Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Pages: 385

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school and draws her into a life offline she never could have imagined. But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and ever her sanity—begins to fall apart.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The novel includes drawings from the main characters webcomic, Monstrous Sea.

What’s good?

Eliza is living a double life -- one online as a confident, gifted artist and storyteller, and the other in real time, where she suffers from social anxiety and keeps to herself. Her two lives inevitably meet and Eliza must cope with the outcome. Eliza is a realistic, relatable teen whose online success only seems to increase her inability to deal with real life situations. Her family is present, but can’t relate to her (because she never talks to them!), and her new “real life” friends only seem to add to the pressure she feels she’s under. The plot is simple but emotional and the pace is steady.

Best Part: Monstrous Sea.

What isn’t good?

This is yet another story about a someone keeping a big secret that’s destined to be revealed and ruin trust and relationships. Fortunately, this story has the added bonus of the Monstrous Sea story line (and fabulous drawings!) that adds some uniqueness to a trope that’s getting old.

Worst part: Are people going to discover her secret? Of course they are!

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

I really enjoyed this story despite it having an overused plot line. The character of Eliza should resonate with many readers for her online confidence and offline anxiety. The supporting characters are well drawn and the pace makes this an easy read. Definitely recommended.

Zappia, Francesca. Eliza and her Monsters. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2017.

American Panda by Gloria Chao

Pages: 304

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains some mild language and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

At seventeen, Mei Lu should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents’ master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.

With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can’t bring herself to tell them the truth—that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.

But when she reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book received starred reviews from Booklist, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and VOYA.

What’s good?

Mei Lu is the daughter of strict, traditional Taiwanese parents who struggles to find a balance between her parents’ expectations (become a doctor and settle down with a nice Taiwanese boy) and her own desires. Mei narrates her story with an engaging sense of humor that is poignant and thought-provoking. Secondary characters are very strong, including Mei’s mom, her exiled brother Xing, Ying-Na (the cautionary tale), and even her roommate Nicolette. The plot is simple, but is full of emotional twists and turns. Highlights include fascinating bits about MIT, Mandarin/Taiwanese phrases (sometimes translated, other times not), Mei’s mom’s messages, and interesting customs and traditions surrounding weddings, funerals, food, etc. Themes include identity, obedience, family, honor, appearance, reconciliation, traditions and customs, parent-child relationships, and parental expectations.

Best Part: “Mei! Are you in trouble? Eating drugs? Pregnant? KIDNAPPED! Call me!!” (A voicemail from Mei’s mother, pg. 26)

What isn’t good?

Besides the horrible sounding food (stinky tofu!!), there’s nothing I didn’t like. It was by no means a unique story, but Mei’s voice is distinctive and relatable.

Worst part: Dried squid.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4.5/5)

I really enjoyed this story. While Mei’s predicament was disconcerting, her family’s love was never in question. At its core, this is a somber story that will be relatable to many whose families adhere strictly to cultural or religious traditions, but it’s told with a heartwarming, comical charm. Definitely recommended!

Chao, Gloria. American Panda. New York: Simon Pulse, 2018.