Count Me In

June 15, 2019
Seventh graders Karina Chopra and Chris Daniels live in Houston, Texas, and although they are next-door neighbors, they have different interests and their paths rarely cross. In fact, Karina, whose family is Indian, doesn't want to be friends with Chris, whose family is white, because the boys he hangs out with are mean to her. Things change when Karina's immigrant paternal grandfather, Papa, moves in with Karina's family. Papa begins tutoring Chris in math, and, as a result, Chris and Karina begin spending time with each other. Karina even comes to realize that Chris is not at all like the rest of his friends and that she should give him a second chance. One day, when Karina, Papa, and Chris are walking home from school, something terrible happens: They are assaulted by a stranger who calls Papa a Muslim terrorist, and he is badly injured. The children find themselves wanting to speak out for Papa and for other first-generation Americans like him. Narrated by Karina and Chris in alternate chapters, Bajaj's novel gives readers varied and valuable perspectives of what it means to be first- and third-generation Indian Americans in an increasingly diverse nation. Unfortunately, however, Bajaj's characters are quite bland, and the present-tense narrative voices of the preteen protagonists lack both distinction and authenticity. The novel's dryness is mitigated in part by its exploration of immigrant identity, xenophobia, and hate crimes. (Fiction. 10-13)

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August 1, 2019

Gr 4-8-Even though seventh graders Karina and Chris are next-door neighbors, they've never shared a class and don't really know each other. Karina, whose family is Indian, even remembers a few times when Chris, whose ethnicity isn't specified, sat idly by as his racist friends bullied her. But things begin to change when Karina's grandfather Papa, bored after moving in with Karina's family, takes up math tutoring-and Chris is his first student. Karina and Chris become unlikely friends and smooth over past differences. When the kids are walking outside one day with Papa, a white man who decides Papa is a terrorist pulls over and begins slinging hateful speech at the trio, culminating in a physical attack that sends Papa to the hospital. Karina and Chris draw on their friendship, their families, and the unexpectedly unifying power of social media for strength against fear and hatred. Fast-paced first-person narration alternates between Karina and Chris. This accessible read tackles weighty issues like racism and hatred, while the warmth of the growing friendship among Karina, Chris, and Papa carries readers through the book's stressful conflicts to its satisfying conclusion. VERDICT A solid recommendation for fans of books like Hena Khan's Amina's Voice and Gita Varadarajan and Sarah Weeks's Save Me a Seat.-Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2019
Grades 5-8 Karina has avoided her neighbor Chris ever since she noticed the company he kept resembled a pack of cackling hyenas. But when her grandfather moves from California to her Houston home and begins tutoring Chris, she learns that he's not at all like his cruel counterparts. Then, as the three are walking to their car, a stranger assaults them in a racially motivated attack?Karina and her grandfather are Indian American. When her grandfather is badly injured, Karina uses her keen eye to share images of the attack on her social media, amplifying her voice for a good cause. Bajaj?who has written a number of children's books and another middle-grade novel?develops compassionate, relatable characters. The story celebrates resilience, the power of community, and even the benefits of social media during a time when hate crimes against the Indian Diaspora are on the rise. The alternating chapters between Karina and Chris show that Americans come in all colors. Karina's message, that we are stronger together, will easily resonate with readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)