Johnson City Public Library: Staff Book Review: "Not Your All-American Girl"

Johnson City TN

04 October, 2021

3:45 PM

Description

Press release from Johnson City Public Library: Hannah Kiger October 4, 2021 JCPL Library Assistant Kip Polmanteer shared her thoughts on Not Your All-American Girl by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang in Johnson City Press this weekend. If you didn't see it in the paper, you can read it below! Click here to borrow Not Your All-American Girl from your Library. In Not Your All-American Girl, authors Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang have created a story that engages middle grade readers without overwhelming them. It is filled with relatable growing pains, the daily effects of racist microaggressions, and a recognition of the power of music. The book follows Lauren Horowitz, a Jewish Chinese-American sixth grader, as she navigates the complexities of friendship, bigotry, and the search for self-confidence. What starts as a humorous exploration of sixth grade, country music radio, and theater auditions quickly becomes a deeper and more heartfelt look at how prejudice plays into Lauren's life, especially where she least expects it. Readers will become engrossed and enraged as musically adept Lauren auditions for the lead role in a school play set in the 1950s and is turned down for the part because she does not fit the description of an all-American girl. As Lauren is forced to explain why the only Asian character in the movie Sixteen Candles is problematic, or why a hate crime committed against a stranger affects her so deeply, she is put at odds with her friends and teachers. This press release was produced by Johnson City Public Library. The views expressed here are the author's own.