About This Book
Reach for this book when your middle schooler is navigating a major transition or feels like an outsider in a new environment. This story follows Lincoln Mendoza, a Mexican American teen from San Francisco, as he travels to Japan for a summer exchange program centered on the martial art of kempo. It beautifully captures the awkwardness and bravery of being a 'fish out of water' while highlighting how shared passions like sports and family can bridge vast cultural divides. This is an excellent choice for parents looking to encourage global thinking, empathy, and self-confidence in children ages 10 to 14. It offers a realistic yet hopeful look at how stepping outside one's comfort zone leads to profound personal growth and unexpected friendships.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The book includes a scene where Lincoln experiences assumptions about his family's income which leads to feelings of frustration and anger. It is secular in nature and concludes with a very hopeful, grounded resolution regarding cross-cultural friendship.
