Review by Booklist Review
During the summer before seventh grade, Annie is questioning what it means to be a second-generation Japanese American growing up in Topeka, Kansas, and whether her friendship with her wealthy, privileged friend Jessica will endure. Though Annie initially fears that she's being disloyal to her friend, she's beginning to recognize that Jessica sometimes misuses her trust and that Jessica's mom tends to patronize Annie's mother as well. During the school year, as Annie participates in three community theater productions in addition to playing on the basketball team and sometimes struggling to complete math assignments, she becomes increasingly self-confident and more aware of microaggressions toward herself, members of her family, and others. Set in 1987 and divided into three acts, one for each of the theater productions that define Annie's pivotal seventh-grade year, her first-person narrative plays out at school, at home, and against an enticing backdrop of backstage camaraderie and onstage thrills shared by drama students. Brown sensitively portrays Annie's shift from a girl who readily makes adaptations to fit in with the majority culture to a person who is fully aware of racial prejudice yet dreams of a bright future. This thought-provoking historical novel highlights issues faced by many Asian Americans, past and present.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In 1987, Japanese American Aoi Inoue (better known as Annie Enoway, "which people seemed more comfortable with"), dreams of being on stage. And after catching the basketball bug from her father, despite not even reaching 5'3", Annie is also excited to try out for a team. Though the girl is a dreamer like her optimistic dad--who's a big believer in the American dream--her down-to-earth mother never fails to remind Annie that her aspirations may not be realistic, instead encouraging a career in math and science. Nevertheless, Annie makes the basketball team and continues to pursue theater at every opportunity. The 12-year-old's chance onstage comes when she stars in her school production of The King and I, but a story spreads that she was only cast as the lead in the Siam-set show because she's Asian. Not only that, the rumor comes from an unexpected source, forcing Annie to grapple with whom she can trust as well as with the microaggressions happening all around her Kansas hometown. With encouragement from the school's theater director, Annie channels her hurt and confusion into the next production, determined to prove the naysayers wrong. Brown (While I Was Away) paints a realistic picture of one Japanese American child's experiences growing up in a mostly white town. Annie's arc is an uplifting one as she traverses the highs and lows of friendship, middle school, and family expectations to fulfill her dreams, despite the bigoted thinking of people around her. An author's note details inspiration for the work. Ages 8--12. Agent: Penny Moore, Aevitas Creative Management. (Jan.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Japanese American Aoi Inoue takes to heart her sixth-grade teacher's advice ("You can be anything you want to be") and decides she wants to be called Annie, after years of answering to mangled pronunciations of her name. She also wants to be Annie, as in Little Orphan, and auditions for the part at the local community theater. So does her white best friend. Who gets the part and who actually deserves it spur an evolution in Annie's awareness of racism in her community. In this ultimately uplifting story set in 1980s Topeka, Kansas, Brown (While I Was Away) describes the painful racism the Inoue family faces and their differing experiences of living in the United States. Annie's professor dad is continually grateful for the opportunities he'd never find back home in Japan. Her mom, who struggles with English years after their move, is less enthusiastic. Brown conveys the dynamics of their bilingual household in small moments: one evening, Mom speaks to Annie in Japanese, "too tired to even practice her English," while Annie answers her in English, "too excited to use [her] Japanese"; younger sibling Tak understands almost no Japanese and often asks his sister to translate overheard parental arguments. While Annie's voice gets a little teacher-y at the end as she wraps up all she's learned, the newfound friendships and opportunities she earns are a warm and welcome outcome. An author's note is appended. Jennifer M. Brabander March/April 2022 p.(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A Japanese American girl pursues her dreams amid the racism of middle school in 1987 Kansas. Twelve-year-old Aoi Inoue has big dreams. She dreams of playing basketball in the NBA. She dreams of becoming an actress and winning an Oscar. Being one of the only Asian kids isn't easy, however, and facing endless hassles with her name, she reinvents herself as Annie Enoway. An exciting opportunity arises when the local theater puts on the play Annie--but is it realistic to hope to be cast as the famous redhead? When seventh grade starts, Annie makes the basketball team and gets a more prominent role than she expected in the school play, The King and I, but that in turn brings accusations from peers of an unfair advantage based on race. As Annie takes part in all these activities, she keeps encountering people with opinions and biases about who she is and what she can do as an Asian girl. Navigating middle school also includes the complications of a first crush, strict teachers, and changing friendships. This is a captivating coming-of-age story of determination, as bilingual Annie begins to understand the racism she, her brother, and her immigrant parents face daily. Brown eloquently addresses the history of Asian immigration, microaggressions, the model minority myth, stereotyping, and the impact of the lack of representation. An eye-opening, inspiring story of growing up, facing obstacles, and chasing your dreams anyway. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
