Bitter Melon

 

Bitter Melon

Cara Chow

Meira.Elena

Ages: 14-18

Lexile: HL730L

 

Using the fictional character Frances, Cara Chow explores the world of cultural identities, the complexities of maternal love, and a young girl’s struggle to find herself at one of the most precarious moments in her life. Well-written, poignant, and relevant, Bitter Melon explores the contrasts of Chinese and American culture. This coming-of-age novel will leave you breathless!

Frances is a Chinese-American senior at a competitive high school in San Francisco. She struggles to manage her advanced courses while also study for the SATs so she can get into a pre-Med program at Berkley, her mother’s ultimate dream for her. Frances also struggles to live up to her mother’s expectations of behavior, beauty, and obedience. But then Frances discovers speech and debate. Through writing, speaking, and new friends, Frances begins to discover herself. And now, she must reconcile herself with her mother and their culture.

I read this book several years ago, and it topped my “couldn’t put it down” list, along with a novel of a similar vein, Girl in Translation. This book was culturally powerful and so well-written! I felt a strong connection to a culture not my own, and at the same time this novel renewed my own cultural connections as I reflected and reconciled myself with my home culture.

          Today, the ideas of maintaining one’s cultural heritage while also assimilating into the culture of the country one lives in is highly relevant, especially for young people finding their own identities as well. This novel teaches us the power of the individual and the power of the collective, and how strong and enduring the bonds of family can be.

I recommend this book to anyone exploring culture, family, motherhood, or identities. Frances is a relatable character who encourages reflection, independence, and respect.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen Chbosky

Meira.Elena

Ages: High School

Lexile: 720L

 

Charlie has just begun his high school career. With two older, more social siblings, Charlie has to navigate high school his own way. But high school—emotions, friendships, relationships, people—its complicated. And Charlie needs someone to talk to, someone to whom he can express himself, someone who can validate him. But don’t we all? Written by Stephen Chbosky, in epistolary style, this novel is a powerful, gripping, and passionate read from start to finish.

Charlie is not a very sociable person. He had two friends in middle school, and now he has none. He does not have very good relationships with his siblings. He only has his books and his English teacher. Overall, Charlie stands to the side—a wallflower—watching the world move along without really acting in it. But then, he makes friends in seniors Sam and Patrick, who show him a new side to life he hadn’t witnessed before. And now, Charlie doesn’t just want to witness, he wants to experience.

This is the first book in a long time that has gripped me to tightly, I finished reading it in one day. I literally could not put it down—anytime I tried, I was drawn right back in! the characters are well-developed, the plot is engaging, and the writing is very accessible. Overall, an excellent book, and one of my favorites!

          Today, many of us struggle to fit in to what we call “normal” society. We see on TV and in movies how we’re “supposed” to act and feel, behave and think. Charlie’s struggles—his triumphs and failures—help us see that being different isn’t wrong, and that all of us have our place in the world. We just have to act to find it.

I highly recommend this book! While it concerns a teenager—and I recommend all high school and even college students read this book—I think this book has a lot to say that even adults can understand, so don’t let age stop you!

Becoming

 

Becoming

Michelle Obama

Meira.Elena

Ages: 14+

Lexile: 1170L

 

Written by former First Lady Michelle Obama, Becoming is her journey to who she was, who she is, and who she may one day be. Obama tells her audience about her childhood; the struggles she faced in college and at her first job; falling in love and starting a family; and the realities of being the spouse of a politician and President of the United States. Obama’s honest and accessible prose invites readers to think about their own journeys and encourages them to become.

 

Growing up in the South Side of Chicago, Obama was surrounded by love, music, and encouragement, but also by disparities and inequities. She explains the differences and similarities she witnessed among her neighborhood, her family, her classmates, and her teachers. She goes on to explain how spite—against a school guidance counselor who told her she couldn’t—got her first into Princeton and later into Harvard. Obama honestly writes how she struggled to find a career that would support her and her family while also leaving her feel fulfilled and able to make a positive change in the world. She explains her distaste of politics and the sacrifices her family made in order to support her husband as first a state Senator and later as the President. Finally, she tells her journey—from the wife of a Senator to the wife of a President to an active, powerful First Lady, eager to use her position to better the lives of others.

Obama created programs, such as Lets Move!, which supported student physical activity and healthy exercise. She created the Reach Higher program, to encourage students from low-income, high-risk areas to use their education to push themselves further towards success. Obama started the Let Girls Learn program to support girls across the world get access to education. Finally, Obama and Jill Biden, wife of former Vice President Joe Biden, created the Joining Forces program, to support military veterans and spouses.

I read this book because I only knew Michelle Obama as the wife of Barack Obama, and I wanted to know her as an independent person. This was a fantastic book! The writing style was engaging and accessible; her story was honest and thought-provoking; and the way she told her story allowed her to connect to readers of all ages and backgrounds. Truly a well-written book for all!

          In today’s world—amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a countdown to the next election, and an unknown future for thousands of Americans—Michelle Obama’s novel inspires hope in both the American democracy and, more importantly, in her people. Obama recalls those who fought for change and succeeded with the support of others. She epitomizes her own phrase “When they go low, you go high”, focusing on all the positives this country has to give.

        I recommend this novel to everyone. To high school readers heading off to college; to college readers looking for their first job; to new parents and older ones; to newly weds and those who are single. I recommend this book to readers across the world, as an example of how to remain strong, graceful, and dignified in the face of international scrutiny and judgment.