A Manhattan private school senior caught between cultures navigates microaggressions while grieving the death of her father.Alejandra Kim, daughter of second-generation Korean Argentines, feels like she fits in nowhere. She's uncomfortable at elite Anne Austere Prep, a progressive school where she's surrounded by wealthy classmates who are clueless about her life as a scholarship student. But with her Korean face and Spanish name, she doesn't fit in in her ethnically diverse neighborhood of Jackson Heights either. Worse still, Papi, the parent she felt really understood her, died eight months ago, leaving her alone with critical, perpetually exhausted Ma. Ale just wants to get through this year and attend her dream liberal arts college in Maine with her White best friend, Laurel. But her life turns upside down when aggressively, self-righteously activist Laurel-without Ale's approval-starts a petition against a teacher who insinuated that Ale's heritage made her a shoo-in for college. Ale must figure out and stand up for what she believes in. Weighty topics such as appropriation, passing, privilege, and inclusivity are seamlessly addressed in this entertaining, well-paced story. The characterization, both of main characters and of the supporting cast members, is well-rounded and spot-on, and Ale is a thoroughly appealing protagonist, managing to be wry and vulnerable at once. This skillful depiction of a common sort of subtle, pervasive, and multilayered racism and classism rings true.A satisfyingly accurate account of zealotry and personal growth. (Fiction. 13-18)

Gr 8 Up— Senior year of high school is bad enough, but for Alejandra Kim, there is extra drama, and not just dealing with her misunderstanding mother. She is also dealing with microaggressions for her traditional Spanish first-name and very Korean face and last name, grieving her father's death, and feeling like she doesn't fit in with her clueless white "woke" classmates. On Alejandra's first day of school, a teacher comments about how she will have no problem getting into college. While she lets it slide, her friend, white Laurel, takes action and thrusts Alejandra into a spotlight she never wanted in a school where she feels like she doesn't belong. Alejandra's dream is to escape the city and head to college, but along the way, she will discover who she is and where she fits. Told in three parts, Park's work paints an educational but entertaining portrait of what it is like to be a person of color in today's world. Alejandra often deals with individuals who have good intentions regarding the racial differences she faces but fail in execution; she also meets outright racist individuals. The portrayal of this and her reactions to them ring truthful, though frustrating at times. By using Alejandra's first-person account to tell the story, readers genuinely step into her shoes through the pages. Realistic supporting characters with all their strengths and faults help shape this fantastic read. VERDICT Libraries can't go wrong with adding this timely book to their collection.— Amanda Borgia

"Who is the ‘real' Alejandra Kim?" A high school senior at an affluent prep school, she has her heart set on attending the prestigious but expensive Whyder College while dealing with imposter syndrome as a multiracial young woman (and scholarship student) who asks, "Am I 100 percent Korean, 100 percent Latinx, and 100 percent American...all at the same time?" Amid insensitive friends and performative allies, and with the relentless need to code switch, Alejandra doesn't really feel at home anywhere. The recent loss of her father means that her actual home life is difficult as well. Given an opportunity to participate in research transcribing immigrant stories, Alejandra begins to understand her parents' experiences and thus discover her purpose and place in the world. It might mean a path other than Whyder, but one that is authentically hers. She navigates the flaming hoops of high school and emerges stronger and more confident, supported by her cultural studies teacher, a longtime friend in her Queens neighborhood, and an unexpected confidante at school. Park immerses readers in her fully realized protagonist's complicated everyday existence, peppering her dialogue with insider New York references and untranslated family conversations in Spanish, expecting readers to keep up. Alejandra's powerful story will leave readers with much to think about. J. Elizabeth Mills

A Manhattan private school senior caught between cultures navigates microaggressions while grieving the death of her father.Alejandra Kim, daughter of second-generation Korean Argentines, feels like she fits in nowhere. She's uncomfortable at elite Anne Austere Prep, a progressive school where she's surrounded by wealthy classmates who are clueless about her life as a scholarship student. But with her Korean face and Spanish name, she doesn't fit in in her ethnically diverse neighborhood of Jackson Heights either. Worse still, Papi, the parent she felt really understood her, died eight months ago, leaving her alone with critical, perpetually exhausted Ma. Ale just wants to get through this year and attend her dream liberal arts college in Maine with her White best friend, Laurel. But her life turns upside down when aggressively, self-righteously activist Laurel-without Ale's approval-starts a petition against a teacher who insinuated that Ale's heritage made her a shoo-in for college. Ale must figure out and stand up for what she believes in. Weighty topics such as appropriation, passing, privilege, and inclusivity are seamlessly addressed in this entertaining, well-paced story. The characterization, both of main characters and of the supporting cast members, is well-rounded and spot-on, and Ale is a thoroughly appealing protagonist, managing to be wry and vulnerable at once. This skillful depiction of a common sort of subtle, pervasive, and multilayered racism and classism rings true.A satisfyingly accurate account of zealotry and personal growth. (Fiction. 13-18)