April 1, 2021
Parvin Mohammadi is about to start high school with something she's never had before: a boyfriend. After a summer of hijinks on the beach, Wesley finally asks Parvin out--after giving her a romantic first kiss. But a few days later, at freshman orientation, Wesley dumps Parvin for being "too much." Determined to make Wesley jealous, the Iranian/White 14-year-old decides to get bisexual sophomore dreamboat Matty Fumero to ask her to homecoming. But she's convinced that she's going to have to change into the kind of girl she thinks boys like: someone quiet, shy, and the opposite of everything that makes Parvin herself. Parvin's best friends--gay, Mexican American Fabian and pansexual, Korean American Ruth--don't approve of her plan, but they stand by her nonetheless. Even better, despite the government ban on travelers from several majority-Muslim countries, Parvin's aunt Sara is hoping to visit from Iran in a few months, and Parvin knows that she can do anything with her favorite relative by her side. In the process of trying to redo her personality, Parvin starts to realize who she really is, who she wants to be, and, most importantly, whose love she can count on no matter who she might become. Parvin's narratorial voice sparkles with wit and pathos, and her journey toward self-acceptance seamlessly incorporates political and emotional realities. Characters, including Parvin's enemies, family, and friends, are fully developed and a pleasure to read about. A diverse, fast-paced, feminist romance. (Romance. 13-18)
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Starred review from May 1, 2021
Gr 6-10-Abtahi's charming debut will have readers cheering for Parvin as she navigates her freshman year of high school. Fourteen-year-old Iranian American Parvin Mohammadi is elated as she prepares to start high school in her Northern Virginia town. She's just scored her first kiss from her first boyfriend and she and her friends, crafter-extraordinaire Ruth and social media sensation Fabian, are ready to take on James K. Polk High. Only Parvin is quickly dumped by her boyfriend, who tells her she's "too much." Parvin launches an initiative to tone down her voice, her hair, and her style, in order to catch the attention of a cute sophomore in time for the Homecoming dance. But she soon discovers that being demure like a rom-com heroine is difficult, as Parvin juggles Farsi lessons, changing friendships, and waiting for her aunt's visit from Iran. Parvin is an incredibly charming, funny, and lovable protagonist who greets life with unbridled enthusiasm. Ruth, who is Korean, and Fabian, who is Mexican, are wonderful counterparts who support but challenge Parvin as they deal with their own issues. Parvin's parents and aunt are fully realized characters who get to the heart of Parvin's Iranian heritage as she navigates her two cultures with vim. A visa issue highlights immigration bans in the United States, giving readers a personal look at a complex political issue. VERDICT A truly delightful story about a charming and engaging teen navigating freshman year.-Elissa Bongiorno, Washington, DC
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Starred review from April 1, 2021
Grades 7-10 *Starred Review* Parvin Mohammadi, 14, couldn't be more excited about starting high school with a boyfriend. But on the very first day of school, Wesley dumps her--he says she's "too loud." Well, Parvin's got the perfect revenge plan lined up: if she can get smoking hot sophomore Matty Fumero to ask her to the homecoming dance, then Wesley will be eating his words. Only what if Wesley was right, and Parvin's too loud, too Iranian, and generally too much for anyone to be interested in her? So starts Operation Act Like a Rom-Com Heroine, wherein Parvin decides to put away the Cheetos, clamp down on her instincts to talk a lot, wax off all her body hair, and nab herself a boyfriend. In her debut, Abtahi deftly navigates Parvin's transitional life phase, equipping her heroine with enough humor and moxie to see her through even the toughest challenges. Depth is added through Parvin's relationships with her father, who was born in Iran, and her white American mother, who each understand different parts of her, as well as with Parvin's growing friendship with a boy in her Farsi class who, much to Parvin's confusion, seems to like her best when she's her loudest self. Though it has its serious moments, especially in Parvin's growing understanding of Islamophobia in America, this is ultimately a joyful celebration of the right to take up space in the world.
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