American Panda

By Gloria Chao
Lexile = 780

I wanted to like this. I should like this. Maybe I'm too senstive to what I perceive as stereotypes. But hey, MOST of YA fiction works off of stereotypes.

Mei has been pushed through school by her dragon mother and is now aged 17 and at MIT following her parent's plan to become a doctor and marry a pre-approved Tawainese boy. But that isn't Mei's plan. She hasn't told her parents yet, either.

Her parents come and visit her at college often...(note to self...stay away from children's dorm rooms and campus in general) and this is where I abandoned the book. Mei's mom is just. so. tiresome. She so fully fits the Dragon Mom stereotype that I was offended for Dragon moms everywhere.

I do think that students will like this book; I read it with a mother's eye and that isn't a fair reading. And the "real" reviewers the world over are calling this “Weepingly funny.” (The Wall Street Journal) and “Delightful.” (Buzzfeed).

Watch the author present the book HERE.