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.