The Latte Rebellion

Gr 9 Up—After a classmate hurls a racial slur at her, Asha Jamison, who is half Indian, a quarter Mexican, and a quarter Irish, and her best friend, Carey, who is half Chinese and half Caucasian, use the experience as inspiration for a moneymaking enterprise to raise funds for a graduation trip. At first, the girls sell T-shirts emblazoned with the logo of their new venture, "The Latte Rebellion," hoping to promote awareness about students of mixed ethnicity. But business soon turns political, and Asha finds herself at the center of a burgeoning social movement. As her involvement in it deepens, she becomes more self-reflective in her search for identity, resisting categorization. Stevenson's debut novel expertly handles complex issues around race and ethnic identity without seeming pedantic, and her authentic descriptions of the San Francisco Bay Area complement the story well. Teens will relate to Asha's typical adolescent struggles with her parents, as well as her attempts to mend a heartbreaking rift with Carey. A welcome addition to a rapidly evolving genre of multiethnic young adult literature.—Lalitha Nataraj, Escondido Public Library, CA