The Many Masks of Andy Zhou

May 1, 2023
In Detroit, an artistic sixth grader facing changes at home and school seeks his identity in this contemplative novel from Cheng (See You in the Cosmos). Chinese American Andy Zhou prepares for his grandparents’ arrival from Shanghai, working to help his family however he can. He also tries to be there for best friend and neighbor Cindy Shen, whose schemes involve bleaching their hair and auditioning for the school’s dance club. But the bleach job results in bullying, dancing isn’t really his thing, and Cindy soon starts spending time with new friends. As Andy encounters racist microaggressions at school and new worries at home, he joins the school’s student-run production crew and—through art, anime, and a pet bearded dragon—finds common ground with his Chaldean American lab partner Jameel Zebari, who once bullied him. The changes nevertheless add up, impacting Andy’s mental health and leaving him wondering who he really is. Cheng draws on personal experience, detailed in an author’s note, to pen this novel of internal and interpersonal tensions that touches on mental health, disordered eating, and trichotillomania. Though some plot points feel abrupt, the message of becoming one’s authentic self comes through loud and clear. Ages 10–up.