At times I have been very annoyed by YA books.
I have tended to do better with Middle Grade books, even though YA is technically closer to my demographic, middle-aged crank.
My usual frustration with YA is that so much of the angst comes from not recognizing the obvious, perfect solution. Hello? It's right there!
One thing that helped was I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn.
The funny thing was, when I checked it out I thought it was going to be a graphic novel. Kuhn had also worked on Shadow of the Batgirl (graphic novels should be the next post), and I thought it was worth a shot.
Kimi does miss the obvious solution to her issues for quite a while (though I realize parental pressure plays a role), but I didn't notice as much as I could have because I kept being enthralled with Kyoto, and wanting to go there.
Ultimately, I may be a little removed from the difficulty of growing up, but I vaguely remember that it exists.
It is perhaps only while reading in the YA category that one would find two separate books about a teenager forming a contractual relationship with a young movie star.
This Time It's Real by Ann Liang
A Show For Two by Tashie Bhuiyan
Bhuiyan handles it better. That may be that she is a better writer, but she also creates a more complex, interesting situation. Mina is not pretending to be Emmitt's girlfriend, but instead helping him with a contest. It still works for them spending enough time together to fall in love. In addition, she has a mood disorder that sometimes complicates even her friend and family relationships.
Also, her parents are terrible.
As much as I prefer it when children and their parents gain a new appreciation of each other and come to understand each other better, sometimes it isn't possible. Those kids need to have books for them too.
Here is where there is some movie overlap: while the To All the Boys movies are based on a book series, I have not read the books, but I did watch the two sequels.
The first movie, To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018), started with a contractual relationship. I don't remember anyone doing that when I was in school; kids these days?
I did actually write about it:
https://sporkful.blogspot.com/2021/06/ruined-for-rom-coms-apahm-2021.html
My issue was seeing how these commitment issues and inability to move forward are related to grief and trauma. It was emotionally painful for me. Aren't rom-coms supposed to be fun.
I wondered if I would be able to enjoy movies at all.
However, I did end up viewing the other two, as mentioned in last week's post:
https://sporkful.blogspot.com/2024/07/movies-for-apahm-2024.html
They worked a lot better. The relationship between Laura Jean and Peter was really good for both of them. Continued growth over the next two films and their support for each other was sweet. Maybe I am less cynical.
That is not a commitment to read the books or to watch the movie about Kitty (Laura Jean's younger sister, with a very different personality). I haven't ruled it out either.
Speaking of series, I did at last minute read of another installment in the Front Desk series:
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
I read the first one because it came up in an article about banned books:
https://sporkful.blogspot.com/2022/07/reading-banned-books.html
I remember knowing at the time that there was more to tell, and thinking it good make a good series.
At this point it turns out that there are a total of five books and Yang appears to have started another series.
There is a realistic optimism about her books. Real challenges come up, but the characters persevere, and find what they can do. I may return.
There are another three books that relate.
Children of the River by Linda Crew
This is the oldest of the books, by a long shot. Published in 1989, it's the story of Sundara, who was with her aunt's family when they had to flee the Khmer Rouge, leaving her with questions about her parents and siblings, and adjusting to a new life in Oregon.
It reminds me a lot of Chanrithy Him's When Broken Glass Floats, even though that one spends a lot more time in the camps, and of course that is more memoir. Children of the River is fiction, but there is a lot that feels real.
The next two books both switch between the viewpoints of multiple characters.
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
Bat 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolf
We Are Not Free follows a group of teenagers from San Francisco into internment, and in some cases out of the camps as they enlist or as the war ends.
Bat 6 takes place after the war, and includes one family returned from internment. None of the other characters are Japanese-American, but the war and the changes during and after have affected more of them. It's okay, but could have been better.
We Are Not Free was really good.
There are a lot of experiences in the world, and we need many stories. I know not all will be for me, especially as a grumpy old person.
Sometimes, I can enjoy spending time with the young.
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