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4.43 AVERAGE
4.43 AVERAGE
Asian & Asian American teen’ experiences while living for a year in Japan. Asian American girl - gap year, Korean girl, Singaporean girl, & 2 Japanese boys live in the house.
Variety of Asian experiences shows how cultures, especially food, are different. Friendship development with a touch of romance seemed realistic.
Felt confused with remembering who was who. At times art depictions (strong emotions) looked same as other characters. Seriously thought one boy character was a girl until about halfway through.
Loved how this book illustrated the variety of Asian experiences & cultures.
Winner: Asian/Pacific American Youth Literature 2023 Award
Variety of Asian experiences shows how cultures, especially food, are different. Friendship development with a touch of romance seemed realistic.
Felt confused with remembering who was who. At times art depictions (strong emotions) looked same as other characters. Seriously thought one boy character was a girl until about halfway through.
Loved how this book illustrated the variety of Asian experiences & cultures.
Winner: Asian/Pacific American Youth Literature 2023 Award
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
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:
Complicated
Absolutely adored this one.
I think this story will resonate so much with 2nd gen Asian Americans who feel like they don’t quite belong here in America but also don’t feel like they are fully a part of their Asian roots. Anyone who is lost and trying to find themselves and who they are/want to be while grappling with wanting to make their parents proud and repaying the sacrifices they have made to give us the lives we have. Anyone who is struggling or processing what they’ve lived through as 2nd gen kiddos but also the hurt they’ve caused their parents too in the battle of wanting to belong. And just anyone who is growing up and balancing their new lives as young adults put out into the real world and trying to survive/thrive.
I think this story will resonate so much with 2nd gen Asian Americans who feel like they don’t quite belong here in America but also don’t feel like they are fully a part of their Asian roots. Anyone who is lost and trying to find themselves and who they are/want to be while grappling with wanting to make their parents proud and repaying the sacrifices they have made to give us the lives we have. Anyone who is struggling or processing what they’ve lived through as 2nd gen kiddos but also the hurt they’ve caused their parents too in the battle of wanting to belong. And just anyone who is growing up and balancing their new lives as young adults put out into the real world and trying to survive/thrive.
This was so beautiful - I really had a hard time stopping whenever I had to do something else. The art and writing is so soft i it’s story telling. I was gently wrapped in its blankets and held so snug. On my next pickup, I didn’t stop at all until the end.
It’s a really relatable tale of being a child immigrant, learning a new culture and language, to the point of assimilation where you lose your home. (The family in this comic is kinder than my family who mocks you for even trying to speak a language you’re actually fluent in. But like - don’t you dare mock their English before they accuse you of thinking too highly of yourself.)
And also trying to recapture the memories of your childhood back home. I felt all that even if I came from another country. This book had me in my feels.
I literally had a hard time not crying at the end. I want to know more. Did they keep in touch? Reconnect? Lose all touch and became just faded memories? But also maybe the mystery isn’t so bad because to focus on what happens next might be missing the point.
Also, I love the representation of accents and mixing your language into a language you’re learning, such as inflections, filler words, etc.
This comic was more than I ever expected it would be. It was a journey full of heart.
It’s a really relatable tale of being a child immigrant, learning a new culture and language, to the point of assimilation where you lose your home. (The family in this comic is kinder than my family who mocks you for even trying to speak a language you’re actually fluent in. But like - don’t you dare mock their English before they accuse you of thinking too highly of yourself.)
And also trying to recapture the memories of your childhood back home. I felt all that even if I came from another country. This book had me in my feels.
I literally had a hard time not crying at the end. I want to know more. Did they keep in touch? Reconnect? Lose all touch and became just faded memories? But also maybe the mystery isn’t so bad because to focus on what happens next might be missing the point.
Also, I love the representation of accents and mixing your language into a language you’re learning, such as inflections, filler words, etc.
This comic was more than I ever expected it would be. It was a journey full of heart.
3.5 rounding up. Graphic novels are outside of my comfort zone. I found this one particularly hard to follow because there were so many characters to keep track of and I was already adjusting to reading this story in its format. Probably more of a personal problem, but it impacted my experience with the book. Regardless, I found the themes and messages this story told to be impactful. I know many young adult readers will relate to feelings of the characters and enjoy the cultural representation.
What a wonderful book! Loved all the characters and how they adjust to life in Japan. I really loved the way the characters struggle to understand and be understood in a language they continue to learn. I totally get the "word word ..." with those gaps for the words you don't know! I really hope there will be a sequel. I'd love to see these characters together again down the road.
I think I LOVE this book. It was so good! This was the story of 3 girls who meet in Japan at Himawari House. They're all there for different reasons, but they all bond over being foreigners in this country. All three girls were so cute! I just love how they grew so close together. And their love of food was so real lol. It was very cool to see how Japanese and Korean were written with the English text in the speech bubbles. The illustrations were so well done. This story was funny, sweet, nostalgic and more. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.
this was so beautiful!!! made my heart hurt in so many different ways
i do wish hyejung and tina got a bit more time for their stories, but overall such a worthwhile read
i do wish hyejung and tina got a bit more time for their stories, but overall such a worthwhile read