sunny's older brother Gray's bedroom--with its electric guitars and rock posters--for Sunny's own, he sort of, kind of, accidentally winds up telling her he's the front man of a rock band.Before he knows it, Sunny is knee-deep in the lie: He ropes his best friends into his scheme, begging them to form a fake band with him, and starts wearing Gray's rock-and-roll castoffs. But no way can he trick this amazing girl into thinking he's cool, right? Just when Sunny is about to come clean, Cirrus asks to see them play sometime. Gulp.Now there's only one thing to do: Fake it till you make it.Sunny goes all in on the lie, and pretty soon, the strangest things start happening.
Teine Smoa
By Malaeulu, Dahlia
Teine Smoa means Smoan girl. It's a label that carries with it an unspoken duty to obey, serve and respect your family and Smoan culture. But who can be teine Smoa? When should you be teine Smoa? And how can you be teine Smoa outside of Smoa?Lani is an afakasi, and is unsure of her Smoan heritage and what being Smoan even means. But one thing she knows for sure is that she's afraid of Vai and the 'Real Smoans'. Masina, the free-spirited daughter of a Church Minister, is bound by parental expectations and struggling to fulfill the destiny set by her parents. Teuila is the good Islander girl and proud teine Smoa who realises she doesn't want to be a 'switcher' anymore.How will these junior high school students learn to be, understand and fulfill their obligations as Teine Smoa, living in New Zealand? Teine Smoa is a journey of cultural identity and discovery for four junior high school students, their families, their teachers and, most importantly, anyone who has ever faced the challenges of being a teine Smoa.
Darius the Great Is Not Okay
By Khorram, Adib
Darius doesn't think he'll ever be enough, in America or in Iran. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this unforgettable debut introduces a brilliant new voice in contemporary YA.Winner of the William C. Morris Debut Award"Heartfelt, tender, and so utterly real. I'd live in this book forever if I could." - Becky Albertalli, award-winning author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens AgendaDarius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He's a Fractional Persian - half, his mom's side - and his first-ever trip to Iran is about to change his life. Darius has never really fit in at home, and he's sure things are going to be the same in Iran. His clinical depression doesn't exactly help matters, and trying to explain his medication to his grandparents only makes things harder. Then Darius meets Sohrab, the boy next door, and everything changes. Soon, they're spending their days together, playing soccer, eating faludeh, and talking for hours on a secret rooftop overlooking the city's skyline. Sohrab calls him Darioush - the original Persian version of his name - and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he's Darioush to Sohrab. Adib Khorram's brilliant debut is for anyone who's ever felt not good enough - then met a friend who makes them feel so much better than okay.