About This Book
A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is struggling with the invisible weight of depression or feels like they are a perpetual outsider in their own skin. In this memoir, a Japanese American college student travels to Tokyo hoping to finally feel whole, only to find that identity and mental health are more complex than a change of scenery. It captures the specific exhaustion of 'not being enough' of one culture while navigating the isolating fog of clinical depression. This is an essential choice for high schoolers who need to see their internal struggles validated with honesty and a touch of self-deprecating humor. It is best suited for older teens who can handle frank discussions of mental health and the nuance of cultural intersectionality.
