
Reach for this book when your middle-schooler is nursing a long-standing grudge or feels the sharp, lingering sting of a friendship betrayal. It is an essential read for children who are struggling to reconcile the person their friend used to be with the person who hurt them, especially when that friend returns and expects things to go back to normal. Amai is thirteen and has spent two years fueling her anger toward her former best friend, Zach, who humiliated her before moving to Japan. Now that he is back for the summer, Amai is focused on revenge, but she soon discovers that people and memories are rarely one-dimensional. Through themes of Japanese-American identity and the shared language of food, the story explores the heavy weight of holding onto anger. It is a realistic, compassionate guide for navigate the 'sweet and sour' transition from childhood playmates to more complex adolescent relationships.
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Sign in to write a reviewThe protagonist contemplates and attempts minor acts of revenge.
The book deals with social humiliation and the impact of digital footprints (a viral video) in a secular, direct manner. The resolution is realistic: it focuses on personal growth and the possibility of reconciliation without erasing the past hurt.
A middle-schooler who feels 'stuck' in a past social conflict or a child who has experienced a 'friendship breakup' and is struggling with the mixed emotions of seeing that person again.
Read cold. The book is very accessible, though parents may want to discuss the permanence of internet mistakes mentioned in the backstory. A parent might notice their child becoming unusually cynical about a former friend or expressing a desire to 'get back' at someone who hurt them.
Younger readers (8-10) will focus on the 'mean' versus 'nice' actions, while older readers (11-12) will better grasp the nuance of Amai's internal conflict and the difficulty of letting go of an identity built on being a victim.
Unlike many friendship books that focus on making new friends, this explores the messy, uncomfortable work of re-evaluating an old one. The integration of Japanese-American culture and culinary metaphors adds a rich, sensory layer to the emotional processing.
Amai has spent two years nursing a grudge against her former best friend, Zach, after a humiliating incident involving a viral video. When Zach moves back from Japan to their shared hometown for the summer, Amai is determined to make him pay. However, as they interact through family gatherings and shared community spaces, Amai must navigate the gap between her anger and the complex reality of who Zach is now.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.