It's Girls Like You, Mickey by Patti Kim - ESSENTIAL

 It's Girls Like You, Mickey by Patti Kim, 233 pages. Atheneum (Simon), 2020. $18 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Mickey has always had a lot of confidence, but this year she is nervous about starting 7th grade. Her best friend Ok moved. Mickey and Ok have kept up their friendship by writing letters and postcards to each other. Who will she sit by at lunch? Things look better when a new Korean girl is placed in her class, Sun Joo. Soon they are best friends and do everything together. Mickey and Sun Joo get into some hilarious situations as Mickey tries to teach Sun Joo English and Sun Joo tries to teach Mickey some Korea. One day Sydney, the mean girl, decides that she will be Sun Joo's friend. Mickey feels bad. Can they work this out? Can they all three be friends? Mickey's mom smokes too much and Mickey is trying to get her to stop that bad habit. Mickey also takes care of her younger brother, Benny. When mom loses her job, what will they do? 

I laughed out loud and I also shed some tears. Mickey is spunky and she has guts and grits. Mickey is not afraid to just be herself. She helps her mom, takes care of her brother and she is sure her dad has left for good. The story is well written, characters and strong and believable. I could not put this book down. I felt like I was ""right there"" with Mickey. This was a powerful book and the author writes 7th grade girls so well!

Ellen-Anita, Librarian