Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.
With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can't bring herself to tell them the truth--that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.
But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it.
Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?
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About the Author: Gloria Chao is the critically acclaimed author of American Panda and Our Wayward Fate. Her wayward journey to fiction included studying business at MIT, then becoming a dentist. Gloria was once a black belt in kung-fu and an avid dancer, but nowadays you can find her teaming up with her husband on the curling ice. Visit her tea-and-book-filled world at GloriaChao.Wordpress.com and find her on Twitter and Instagram @GloriacChao.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
My Review: This was such a cute little book. I loved it so much but did have a few issues with it. I have to say that it was a little off putting to read about a set of parents that didn't get their daughter the glasses she needed. Many times during the story Mei talked about how she couldn't see something because of her bad eyes. If this is the real way this culture is for those families that are I fear for these children. How are they supposed to get this amazing education if they can't even see right?
Ok so my rage for glasses is now over. Other than that these parents were so in this story that it kind of makes up for all the other stories out there where the parents are not there. The other characters were great to. I really wished that Mei would have taken a hold of her own life and just told her parents how she really felt. There comes a time at an age where you just need to do what you want. You are almost an adult or you are one and its time to cut the cord.
The story itself was really good. There were a few parts that were kind of stagnate and I think this one could have been a little shorter. But all in all it was still a very cute story.
Bustle’s Best YA Book of 2018
PopSugar‘s Most Riveting YA Book of 2018
A Chicago Public Library Best YA Book of 2018
A Paste Magazine Best YA Book of 2018
Booklist’s Best Debut YA Book of 2018
A Junior Library Guild Selection
YMCA’s Summer Reading List for Teens
“Weepingly funny.” —The Wall Street Journal
“Delightful.” —Buzzfeed
“Vibrant and bright.” —Bustle
“Beautifully told.” —Hypable
“A soulful and hilarious debut.” —Booklist, starred review
“Effervescent.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Universal.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“This deserves a place on every shelf, though it will not stay there long.” —VOYA, starred review
“Eye-opening, hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking.” —Shelf Awareness
“An earnest, funny, and emotional story.” —Book Riot
“American Panda is an absolute delight; an insightful, incisive, and often hilarious story of one girl's struggle to balance her family's expectations against her own secret ambitions. Overflowing with wit and empathy, Chao's debut charmed my socks off.” —David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author of Kids of Appetite and Mosquitoland
“A charming and hilarious tale of a precocious Taiwanese American walking the tightrope of family expectations...in ice skates. Mei Lu is a goofy, lovable American teenager. I loved her.” —Stacey Lee, award-winning author of Outrun the Moon
"Incredibly timely, honest, and moving—the must-read book of the season!" —Sandhya Menon, New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi
“A dazzling debut that hooked me with its humor and heart from the very first page.” —Lisa Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Magician
“The perfect coming of age story for anyone who's ever felt unsure of where they belong. —Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper
American Panda Chapter Sample
Voicemail from my mother
Remember Amberly Ahn? She had eyelid surgery and it turned out great. We should think about doing that for you. Maybe we can tattoo your makeup on at the same time. Remember, there are no ugly women, only lazy women. Repeat that three times every morning.
And don’t forget, “mei” means “beautiful” in Chinese. Live up to the name I chose for you.
Oh, and it’s your muqin.
FTC Guidelines: In accordance with FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book in exchange for an honest review. If am compensated for any reviews on this site I will state that post has been sponsored.
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