Generation Misfits

June 1, 2021
Fandom and interpersonal struggles combine in this story of middle schoolers who form an unlikely bond. Lonely Oregon 11-year-old Millie Nakakura has been home-schooled by intense parents who pressure her to excel at the flute, something she has grown to hate. They finally allow her to enroll at an arts academy, where she is overwhelmed by teachers' unstated expectations. Socially adrift, she finds solace in her passion for Japanese pop quintet Generation Love. Then she meets Tina "Zuki" Suzuki through after-school J-Club. The club of two grows to five as social misfits Ashley Seo and Rainbow Chan and popular girl Luna Acevedo find their way in. But it's not smooth sailing: Zuki is hiding serious problems at home, Ashley and Luna have an obviously tense history, Luna keeps her participation secret from her queen bee friends who viciously bully vegan Rainbow, and Millie lies to her parents about her failing grades and forbidden extracurricular activity. Their decision to enter a school show as a Generation Love cover act complicates matters; figuring everything out involves self-awareness and genuine contrition. At times the characters' voices sound too mature for sixth grade, but everyone in this well-paced story grows emotionally, showing what loyal, courageous, and humanly imperfect relationships look like. Millie is half Japanese (her other half is not specified); other characters' ethnicities are cued by their surnames, and Ashley is nonbinary. A sincere story about being true to oneself and others. (Fiction. 9-12)

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Starred review from July 1, 2021

Gr 5 Up-Eleven-year-old Japanese American student Millie Nakakura is starting her first day of school at Brightside Academy, a K-12 magnet school for visual and performing arts. The day gets off to a rough start when Millie, a former homeschooler, is late to several of her classes, spills her lunch on the most popular girl in school, and struggles to make friends. Spotting a flyer in the hallway, Millie shows up to J-Club, a Japanese cultural appreciation group. There, she meets Tina Suzuki (Zuki for short) and the two become fast friends. Hoping to increase membership, Zuki and Millie hold open auditions to turn J-Club into a cover band of their favorite J-pop girl group, Generation Love. Soon they are joined by nonbinary student Ashley Seo, shy theater student Rainbow Chan, and popular dancer Luna Acevedo. The band of self-described misfits sets their sights on trying out for the Pop Showcase, a school talent show, but along the way they form lasting bonds of friendship. Millie struggles to balance schoolwork, J-Club, and practicing the flute for the school band with her parents' high expectations of excellence. Meanwhile, Zuki begins seeing the school counselor regularly for problems related to her home life, Rainbow is tormented by bullies, and Luna and Ashley must face a tough conversation stemming from a misunderstanding in their past to resolve tension in the present. The novel's strength lies in writing that respects the emotional lives of adolescents, and in the realistic and honest portrayal of young people supporting one another on their journey to becoming their true selves. VERDICT This character-centered coming-of-age novel features authentic dialogue with a fully realized cast of diverse characters, and celebrates the power, importance, and value of friendship. Highly recommended for school and public library collections.-Samantha Lumetta, P.L. of Cincinnati and Hamilton Cty., OH

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2021
Grades 3-6 Bowman's first foray into middle-grade fiction is a thoughtful examination of middle-school peer and child-adult relationships. The third-person narrative follows Millie, a Japanese American kid who is attending middle school after years of homeschooling. Her parents have always micromanaged her life and pushed her to play flute (to the point that she no longer enjoys the instrument), and she's excited for change. She makes friends for the first time in her life, and they are all sorts of everything--lonely, popular, unpopular, troubled, shy, loved, complicated. She joins and helps build up a club for J-pop fanatics in secret, and things eventually spiral out of control. One of the great themes of the book is how everyone is going through something. Classic middle-grade themes, such as standing up to bullies and learning how to be a good communicator, are a given, but Bowman also gets into the good, bad, and ugly of what it means to be a friend. A great read for both misfits and insiders, this encourages readers to embrace their true selves.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2021
Previously homeschooled eleven-year-old Millie Nakakura wants nothing more than to make friends at her new arts school. Her parents, however, think friends are just a distraction from earning a flute scholarship, despite Millie's distaste for classical music and her apathy for the instrument. After secretly joining an afterschool club for Japanese pop music fans, Millie inadvertently becomes its vice president, as she is the only other member. An opportunity to gain new members arises when the club president decides to form a cover band, but Millie's failing grades (stemming from her struggles with the transition from homeschool) and tensions among members threaten to break up the band before it has even had a chance to perform. In this fish-out-of-water story, Millie learns about friendships and unspoken rules of student life. Bowman also creates a diverse cast of four distinct supporting characters, all with their own troubles. Told from Millie's point of view, the story brings readers close to her feelings as she balances appeasing her parents' wishes and making herself proud as a student and as a friend. Kristine Techavanich

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2021
Previously homeschooled eleven-year-old Millie Nakakura wants nothing more than to make friends at her new arts school. Her parents, however, think friends are just a distraction from earning a flute scholarship, despite Millie's distaste for classical music and her apathy for the instrument. After secretly joining an afterschool club for Japanese pop music fans, Millie inadvertently becomes its vice president, as she is the only other member. An opportunity to gain new members arises when the club president decides to form a cover band, but Millie's failing grades (stemming from her struggles with the transition from homeschool) and tensions among members threaten to break up the band before it has even had a chance to perform. In this fish-out-of-water story, Millie learns about friendships and unspoken rules of student life. Bowman also creates a diverse cast of four distinct supporting characters, all with their own troubles. Told from Millie's point of view, the story brings readers close to her feelings as she balances appeasing her parents' wishes and making herself proud as a student and as a friend.

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)