In this coming of age story by Gish Jen, a thirteen-year-old Chinese-American girl is caught between a cultural chasm and her wish to reach “first base” with a new boy at school. Her friends exchange boyfriend stories, and she badly wants one to share. Unfortunately the boy, who is visiting from Japan, resists intimate contact. They ultimately develop strong feelings for one another, but things fall apart when she tries too hard for the kiss. In breaking away, he adds new meaning to the expression to “flip” someone. Themes: cultural identity, desire to “fit in”, infatuation/puppy love, self-discipline.
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