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A review by embot77
You Are Here: Connecting Flights by Ellen Oh
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
While written for middle-grade students, this is an important read for all ages when figuring out racism. Each story set up a unique character with a southeast or eastern Asian background in a situation where they figured out how they felt and how they confronted racist comments and actions. Given the large variety of approaches and responses, this book could offer readers insight on how they may want to approach racism on their own turf.
As an individual who is both white and commonly mistaken for Asian, I felt both sides of the spectrum, especially in Chapter 7 (Natalie and Beth's story). In fact, after reading this story, I apologized to a friend of mine for being inconsiderate and racist during a verbal attack from some white guys in a car last month. It's nice to be reminded that no matter how blurry a line is, the line still exists, and it's okay to talk about how you feel about what's going on around you.
As an individual who is both white and commonly mistaken for Asian, I felt both sides of the spectrum, especially in Chapter 7 (Natalie and Beth's story). In fact, after reading this story, I apologized to a friend of mine for being inconsiderate and racist during a verbal attack from some white guys in a car last month. It's nice to be reminded that no matter how blurry a line is, the line still exists, and it's okay to talk about how you feel about what's going on around you.