Review: "Parachutes," by Kelly Yang

When wealthy Asian parents send their kids to America to attend high schools and drop them off to live with host families or on their own, the kids are called "parachutes." One of these parachutes, Claire, is pretty unhappy when her parents spring this transfer on her. She was just getting close to her boyfriend, Teddy, and she doesn't want to live across the world from him and her friends. Claire's parents send her to live with Dani and her mother. Dani is on full scholarship at the same private school where Claire will attend. The two live polar opposite lives... until they don't. What brings them together? Sexual assault and harassment. The girls learn that no one is immune to being part of the #metoo movement despite their loud voices and strong personalities.

This is a 180 turn from Yang's previous book, Front Desk, which won Oklahoma's Intermediate Sequoyah Award this year. I did not expect such a mature YA book after reading Front Desk, but it just shows how talented an author Kelly Yang is! She bases several parts in this book on her own sexual assault that occurred while she was a young student at Harvard Law School. Teens will love this book if they're longing for strong female leads and harrowing situations.

Mrs. Denney's Rating: ***1/2

#review #realisticfiction #school #friends #travel #harassment #multicultural