An uplifting story, told through the alternating voices of two middle-schoolers, in which a community rallies to reject racism.
Karina Chopra would have never imagined becoming friends with the boy next door--after all, they've avoided each other for years and she assumes Chris is just like the boys he hangs out with, who she labels a pack of hyenas. Then Karina's grandfather starts tutoring Chris, and she discovers he's actually a nice, funny kid. But one afternoon something unimaginable happens--the three of them are assaulted by a stranger who targets Indian-American Karina and her grandfather because of how they look. Her grandfather is gravely injured and Karina and Chris vow not to let hate win. When Karina posts a few photos related to the attack on social media, they quickly attract attention, and before long her #CountMeIn post--"What does an American look like? #immigrants #WeBelong #IamAmerican #HateHasNoHomeHere"--goes viral and a diverse population begin to add their own photos. Then, when Papa is finally on the road to recovery, Karina uses her newfound social media reach to help celebrate both his homecoming and a community coming together.
Guys - this book. It is SO GOOD. There is humor and empathy and friendship and family - and it shows how social media, so often demonized, is nothing but a tool. It can be used for good or ill, and can be used to show others a viewpoint or a sight or an understanding they may not have had before.
The book is told from the alternating viewpoints of two kids - Karina and Chris. Sometimes that is a struggle to keep involved with, but I felt it was done really well here. And it was good to see how the same attack, and the same issues, affect two very different people. Thankfully, it's also not a PREACHY book, which many kids would just roll their eyes at and move on.
This isn't a sappy story, but there are moments when I had tears in my eyes. It IS a very timely story, as hate crimes are on the rise, and have been for some time. Those are hard things to explain to kids, and I feel this book can go a long ways in helping kids to understand what a hate crime is, how they affect so many more people than just the target, and how people can combat hate when they come across it. Sometimes it's little things, and sometimes bigger - but everyone has a voice, and this book shows that using your voice is the best way to help.
