Starfish (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781481487726)

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

"Dazzling." --Bustle
"One of the most compelling reads of the year." --Paste Magazine
"This book is a gem." --BookRiot

A gorgeous and emotionally resonant debut novel about a half-Japanese teen who grapples with social anxiety and her narcissist mother in the wake of a crushing rejection from art school.

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.

Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman
ISBN-10: 1481487728
ISBN-13: 9781481487726
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Language: English
Published: 09/26/2017
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.50w x 1.20d

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.5
Point Value: 12
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 192978 / Starfish

Award: William C. Morris YA Debut Award - Finalist

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2017
Publishers Weekly 07/17/2017
School Library Journal 09/01/2017
Booklist 09/01/2017 pg. 106
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 10/01/2017
Voice of Youth Advocates 10/01/2017 - Recommended - Better Than Most
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2018 pg. 137 - Recommended, Satisfactory