Every Reason We Shouldn't

January 1, 2020

Gr 7 Up-Sixteen-year-old pairs figure skater Olivia Kennedy hasn't felt like herself since her disastrous performance at Skate Detroit. Attending a real high school for the first time, helping out at her family's failing skating rink, and living up to the expectations of her gold medal Olympian parents have her wondering who she is and where she belongs. When Olympic speed skating hopeful Jonah Choi begins practicing at her rink and attending her high school, she finds someone who understands what it means to be a competitive teenage athlete. As she begins a relationship with Jonah, Olivia begins to rediscover her passion for skating and build the confidence to make a comeback. Olivia and Jonah are both biracial Asian Americans and hang out with the other Asian students in their school. Olivia feels like she doesn't fit in with her high school friends because they don't understand why her passion for skating is more important than things like school dances. Vibrant secondary characters add extra dimension and fun to the story. VERDICT High school drama, parental expectations, romance, and a glimpse into the life of a competitive skater will have readers excitedly turning pages. A fun addition to middle and high school libraries.-Ashley Leffel, Griffin Middle School, Frisco, TX

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2020
At almost 16 years old, Olivia Kennedy, daughter of Olympic gold medalists, already feels like a washed-up failure of a figure skater. Once the reigning U.S. junior pairs figure skating champions, Olivia and her partner's first season on the Senior Grand Prix circuit was a disaster, and now she's given up competitive skating and is navigating regular high school for the first time. She's also working at her parents' ice rink, Ice Dreams, which is struggling financially, while medical bills mount for her mother's back injury. But when speed skating Olympic hopeful Jonah Choi books the rink for his private training sessions, things heat up. Jonah's determination to be the best is both relatable and inspiring to Olivia, and their friendship grows into something more. Fans of the 1992 movie The Cutting Edge will wonder if that something more includes pairs figure skating, but Fujimura (Breathe, 2018, etc.) simply gives a nod to the movie and takes Olivia's journey on its own trajectory. Olivia has many obstacles to overcome, including absent parents (both literally and figuratively), lack of emotional support, and financial struggles, but her character is believable from start to finish, and the romance is not overly saccharine. Comic relief and perspective are provided by Mack, Olivia's white best friend. Olivia is half white and half Japanese; Jonah is three-quarters Korean and one-quarter assumed white.Sure to take the gold. (author's note) (Fiction. 13-18)

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February 15, 2020
Grades 9-12 Olivia is attempting to be a normal teenager after giving up full-time skating training. But just because she's not reaching for Olympic gold anymore doesn't mean she's been freed from her job at the family business, a struggling training rink. Or that her mom, a former gold medalist, has suddenly recovered from old injuries that have left Olivia in the caretaker role. But a new speed skater training at their rink does prove to be a welcome distraction. Fujimura has penned a fun love story frosted with Asian American culture that digs deep into the question, Is this what I really want? with increasing urgency, given Olivia's narrowing window to make it as a competitive skater. The dynamic between Olivia, who grew up fast, and her parents, who've become accustomed to leaning on her, is always compelling. This is an obvious choice for fans of classic love stories that play out on the ice, but also for readers looking for a nuanced story of self-discovery.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)