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This Is Just a Test /

Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang tell the story of a boy caught in the middle of cultures, of friends, and of growing up Chinese-Jewish-American in this hilariously witty and heartwarming coming-of-age novel.

David Da-Wei Horowitz has a lot on his plate. He would have enough to do preparing for his upcoming bar mitzvah even if the planning didn't involve trying to please both his Jewish and Chinese grandmothers, who argue about everything. They even have a cook-off battle of the latkes. But David just wants everyone to be happy.

That includes his friend Scott, who is determined to win their upcoming trivia tournament but doesn't like their teammate — and David's best friend — Hector. Scott and David begin digging a fallout shelter just in case this Cold War stuff with Russia turns south, but David's not so convinced he wants to spend forever in an underground bunker with Scott anymore. Maybe it would be better if Hector and Kelli Ann came with them. But that would mean David has to figure out how to stand up for Hector and talk to Kelli Ann first. Some days, surviving nuclear war feels like the least of David's problems.

Notes

2017 Sydney Taylor Award -- Honor Book
CBC Book of the Year Finalist
2017 VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers
New York Historical Society's Children's History Book Prize Finalist
2018 Young Adult Virginia Author Award Finalist


★ "For a book about the possible end of the world, Rosenberg and Shang keep the tone surprisingly light ... The dialogue is snappy and the plot fast-paced." - The New York Times
★ "It's refreshing to meet a male protagonist who is struggling with how to be authentically Jewish in a bicultural family ... Giggle-inducing, light, and charmingly realistic fiction that will resonate with a wide variety of readers." - School Library Journal,
★ "There's a lot to enjoy, but it's David's relationships with his two grandmothers that steal the show, especially when the rivals eventually unite to teach him he's not 'half of each' but 'all of both.' A nostalgic and heartwarming period coming-of-age comedy." - Kirkus Reviews
★ "A journey filled with humor, emotional depth, and important realizations about what it means to be a friend and to embrace multiple cultures. His struggle to make sense of the Cold War will resonate with readers grappling with a confusing political climate themselves." - Publishers Weekly
★ "This novel tackles the very difficult topic of understanding who you are while appreciating your background and differences . . . In today's society, where families come in diverse variations and many children are growing up biracial and/or multiethnic, plenty of readers will find relevance to their lives in this middle-grade novel." - School Library Connection
★ "The first-person narrative engages readers with David's candid reflections as well as his droll telling of events." - Booklist
★ "Rosenberg and Shang keep the plot episodic and light, allowing David's feuding grandmothers to upstage the kids in many of the acts . . . Underpinning the domestic comedy is respect for fears that transcend generations." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
★ "Rosenberg and Shang infuse this story with humor, tenderness and a genuine examination of what it means to grow up caught between cultures." - Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Sure to hold a reader's interest and filled with humor." - Jewish Book Council
★ "This is the funniest middle-grade novel I read this year ... Everything about this book is satisfying." - Tablet Magazine
★ "Rosenberg and Shang's warm, mostly realistic handling of David's multicultural family speaks for their comprehensive understanding of the struggles of identity they depict, and makes David a unique and relatable role model of a character." - International Examiner
No.
Barcode
Branch
Location
Call No.
Status
Due Date
1
E10157
SKW
High School
F ROS
Available
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2
E10158
SKW
High School
F ROS
Available
--
Total 2 Records , Current 1 / 1 Page:PreviousNext
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