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panda_incognito's review
4.0
This novel tells the story of a young Asian figure skater who must deal with friendship transitions and racial bullying at school. The book draws on the author's personal experience, and addresses issues related to making a new friend, finding oneself in American history, dealing with bullies, and embracing one's natural physical features.
This book is well-written, with engaging characters and believable dialogue. The skating scenes are fun to read, clearly explain skating terminology, and vary each time, without repetition or predictability. The story also includes meaningful moments of family connection, and insight into how to accept yourself and embrace your culture.
This is a great choice for middle grade readers who are interested in Asian representation, figure skating, and relatable middle school dynamics. Sensitive readers may struggle with depictions of racial bullying, but the book can start lots of great conversations, and there are no other content concerns. This book is suitable for younger children who are ready for a middle grade reading level.
This book is well-written, with engaging characters and believable dialogue. The skating scenes are fun to read, clearly explain skating terminology, and vary each time, without repetition or predictability. The story also includes meaningful moments of family connection, and insight into how to accept yourself and embrace your culture.
This is a great choice for middle grade readers who are interested in Asian representation, figure skating, and relatable middle school dynamics. Sensitive readers may struggle with depictions of racial bullying, but the book can start lots of great conversations, and there are no other content concerns. This book is suitable for younger children who are ready for a middle grade reading level.
runningjenw's review
4.0
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for this digital ARC.
The plot of The Comeback reads like an 80's movie--in the best way! This is the story of Maxine Chen: a 12 year old sixth grader, a competitive skater, and one of the only Chinese people in her town. She works hard at practice, enjoys her friends, and does normal preteen stuff like watch YouTube make-up tutorials. But Maxine has to contend with a bully, a racist bully. While she works to keep his racist comments a secret, she also tries to alter her looks to make herself appear less Chinese. At the same time, the new girl in town is a better skater than Maxine. All of this adds up to more pain than a 12 year old should have to deal with. With the right amount of tension and triumph, this book had me feeling all the excitement and horror right alongside Maxine.
The plot of The Comeback reads like an 80's movie--in the best way! This is the story of Maxine Chen: a 12 year old sixth grader, a competitive skater, and one of the only Chinese people in her town. She works hard at practice, enjoys her friends, and does normal preteen stuff like watch YouTube make-up tutorials. But Maxine has to contend with a bully, a racist bully. While she works to keep his racist comments a secret, she also tries to alter her looks to make herself appear less Chinese. At the same time, the new girl in town is a better skater than Maxine. All of this adds up to more pain than a 12 year old should have to deal with. With the right amount of tension and triumph, this book had me feeling all the excitement and horror right alongside Maxine.
katlikespie's review
4.0
Maxine Chen has a lot to deal with right now. Her figure skating lessons - which she loves, really! - are taking over everything, meaning she doesn't have time to even hang out with her best friend Victoria anymore (who, as long as we're on the topic, has a crush on the most gross guy ever). She's fine with the skating pressure, because she wants to be a champion Olympian someday, but losing Victoria really stinks. And then the gross guy starts bullying her because she's Chinese, and she never thought that it was a bad thing to be, but maybe it really is a big deal? She doesn't want to tell her parents about it, because they wouldn't understand. And now there's a new girl in town, Hollie, who blows her skating out of the water. And she has to take ballet classes?! How even?! Can Maxine regain her footing and make a comeback from all that's going on?
Reader's Notes: I have never figure skated, but I was completely drawn into Maxine's competitive world, and found myself watching YouTube videos of various skating moves, so I could better envision what she was working on. I love Maxine, and I completely empathize with her tweenage struggles, though mine at that age were very different. I really enjoyed this story, and I hope the author writes more.
Reader's Notes: I have never figure skated, but I was completely drawn into Maxine's competitive world, and found myself watching YouTube videos of various skating moves, so I could better envision what she was working on. I love Maxine, and I completely empathize with her tweenage struggles, though mine at that age were very different. I really enjoyed this story, and I hope the author writes more.
renatasnacks's review
4.0
This is a great realistic middle grade story about the hard work that goes into being a young competitive figure skater as well as the hard work that goes into being strong in the face of microagressions at school. I really loved Maxine's arc and especially the way she deals with her own jealousy of a new skater compared to the way the racist mean boy at school deals with his issues, and I appreciated that it's a story about bullying where the moral isn't "but also the bully was sad and what about his feelings"?
jamikaye1980's review
4.0
I liked this book because it addresses the current situation that is facing people of Asian descent. The young Maxine has so much on her plate and to top it off, she has to deal with racism and cruelty from a classmate. This book tells of great bravery and persistence in the face of major adversity. I highly recommend it to anyone who has been in this kind of situation.
brittanynhicks8's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
becca_willie04's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
whitecat5000's review
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
This was an interesting look into both a culture and a sport that I know nothing about. Fast read and relatable, even if I wasn't the target audience.