by Jessica Kim (Author)
One lie snowballs into a full-blown double life in this irresistible story about an aspiring stand-up comedian.
On the outside, Yumi Chung suffers from #shygirlproblems, a perm-gone-wrong, and kids calling her "Yu-MEAT" because she smells like her family's Korean barbecue restaurant. On the inside, Yumi is ready for her Netflix stand-up special. Her notebook is filled with mortifying memories that she's reworked into comedy gold. All she needs is a stage and courage.
Instead of spending the summer studying her favorite YouTube comedians, Yumi is enrolled in test-prep tutoring to qualify for a private school scholarship, which will help in a time of hardship at the restaurant. One day after class, Yumi stumbles on an opportunity that will change her life: a comedy camp for kids taught by one of her favorite YouTube stars. The only problem is that the instructor and all the students think she's a girl named Kay Nakamura--and Yumi doesn't correct them.
As this case of mistaken identity unravels, Yumi must decide to stand up and reveal the truth or risk losing her dreams and disappointing everyone she cares about.
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Gr 3-6—Yumi Chung hates her prestigious prep school in L.A., but her Korean-immigrant parents think attendance there will increase her chances of admission to an Ivy League college and a better life. Yumi has no friends at Winston Preparatory Academy and feels she can never measure up to her parents' expectations or the legacy of her perfect older sister, Yuri, who is in medical school. Her passion is comedy and her dream is to be a stand-up comic. Instead of letting her enjoy the summer between sixth and seventh grades, Yumi's mother signs her up for a test prep course at a demanding hagwon so that she might win a scholarship to cover next year's tuition. When Yumi wanders into a nearby comedy club to check out its summer comedy camp headed by her favorite YouTube comedian, the director assumes that she is a tardy camper named Kay Nakamura. Yumi doesn't think staying will hurt anyone; but then she falls in love with the camp and makes some real friends. She decides to continue attending, impersonating Kay. The stress of juggling test prep, comedy camp, and helping out at her parents' struggling restaurant takes its toll in ways that are both heartbreaking and hilarious. Yumi's not the only one with secrets, though. Middle grade readers will find Yumi's first-person narrative utterly appealing. VERDICT Readers will root for Yumi even as they cringe at her choices in this refreshing novel. Highly recommended—every school has at least one Yumi!—Brenda Kahn, Tenakill Middle School, Closter, NJ
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.In Kim's well-paced debut, 11-year-old aspiring comic Yumi Chung struggles between her dreams and her Korean parents' wishes. Shy Yumi is frustrated when her mother enrolls her in test-prep tutoring to qualify for an academic scholarship at prestigious Winston Academy. But when Yumi accidentally assumes an absent camper's identity at YouTuber Jasmine Jasper's comedy camp, her summer suddenly seems promising. What follows is a balancing act of making new friends and sustaining parental expectations amid looming worries about Yumi's older sister, Yuri, and the financial state of the Chungs' restaurant. Amid fresh-feeling comic framing and contemporary conflicts about gentrification and community involvement, the narrative employs several elements that will be familiar to readers of similar titles--Yumi's strict immigrant parents compare her to other kids and expect good grades, genius Yuri is in medical school, and there's a lack of clear intergenerational communication. Yumi's friends and heroes are diverse, which feels genuine to the Los Angeles setting, and her gradual journey toward self-confidence will resonate with anyone who has had shy or awkward stages. Interspersed with entries from Yumi's Super-Secret Comedy Notebook, the engaging first-person narrative is a good first step into a rich landscape of reads about first-generation immigrant experiences. Ages 9-12. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. (Mar.)
Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.