TJ Powar has something to prove

Review by Booklist Review

TJ has always known who she is--a star debater, an excellent soccer player, a reliable friend, and good girlfriend. But when a meme rips through her school mocking her cousin for her body hair, and praising TJ for her apparent lack of body hair, she beings to wonder: If she stopped all the waxing and plucking, would people look at her differently? After throwing out her arsenal of hair removal tools, TJ learns a lot about how she's viewed by her classmates and friends and begins to understand how she can be more true to herself. In her debut novel, Kaur Deo is never preachy, opting instead to deliver a nuanced portrait of a smart teenager who always understands her worth but can still be hurt from the harsh judgement of others. TJ Powar Has Something To Prove weaves its theme of body positivity through an engaging narrative about surprising crushes and the thrill of high-school debate, giving readers many relatable touch points throughout the novel.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In Deo's poignant debut, Punjabi Sikh Canadian high school senior TJ Powar is horrified when a photo of her freshly waxed and threaded face is used in a meme as the pretty "after" to her cousin Simran's "before." TJ resolves to disprove the cruel joke's toxic message surrounding beauty standards by no longer removing her body hair, insisting that she can embrace her natural body and be respected, which results in her boyfriend dumping her in disgust. Emotional upsets with her best friend and Simran, and a decline in her own self-worth complicate matters further. When her cute debate partner, Charlie, compliments her protest, TJ feels validated, but as her feelings for him grow, she dreads the long hours they must spend alone together preparing for Nationals now that she no longer sees herself as beautiful enough for him. As TJ struggles with her own self-image, she engages in valuable moments of internal reflection while reconciling her own role in upholding­--and dismantling--harmful beauty expectations. Deo delivers a refreshing take on the familiar self-love narrative, portraying characters across the Indian diaspora whose determination to be themselves, irrespective of Western cultural perspectives, drives home the idea that the perception of oneself through a singular lens is often incomplete. Ages 12--up. Agent: Jennifer Azantian, Azantian Literary. (June)

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

Though Tejindar "TJ" Powar's palms get sweaty while she's launching into a debate speech, she's pretty, plays soccer, and hangs out with cool, confident friends and her doting athlete boyfriend. So what if that sheen of perfection comes at the cost of a world of hurt and hours spent at the salon getting waxed and threaded? But when her cousin Simran becomes the subject of a derogatory viral meme comparing her negatively to TJ, it gets very personal. TJ sets a debate resolution, striving to prove the point that inner beauty matters more than outer beauty. As things heat up, with TJ ditching her razors and epilator, she finds herself in even hairier situations with her friends, family, and peers--and they're much more painful than any salon treatments. There's much to appreciate about this book, especially the cool girl protagonist who begins to question her self-worth. Fans of school stories will enjoy the humor, romance, and fun characters who navigate lost relationships, friendships that endure, and reminders that some people will always have your back--no matter how hairy it may be. Also refreshing is the way the book unpacks South Asian heritage, focusing on characters who are Punjabi Sikh Canadians without pandering to stereotypes or othering cultural elements by overexplaining them. This crisp read covers beauty, body image, gender expectations, and conformity without feeling labored or pedantic. An entertaining novel that confronts toxic beauty standards. (Fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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"You have six minutes." The Speaker's voice rings out, clear and calm. An expectant hush falls over the room. It's time. TJ Powar takes a measured breath and rises from her desk. Although she's done this countless times, she still gets a huge adrenaline rush right before starting her speech. It's a good thing. It focuses her, gives her a sharper edge. The downside is it also makes her palms so sweaty she has to keep a death grip on her cue cards. She really should've wiped her hands on her slacks before standing. But it's too late now. She grips the cards a little harder and surveys her captive audience. In her peripheral vision, she can see her opponents--one of Whitewater's senior teams--across the floor, their legs stretched out under cramped desks. Facing the debaters in equally cramped desks are the three older judges and the timekeeper, a half-asleep ninth grader who probably got roped into the job. And, of course, the Speaker, a parent volunteer who looks like he zoned out the minute he finished his spiel. This is it. One of the defining moments of her debating career, happening right now in a musty high school English classroom. To her right, her debate partner, Simran, coughs. Her subtle way of telling TJ to get a move on and stop basking in the weight of the moment. TJ clears her throat. "Honourable judges, worthy opponents"--she injects just a slight amount of derision into that last bit, not enough that the judges would notice, but enough that her unworthy opponents might--"and, assembled guests. We of Side Affirmative are debating in favour of the resolution before us today: Be It Resolved That life today is better than it will be in a hundred years' time. "My partner"--she half turns and gestures to Simran, who's sitting there polishing her glasses--"has already presented two of our contentions: that climate change is making living conditions worse all around the world, and that current extreme polarizations in politics just forecast more societal turmoil in the future. I will now present two more contentions: that a growing population will only continue to strain resources, and that life is just getting busier and more disconnected. But first, I'll take a moment to point out the flaws in Side Negative's case." TJ launches into her speech, starting with her rebuttal of the first Side Negative speaker, Nate Chen. It's easy to fall into the rhythm of it. The nice thing about this tournament is that it's held in Cross-Examination style--no one can butt in with questions while she's talking, so her flow won't get interrupted. However, the mad scribbling coming from Side Negative is hard to ignore. This cross-examination will be a bitch. It always is with these two. When Simran finished her speech portion earlier, Nate used his entire two allotted minutes to grill her. As usual, Simran was cool under fire. TJ can only hope to do the same when her time comes. The timekeeper is counting down the last fifteen seconds with his arm when TJ finally wraps up her speech. "Thank you. I now stand for cross-examination," she says, grimly, and the second speaker for Side Negative stands, buttoning up his suit jacket as he rises. "Thank you for your . . . most interesting speech," Charlie Rosencrantz says, his voice dripping with condescension, like always. "However, I do have a few questions." Of course he does. Excerpted from TJ Powar Has Something to Prove by Jesmeen Kaur Deo All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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