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miss_mustard's review
4.0
Communication is key, people!
I don't have time to do a full review, but I really enjoyed this novel in verse about a young girl's search for acceptance, connection, and her own place within her Chinese-American family. Very relatable and realistic! I learned something new, too, which is always lovely. Would book talk this to all three of my grades (6-8) and think they would each find something different of value in it. Borrowed from the public library to test out for Nat'l poetry Month, will definitely be purchasing for our school library. Does not end on a firmly "happy" ending, but demonstrates how people struggling with things may slowly reach out for help or might take more than a conveniently encompassed school year to resolve what they are going through - and some things might be a lifelong journey. Still hopeful ending though!
I don't have time to do a full review, but I really enjoyed this novel in verse about a young girl's search for acceptance, connection, and her own place within her Chinese-American family. Very relatable and realistic! I learned something new, too, which is always lovely. Would book talk this to all three of my grades (6-8) and think they would each find something different of value in it. Borrowed from the public library to test out for Nat'l poetry Month, will definitely be purchasing for our school library. Does not end on a firmly "happy" ending, but demonstrates how people struggling with things may slowly reach out for help or might take more than a conveniently encompassed school year to resolve what they are going through - and some things might be a lifelong journey. Still hopeful ending though!
moggmogg's review
3.0
Story in verse --suburbs of Detroit--MG Siblings; Family; Bullying; Trichotillomania
soundslikebanana's review
2.0
This had a lot of potential, but there were too many faults (there's a tennis pun for ya). I didn't see believable growth or development in the characters, and the verse format actually detracted from the story for me. I enjoy verse and tennis and middle grade, and the writing style just didn't work due to the choppy line breaks and spacing. I wonder if it would have had more success as a short story.
marywahlmeierbracciano's review
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
Love, Love is an absolutely brilliant #OwnVoices middle grade novel in verse, written with an expert hand. Frances is a Chinese American girl living with her sister—Clara—and their parents in Michigan. Clara wears a wig or a hat every day because of a bald patch created by hair loss. When bullies at school steal the wig and hide it, Frances is determined to put her Nancy Drew obsession to the test and find it, while also vying to solve the puzzle as to why Clara’s hair is falling out in the first place.
Frances distracts herself by playing tennis with a friend—and eventually as part of her school’s team—despite her conservative immigrant parents’ wishes. Then, a peek into Clara’s diary solves the mystery of her hair loss—she suffers from trichotillomania, a hair-pulling disorder. This is a great introduction into a mental illness that is not often talked about, especially within the AAPI community.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Bullying
lalalily17's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a cute poetry book. The fact that there is no punctuation was a little jarring because I've never read a book like that before but the sisters were sweet. I had never heard about trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling) but I'm glad I was able to learn something. There's nothing I love more than a good book that is infinitive.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
thebookblondie's review
5.0
Love, Love by Victoria Chang (#26 in 2020)
Thank you to @sterlingkids for this advanced copy and to@dreamcatcherlax for sharing!
PUB DATE: 4/7/2020
Frances is a 10 year old, Chinese-American girl. Her sister,Clara, 11 years old, is mysteriously losing her hair. Amidst bullying and the battle of being different, Frances tries to solve the mystery of her sister’s illness, all while learning a little bit more about herself.
For parents/teachers: Love, Love is a book of poetic verse.Each poem feeds into the next to tell the story of Frances, her own struggles,and the empathy she has for her sister’s mysterious hair loss. This book covers the topics of bullying, isolation, and identity—all from a child’s perspective.Both sisters are constantly teased by a pair of boys, and while there aren’t many other kids who join in with the teasing, Frances points out that a number of people see what’s happening but don’t step in to help. Frances’s perspective truly shows how deeply a child can be affected by bullying and how those effects trickle into their personal lives.
I would say this book is best suited for middle school students in grades 6-8. The poetic text structure makes the book approachable,and the subject matter is relevant for anyone. It’s so easy for adults to say that kids shouldn’t have stress or anxiety, but this book provides a firsthand glimpse into the quick workings of a child’s mind and how even the simplest of stresses can become obsessive and all-consuming.
For book lovers: While Frances isn’t necessarily ashamed of her family or culture, she finds it difficult to fit in with the rest of the kids at school because of her differences. Love, Love was a quick read but really packed a punch. I’m such a sucker for a book with an impactful ending,and Victoria Chang had just the right amount of sparkle in this one.
If you’re one of my teacher friends, get this book for your classroom! 5 stars
Thank you to @sterlingkids for this advanced copy and to@dreamcatcherlax for sharing!
PUB DATE: 4/7/2020
Frances is a 10 year old, Chinese-American girl. Her sister,Clara, 11 years old, is mysteriously losing her hair. Amidst bullying and the battle of being different, Frances tries to solve the mystery of her sister’s illness, all while learning a little bit more about herself.
For parents/teachers: Love, Love is a book of poetic verse.Each poem feeds into the next to tell the story of Frances, her own struggles,and the empathy she has for her sister’s mysterious hair loss. This book covers the topics of bullying, isolation, and identity—all from a child’s perspective.Both sisters are constantly teased by a pair of boys, and while there aren’t many other kids who join in with the teasing, Frances points out that a number of people see what’s happening but don’t step in to help. Frances’s perspective truly shows how deeply a child can be affected by bullying and how those effects trickle into their personal lives.
I would say this book is best suited for middle school students in grades 6-8. The poetic text structure makes the book approachable,and the subject matter is relevant for anyone. It’s so easy for adults to say that kids shouldn’t have stress or anxiety, but this book provides a firsthand glimpse into the quick workings of a child’s mind and how even the simplest of stresses can become obsessive and all-consuming.
For book lovers: While Frances isn’t necessarily ashamed of her family or culture, she finds it difficult to fit in with the rest of the kids at school because of her differences. Love, Love was a quick read but really packed a punch. I’m such a sucker for a book with an impactful ending,and Victoria Chang had just the right amount of sparkle in this one.
If you’re one of my teacher friends, get this book for your classroom! 5 stars
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