THE MANY MASKS OF ANDY ZHOU

A Detroit tween comes into his own while adjusting to changes at home and dealing with the trials and tribulations of sixth grade.

Starting middle school is daunting, and Andy Zhou is off to a rough start after the DIY bleach job that Cindy Shen, his best friend, convinces him to try results in patches of orange in his black hair, drawing the attention of bullies. Empathetic Andy tries his best to be the person that his friends and family need him to be, but juggling those roles isn’t easy, especially when he’s not sure what it is that he wants. With Cindy spending more time with new friends and mounting racist microaggressions setting off his “spider-sense,” Chinese American Andy can’t shake the feeling that he doesn’t belong. But just as he resolves to keep his head down, he discovers that Chaldean American Jameel Zebari, one of his bullies, might have more in common with him than he thought. Peppered with anime and pop-culture references, Cheng's tale succeeds in capturing the nuances of shifting relationship dynamics during the vulnerable early years of adolescence, including mental health struggles. Although the reasons behind some of Andy’s pivotal epiphanies may be a bit subtle for some readers, the story has a sincere heart that will resonate with tweens as they recognize themselves and their friends in the pages.

A perceptive coming-of-age tale that captures the joys and complex anxieties of middle school.