biblioemily's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this one. It has a lot of heart & humor. I'd give it to fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series because of its themes of friendship and navigating adolescence. Since the 80s are popular again & US relations with Russia are as confusing as ever, this is a very timely book, too!
mspearlman's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
theshenners's review
5.0
funny and thoughtful portrayal of the middle school woes of a Chinese Jewish American preteen trying to keep the peace and find his voice during the 80s
alay13's review
3.0
Fun first chapter, quality ending wrapping up lots of loose threads, but so many disparate plot lines that it was hard to really get into it.
lazygal's review against another edition
2.0
This falls into the "why on Earth is this set in the past?" genre. Ok, great, we can talk about the Cold War. Sigh. Nothing really special about this except for the two grandmothers. Two stars for that!
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
kelseyrhea's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic book about friendship, family and culture.
I love all of the 1980s references!
I love all of the 1980s references!
lovesarahmae's review against another edition
3.0
Celebrating the panic of middle school, the cold war, and watching something you absolutely should not have seen. A nice exploration of dueling identities, preparing for the end times, and trying to make it through a bar mitzvah and girls all at the same time. A great story for nostalgic middle schoolers, who maybe watched #strangerthings a little too young.
yapha's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars.
I wasn't particularly interested in this book when it first came out, however I really want to read the sequel/companion book due out next month about David's sister ([b:Not Your All-American Girl|50160747|Not Your All-American Girl|Wendy Wan-Long Shang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569215022l/50160747._SX50_SY75_.jpg|72611163]), so I figured that I ought to read this one first. It took me a little while to get into. It does a very accurate job of portraying life in the early 80s, and I remember being impacted by watching The Day After as well. (Nuclear winter, anyone?) While I know quite a few Chinese-American/Jewish families now, this was not as common then. More than both of these, it is an excellent look at the changing friendships in middle school. Recommended for grades 4 & up.
I wasn't particularly interested in this book when it first came out, however I really want to read the sequel/companion book due out next month about David's sister ([b:Not Your All-American Girl|50160747|Not Your All-American Girl|Wendy Wan-Long Shang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569215022l/50160747._SX50_SY75_.jpg|72611163]), so I figured that I ought to read this one first. It took me a little while to get into. It does a very accurate job of portraying life in the early 80s, and I remember being impacted by watching The Day After as well. (Nuclear winter, anyone?) While I know quite a few Chinese-American/Jewish families now, this was not as common then. More than both of these, it is an excellent look at the changing friendships in middle school. Recommended for grades 4 & up.
panda_incognito's review against another edition
4.0
In this hilarious historical fiction novel, David Da-Wei Horowitz has to navigate his Chinese-Jewish heritage, prepare for his Bar Mitzvah, and try to make peace between his grandmothers, who keep up a constant jealous rivalry. He also deals with friendship challenges at school, an overwhelming crush, and an intense fear of nuclear annihilation.
The coauthors, who are respectively Jewish and Chinese, draw on their own experiences for this laugh-out-loud story. They do an amazing job of weaving in different elements of American life in the 1980s in a way that will be nostalgic for 80s kids while also being understandable and interesting to kids today. The setting feels totally real and convincing, and kids will learn a lot about the Cold War and the impact that the The Day After had on the generation of kids who saw the film.
It is hard to find representation for Chinese kids or Jewish kids, and this book combines both heritages in a fascinating, hilarious, believable way. This is great for middle grade readers who are looking for non-Holocaust historical fiction about a Jewish family, and kids who share part of David's background, or who have other multicultural identities, are likely to connect with many of his experiences. He is also a relatable character for any middle schooler, especially those who are dealing with anxiety and friendship issues. I enjoyed this very much, and would recommend it to both kids and adults.
The coauthors, who are respectively Jewish and Chinese, draw on their own experiences for this laugh-out-loud story. They do an amazing job of weaving in different elements of American life in the 1980s in a way that will be nostalgic for 80s kids while also being understandable and interesting to kids today. The setting feels totally real and convincing, and kids will learn a lot about the Cold War and the impact that the The Day After had on the generation of kids who saw the film.
It is hard to find representation for Chinese kids or Jewish kids, and this book combines both heritages in a fascinating, hilarious, believable way. This is great for middle grade readers who are looking for non-Holocaust historical fiction about a Jewish family, and kids who share part of David's background, or who have other multicultural identities, are likely to connect with many of his experiences. He is also a relatable character for any middle schooler, especially those who are dealing with anxiety and friendship issues. I enjoyed this very much, and would recommend it to both kids and adults.