Kween

Sixteen-year-old Soma Kear has a heck of a voice, and it is loud. Loud in its intensity and loud in its passion. Living in Lowell, Massachusetts, she can't help but admire the celebrated Jack Kerouac and wonder if her words are worthy enough to enter a poetry competition that's his namesake. Her entire Khmer community knows her dad was deported back to Cambodia five months ago, and that, on top of the history of Cambodian war and genocide, is desperate to be expressed. Only, is this her story to tell? Then her ma leaves for Cambodia, and Soma is left home with her "Pokémon Bridezilla" sister, Dahvy. More, she has no idea how to act around her crush Britney or the Cambo girl who's just perfect, and she still hasn't found a way to respond to her Ba's many attempts to connect. And then there's this nagging question: What if her parents never come back? Reading this close first-person narrative is like being happily nestled inside Soma's brilliant and introspective little head. Chum's writing itself is mesmerizing from the jump with its wit and flow, a stunning prelude to Soma's killer verses. Informative in its depiction of Cambodian foods and customs (both inherited and often hilariously invented), along with smooth dialogue, and a friendship for the ages, Chum's debut is absolutely magnetic.

Sixteen-year-old Soma Kear, a queer Cambodian American poet living in Lowell, Mass., is struggling to deal with significant familial challenges. After decades living in the U.S., Ba has been deported to Phnom Penh, and Ma keeps extending her visit with him without explanation. On top of that, Soma's much older sister Dahvy, a Lowell High School teacher, is acting as a bossy second mother since moving back home to care for Soma. Communicating with Ba hurts too much, but when he sends an email that strikes a nerve, Soma unloads her frustrations via a free-form poetry video, which she posts--and which goes viral, prompting her Cambo best friend Sophat to convince her to enter the annual Jack Kerouac Poetry Competition. As Soma prepares for the contest, she navigates a contentious relationship with a Cambo peer, crushes on gorgeous Black classmate Britney, and dreads fulfilling her responsibilities as maid of honor at Dahvy's upcoming wedding. In this smart and edgy debut, Chum, per an author's note, gives Soma space to be "clumsy, complex, and, yes, contradictory at times," channeling a protagonist whose uncertainty in the face of her future and the model minority myth feels fresh and radical. Via Soma's sharp, first-person voice, Chum mixes humorous insights with forthright interrogations of colonialism, immigration, and racism. Ages 13--and up. (Oct.)

Sixteen-year-old Soma Kear finds her voice after her father is deported back to Cambodia. "She's got those yellow-brown blues / Those Jungle Asian views / Of not feeling right / When you're always in the fight." Lowell, Massachusetts, junior Soma attracts attention online when she posts a video of her spoken-word poetry: her way of making sense of everything that's changing in her life. Her mom is in Cambodia, trying to bring her dad back. Dahvy, Soma's much older sister, moves back in and thinks she needs to be Ba and Ma combined. She's gotten a job teaching at Soma's high school and is engaged to Ruben Diaz, one of Soma's former teachers. Will Ma return in time for the wedding? On the upside, Britney Roe, Soma's crush, who is Black, wants to go on a date with her. Reckoning with family, love, and jealousy, Soma channels her anger into art by entering the annual Jack Kerouac Poetry Competition with best friend Sophat's encouragement. Soma explores religion and spirituality, discusses Octavia Butler with Britney ("God is change"), and writes a poem exploring the question, "What's God to you?" Yet, despite all her writing, she can't seem to return any of Ba's emails. Debut author Chum offers readers an education in Cambodian history, the Khmer people, and their Lowell community throughout this heartfelt family drama. His cultural respect and humor amplify the book's strong sense of place. An empowering coming-of-age story with genuine character growth. (Fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.