American Panda

Starred review from November 20, 2017
Mei is only 17 and already a freshman at MIT, but her Taiwanese immigrant parents won’t be satisfied until she has a medical degree, a Taiwanese doctor husband, and children. To ensure the success of this plan, Mei’s mother monitors Mei’s behavior, calling constantly, nagging her to be more feminine, and engineering meet-ups with approved boys. But there’s so much her parents don’t know: the boy Mei likes is Japanese American, she’s too germophobic to be a doctor, and she’d rather be dancing. Worse, she’s in touch with the brother her parents disowned when he failed to meet family standards. Chao’s effervescent debut explores topics and themes that are salient for all teens—finding oneself and establishing an identity separate from one’s family—and perhaps even more so for children of immigrants, who have a foot in two cultures and an ever-present awareness of the sacrifices their parents have made. With sensitivity and an abundance of humor, Chao captures Mei’s growing realization that her desires are worth pursuing and the way that this discovery eventually brings Mei and her mother closer together. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary.

At the age of 17, Mei, a first-generation Taiwanese-American, struggles with starting college and longs to follow her own path instead of the one planned by her strict, demanding parents. Emily Woo Zeller's narration of Mei's story is as diverse as its characters, giving voice to the culture clash between Mei's family's beliefs and the world around her. Zeller's soft, introverted-sounding voice for Mei contrasts well with the brash voices of the non-Asian young women--but the frequent volume changes between the speakers are disconcerting. Nonetheless, Zeller captures Mei's anxiety over familial expectations and her disgust at germs and all things medical, as well as the humor she often uses to cover up her insecurities. A.L.S.M. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine