"A poignant young adult graphic memoir that follows one teen's year abroad in Japan, as she seeks to reconcile both sides of her biracial identity.
Christine has always felt she is just half: Half American, half Japanese. As a biracial Japanese American who was born in Tokyo but raised in the US, she knows all too well what it's like to be a part of two different worlds but never feeling as though you belong to either.
Now on the brink of adulthood, Christine decides it's time to return to the place she once called home. So she sets forth on a year abroad in Tokyo, believing that this is where she truly belongs. After years of feeling like an outsider, now she will finally be complete.
Except…Tokyo isn't the answer she thought it would be. Instead of fitting in, Christine finds herself a fish out of water, as being half of two cultures isolates her in ways she'd never imagined. All she can do is try to stay afloat for the rest of the year-still figuring out who she is, what she wants in life, and whether she'll ever truly be more than halfway there.
Author-illustrator Christine Mari explores what it means to lose and find yourself in this moving narrative of belonging and home. "
"A reserved Chinese American teen at a Southern performing arts boarding school comes into her own under the tutelage of a glamorous new piano teacher. A moving coming-of-age-novel from a debut novelist about first love, adolescent angst, and academic pressures.
"Compellingly readable. Make room in the boarding-school book canon for a new classic." - Jeff Zentner, award-winning author of In the Wild Light and The Serpent King
'A moving, highly virtuosic, and heart-rending portrait of an aspiring teen pianist trying to find her way...it made me feel seen.' - Patricia Park, author of Imposter Syndrome and Other Confession of Alejandra Kim and What's Eating Jackie Oh?
Claire Wu isn't sure that she has what it takes to become a successful concert pianist.
It's the fear of every student at Greenwood School for the Performing Arts: becoming a washed-out performer who couldn't make it big. And Claire's no Rocky Wong, the ace pianist at their boarding school.
Then Dr. Li shows up. She's like no other teacher at Greenwood: mysterious, sophisticated, fascinating. Under Dr. Li's tutelage, Claire works harder and dreams bigger than ever. And her crush Rocky finally seems interested. Maybe she'll even be 'Chinese enough' to join the elusive Asian Student Society.
Everything is falling into place until eerily personal notes about Claire's bond with Dr. Li appear. Claire starts to feel the pressure. But she isn't the only one. Everyone is feeling the strain. Especially Rocky, whose extreme perfectionism hides something more troubling.
As the Showcase tension crescendos, Claire must decide if she's ready to sink or swim. Only then can she discover who she really is and learn if she's ready to give her all for a shot at greatness.
The Notes is a powerful and poignant debut YA novel from award-winning writer Catherine Con Morse about dealing with academic pressures, falling in love for the first time, and finding yourself.
This program includes a downloadable PDF which includes a playlist of songs mentioned in the book."
"Two teens who can't stand each other start a fake relationship to prove to their moms how wrong they are for each other in this YA novel by the author of The Way to Game the Walk of Shame.
Mia and Jake have known each other their whole lives. They’ve endured summer vacations, Sunday brunches, even dentist visits together. Their mothers, who are best friends, are convinced that Mia and Jake would be the perfect couple, even though they can’t stand to be in the same room together.
After Mia’s mom turns away yet another cute boy, Mia and Jake decide they’ve had enough. Together, they hatch a plan to get their moms off their backs. Permanently. All they have to do is pretend to date and then stage the worst breakup of all time—and then they’ll be free.
It’s the perfect plan—except that it turns out maybe Mia and Jake don’t hate each other as much as they once thought . . ."
