Starred Review for Publishers Weekly

Newbery Medalist Kadohata's (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Kira-Kira) gifts for creating and containing drama and for careful definition of character prove as powerful as ever in this wise, tender and compelling novel. Although the 12-year-old narrator, Shelby, and her three sisters are as different as their respective fathers (whom they rarely see), they remain devoted to one another and to their stunningly beautiful Japanese-American mother, who uses her looks to collect men the same way she collects pieces of jewelry (and for much the same purpose). When their mother is critically injured—and disfigured—in a car crash, the girls are dispersed from their Chicago apartment to the care of the four fathers. At first Shelby's father, a Japanese-born gum manufacturer in rural Arkansas, reminds her of “one of those nearsighted Japanese men with cameras who moved in clusters throughout Chicago tourist attractions.” But when one of the fathers appears to be mistreating a sister and Shelby tries to plan a way for all four to reunite, she begins to appreciate her father's kindness and generosity, and to find beauty in unexpected places. Her growing insight into the difference between beauty and perfection accompanies steady revelations about families and love. Ages 12–up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(June)

ALA Booklist (Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

Shelby, Maddie, Lakey, and Marilyn have the same mother but four different fathers. Their Japanese mother is obsessed with her beauty, which she uses to charm the men she meets and seduces in order to keep her family solvent. The four Chicago sisters have primarily raised themselves and are incredibly close. Late one night, their world shifts after they learn that their mother has been injured in an auto accident and will require extensive plastic surgery. The girls can't stay alone, so they are separated and farmed out to their fathers. Only Shelby and her father, Jiro, reach each other's hearts, and it's Jiro who eventually understands that the sisters need to be together. His realization only comes, though, after the girls' enact a junior-high version of a Thelma & Louise auto escape. Kadohata, author of the Newbery Medal winner Kira-Kira (2004), never fully develops the theme of beauty that's implied by the title, but Shelby's venture to Arkansas, where she has some first experiences with outdoor living, is endearing, as are the relationships among the closely connected sisters.

Kirkus Reviews

Shelby, 13, and her three sisters adore their beautiful, narcissistic mother, Helen Kimura, who supports them on the proceeds of her symbiotic relationships with men. Each girl has a different father, so after their mother suffers a serious car accident, the girls are parceled out to their respective dads. While Shelby learns to love hers, she also longs to reunite her original family unit. The girls understand and accept that maintaining and using her "outside beauty" is Helen's profession, but Shelby, at least, recognizes that beauty can take other forms, too. Her plain, shy, Japanese-immigrant father is a case in point, and the nonjudgmental love she shares with her sisters and mother is another. To enjoy this fairy-tale-without-fantasy, readers must buy the premise that this lifestyle has produced a happy, high-functioning family; once they've done that, the superb composition and characterization will carry them along. Realistic or not, two important truths underlie this quirky and disarming tale: Tolstoy was wrong; not all happy families are alike. And, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. (Fiction. 12 & up)

School Library Journal (Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

Gr 7 Up-Shelby, 13, and her three sisters, ages 16, 8, and 6, have different fathers. They live in early-1980s Chicago with their free-spirited mother, Helen, a striking and beauty-obsessed Japanese bombshell. Helen is a cult of personality unto herself, and the older girls happily care for the younger ones while Mom collects boyfriends. When she is in a disfiguring car accident, the girls separate to live with their fathers. Shelby's dad is a kind, level-headed Japanese greenhorn, while six-year-old Maddie's, an Anglo, is a patronizing, abusive bully. The four girls plot their escapeback to Helen, but really back to one another. The novel is oddly missing pop-culture references, so the '80s setting is perplexing and extraneous. The first chapters of the book are packed with contrived, purposefully madcap shenanigans and creaky, expository dialogue. Once the scene is set, though, Shelby settles into a more natural, thoughtful voice, and the surprisingly gripping plot gains pace and substance. The cloyingly devil-may-care mood of the opening turns mercifully more sober and suspenseful as the girls' troubles deepen. The sisters have distinct, authentic voices, and their conversations are smooth, snappy, and believable. The male characters are well drawn too, especially Shelby's sweet, hilarious father, who gets the best lines in the book. Shelby's running commentary on beauty is smart and poignant, as is her portrayal of a mother she both loves and reviles. Johanna Lewis, New York Public Library

Voice of Youth Advocates

"My mother had four daughters by four different men." Twelve-year-old Shelby has repeated this line so often to explain her unorthodox family that is has become automatic. Although their beautiful and shrewd mother earns a living by charming men into gifting her with expensive jewelry and money, the girls have become accustomed to relying on one another for support. Their bond is unyielding and their loyalty fierce. Then one night, their way of life comes to an abrupt halt when their mother is severely disfigured and injured in a car accident. With her recovery uncertain, the girls are sent across the country to live with their respective fathers and an equally uncertain future. This novel has an intriguing and original plot. Unfortunately its potential is never quite realized. With the exception of narrator Shelby, the lack of depth and exploration into the sisters' experiences and emotions leaves the reader feeling rather bereft. The ending feels contrived, tying up the different story elements in a manner that is almost too neat and tidy. Those searching for a more authentic reading experience would be better satisfied with Kadohata's Newbery-winning Kira-Kira (Atheneum/S & S, 2004/VOYA June 2004). That said, the story has some funny and thought-provoking moments and will particularly appeal to young girls searching for an enjoyable, quick read.-Jule Watkins.