In a Freaky Friday meets Back to the Future story with a Korean American angle, Goo (Somewhere Only We Know, 2019) introduces confident and headstrong Sam as a teen who loves her maternal grandmother but struggles to connect with her mother. When a dire medical event puts Halmoni's life in jeopardy and catalyzes a fight with her mother, Sam finds herself magically transported back to 1995, where she thinks the key to solving all her problems d getting back to 2025 es in ensuring her mother is elected homecoming queen. In an arrestingly charming story with plenty of heart, Goo expertly takes readers on a mother-daughter relationship journey full of lessons on empathy and perspective. Readers will appreciate the sweet, but not overbearing, romantic subplot tucked into this tour of the '90s. Grounded by understated and accurate pop-culture references, the magical time-travel element fits seamlessly into a narrative that is ultimately about generational differences and seeking common ground. An excellent choice for readers who enjoyed Diana Ma's Heiress Apparently (2020) and Katrina Leno's Sometime in Summer (2022).

Twenty-first-century Korean American teenager Sam Kang and her mother, Priscilla, do not get along. Free spirit Sam feels the disappointment of her high-achieving, buttoned-up, country club–aspiring parents, and her mom, whose homecoming-queen hopes were dashed in high school, has relocated those pressures onto Sam's shoulders. When things come to a head after Sam's beloved halmoni (grandmother) has a heart attack, mother and daughter have a brutal argument in which hurtful words are exchanged. Left without a ride to school, Sam downloads a rideshare app -- Throwback Rides -- and finds herself back in 1995, at her mother's high school, just days before homecoming. Bewildered and disoriented, Sam must find a way to help Mom win homecoming queen to make it back home -- or so she thinks. Goo has created a vivacious, authentic teen voice (one that at times wanders into didacticism as Sam tries to tone-police her nineties classmates). Perfect for those looking for a lighthearted read, the story also introduces plenty of Korean cultural elements into a tale of family relationships and intergenerational connections. J. Elizabeth Mills

Sixteen-year-old Korean American Samantha Kang must figure out how to return to her own time after a ride-share app inexplicably transports the Gen Z teen to 1995 in this reflective Back to the Future–flavored jaunt by Goo (Somewhere Only We Know). Student politics in Sam’s racially diverse Los Angeles high school are a far cry from what they were when her mother, Priscilla, attended it. Though Priscilla is now a successful lawyer, she spent much of her high school career working long hours at the family dry cleaner while trying to fit in with her popular white classmates. Sam and Priscilla’s differing values cause tension between them, and things become further strained when Sam’s beloved grandmother, Halmoni—with whom Priscilla has a contentious relationship—falls ill. After an emotional blowout with her mom results in Sam downloading a ride-share app called Throwback Rides, the app sends her back to 1995, where she meets teenage Priscilla. Via sharp-witted humor and multidimensional characters, Goo crafts a layered, intergenerational telling of compassion and empathy that, rather than excusing the actions that drove a wedge between Sam and Priscilla, provides context that helps Sam make peace with their relationship. Ages 14–up. Agent: Faye Bender, Book Group. (Apr.)