Review Detail

Reader reviewed by mlecompt

San Lee's dad is in prison and he and his mother move to a small town in Pennsylvania where they barely get by on his mom's salary. When he starts school he is the only Asian student and after answering a couple of Buddhism questions correctly in his Social Studies class he starts to get a reputation as a Zen guy, which he cultivates to try to win the heart of one of his classmates, a girl who calls herself Woody. He digs himself in deeper and deeper, and though he knows Woody will be mad at him for lying, he can't seem to tell her the truth.

There were a few parts of this story that seemed off (I never really understood Woody's step-brother's motivation for keeping San away from her), but for the most part this is a funny book with a healthy dose of "real life." San is a likable character and his narration is priceless. If you like this book, be sure to check out Sonnenblick's other titles- they are excellent.