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* ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR LITERATURE YOUNG ADULT HONOR * JR. LIBRARY GOLD STANDARD SELECTION
Joanna Ho, New York Times bestselling author of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, has written an exquisite, heart-rending debut young adult novel that will inspire all to speak truth to power.
An exquisite, heart-rending debut young adult novel that masterfully explores timely themes of mental health, racism, and classism and will inspire all to speak truth to power.
Maybelline Chen isn’t the Chinese Taiwanese American daughter her mother expects her to be. May prefers hoodies over dresses and wants to become a writer. When asked, her mom can’t come up with one specific reason for why she’s proud of her only daughter. May’s beloved brother, Danny, on the other hand, has just been admitted to Princeton. But Danny secretly struggles with depression, and when he dies by suicide, May’s world is shattered.
In the aftermath, racist accusations are hurled against May’s parents for putting too much “pressure” on him. May’s father tells her to keep her head down. Instead, May challenges these ugly stereotypes through her writing. Yet the consequences of speaking out run much deeper than anyone could foresee. Who gets to tell our stories, and who gets silenced? It’s up to May to take back the narrative.
A 2023 Banks Street Best Children’s Book of the Year noted for Outstanding Merit • Golden Poppy Award Finalist 2022 • New York Public Library Best Books of 2022 • Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books 2022 • A 2025 Evergreen Teen Book Award Nominee
