Reviews

Seemingly based on the author's own experiences (main character's name is Christina Soontornvat, and there are many family photos at the end showing Christina-the-author's family, self, and BFF from 7th grade), this graphic novel begins with the final tryouts for the cheerleading squad, then goes back to the very beginning of the school year when Christina starts 7th grade at a new school. There are flashbacks, indicated with brown/sepia artwork rather than the bright colors of the rest of the book, providing some context for various aspects of the family's background. MC Christina's father was born in Thailand and immigrated to the US when he was 17 (as I recall - book not in front of me); her mother is a white woman from a long-time Texas family. They all run a Chinese restaurant in the small town, which is a neighborhood hub. Christina and her family experience some racism and many micro aggressions. Her best friend Megan is Iranian-American and experiences some of the same.

Christina the character is relatable; she's trying to figure out how to fit in and makes some mistakes along the way, including one incident where she talks about her BFF's "frizzy hair," which upsets Megan and prompts a kind of fight and make-up. One thing I wish had been handled differently was the situation when Christina makes fun of another girl's clothes. She feels bad about it when she gets home, but there is no resolution at school; she does not say she's sorry or do anything to even try to acknowledge the mean-ness to the people she said it in front of.

Great for fans for Raina Telgemeier, Victoria Jamieson, Jerry Craft, and the Baby-sitter's Club graphic novels.

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