Starfish Starfish

Starfish

    • 4.5 • 33 Ratings
    • $9.99
    • $9.99

Publisher Description

A William C. Morris Award Finalist
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens of 2017
A Junior Library Guild Selection

“An empowering novel that will speak to many mixed-race teens.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Dazzling.” —Bustle

“One of the most compelling reads of the year.” —Paste Magazine
“This book is a gem.” —BookRiot


A half-Japanese teen grapples with social anxiety and her narcissist mother in the wake of a crushing rejection from art school in this “stunningly beautiful, highly nuanced debut” (Booklist, starred review).

Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin.

But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the west coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns life-changing truths about herself, her past, and how to be brave.

From debut author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes a luminous, heartbreaking story of identity, family, and the beauty that emerges when we embrace our true selves.

GENRE
Young Adult
RELEASED
2017
September 26
LANGUAGE
EN
English
LENGTH
352
Pages
PUBLISHER
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
SELLER
Simon & Schuster Digital Sales LLC
SIZE
5.7
MB
AUDIENCE
Grades 7 and Above

Customer Reviews

nickiecolesweet ,

So devastatingly personal

The second I read this book I felt like crying; it made me tear up. At first, I could only summarize it as self-wallow and pity. Once I kept reading though, I could see the main character, Kiko grow and become a more independent, slightly more confident person. I respect this book so much and I’m so glad I found it in my library. I would recommend this to anyone. My favorite thing about Starfish are the little notes at the end of almost every chapter about what Kiko was drawing- absolutely stupendous. I’m still reading the book (I’m almost done) and I can’t wait to read it over and over.

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