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bibliobrandie's review
4.0
Short story collection featuring a different East or Southeast Asian American young person at the Gateway International Airport in Chicago. A thunderstorm has led to numerous flight delays and cancellations and each protagonist is faced with a challenge. Several must learn to stand up for themselves or their friends, many experience microaggressions, confront prejudice, or speak openly and honestly to their parents. All 12 stories take place on the same day in the same place and I love when short stories interconnect. I also love when the setting is part of the story and help generate thematic links among the stories. The list of authors includes favorites like Linda Sue Park, Erin Entrada Kelly, Grace Lin, and Christina Soontornvat.
paws42's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
ameliatagge's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
bookishlibrarian's review
3.5
My favorite stories were "Jam Session" by Mike Chen, about a kid whose guitar case comes under scrutiny by security, because no Asians play guitar. "Costumes" by Traci Chee, about a girl traveling with her White friend and family and choosing whether or not to respond to her culturally insensitive comments, "A Kind of Noble" by Randy Ribay, about a boy who overhears two teammates make hurtful remarks about an absent friend. Overall, a solid collection that has me interested in picking up several of the authors' books.
whatsthestorywishbone's review
3.0
I listened to this with Reid (9) as book 2 of our Library’s Bluebonnet book club. It is a series of individual stories that intertwine. Reid LOVED spotting characters from one story to the next (often just by a reference to location or clothing) and we listened to it together over the course of two days. It was a mixed bag for me, but I am having a tough time pin pointing why. I guess I wanted to see more personality from the kids and stories. It obviously tries to deal with some pretty heavy subjects, and I would say succeeds in messaging but sometimes at the detriment to the storytelling resulting in me liking some of the stories better than others. I was surprised that the different author’s voices were not jarring or overly noticeable. However, perhaps if there had been more of a noticeable break in tone the kids would have felt more distinct? I felt it really started off strong with the first few stories, but then some of the characters started to run together and some of the points felt repetitive.
flyingnigiri's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
dpearson5257's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Every household should read stories like this! There is so much to learn about kindness and how to just treat people kindly and with respect! The amount of instances that I was able to relate to as a minority simply because I look different, just hurt my heart but I loved how each and every one of these stories uplifted the voices of these kids! So many beautiful take aways with this!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
fkshg8465's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’ve experienced almost every one of these scenarios, both as the recipient of vitriol and ignorance and as the daughter being told to stay small and invisible. The last story had me sobbing. This book exactly demonstrates the emotional burdens we have carried as immigrants who identify as Americans but for whom space only exists when it’s convenient for others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racial slurs, Racism, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting
bibliomich's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
You Are Here is a collection of short stories written by twelve Asian American authors (and edited by Ellen Oh) who each paint a unique picture of the Asian American experience over the course of a single day in Chicago O'Hare Airport.
What I loved:
- The different formats, tones, and experiences of the stories
- The way the book clearly demonstrates that there is no singular "Asian American experience", though many of the stories have overlapping themes
- The accessibility of the writing and content to middle grade readers, while still addressing some heavy topics
What I loved:
- The different formats, tones, and experiences of the stories
- The way the book clearly demonstrates that there is no singular "Asian American experience", though many of the stories have overlapping themes
- The accessibility of the writing and content to middle grade readers, while still addressing some heavy topics
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Racism
rpultorak's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0