Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Dominique

Fifteen-year-old Patty Ho does not feel comfortable in her own skin. She’s half Taiwanese and half white and doesn’t like being stuck in the middle, looking neither pure white nor pure Asian. She lives with her brother and mother, but her father left them when Patty was still very young. Her mother wants Patty to grow up to be successful and to marry a Taiwanese guy and settle down. However, her mother is less than pleased when “belly-button Grandmother” (who, you guessed it, reads people’s futures through their belly-buttons) predicts Patty ending up with a white guy. Her mother cannot speak very good English, is very strict, and sends Patty to Stanford Math Camp for the summer.

Patty, who is very good at math (and even writes proofs on her problems and life!), is surprised when she find out how much fun math camp really is. Her spirited new friends show her that being HAPA (half Asian and half white) background isn’t bad at all. They celebrate it, and many find it exotic. By the end of the summer Patty goes from quiet and insecure to bold and confident. No one can bring this chick down!

Join Patty and friends in her witty adventure in finding herself and being proud of her background instead of being ashamed! Funny and clever Patty has a truly unforgettable summer that will change her life forever!