GZLA

FINDING JUNIE KIM

May 2021, HarperCollins, 368pp

From We Need Diverse Books cofounder Ellen Oh comes an extraordinary story about a girl who must understand her family’s past to embrace her present, finding herself along the way.

Junie Kim just wants to fit in. So, she keeps her head down and tries not to draw attention to herself. But when racist graffiti appears at her middle school, Junie must decide between staying silent or speaking out.

When Junie decides to interview her grandparents for an oral history project, she soon uncovers their unbelievable tales of bravery as kids during the Korean War. Junie must find the courage to do what is right in the present, just as her grandparents did in the past. And as racism becomes more pervasive at school, Junie now knows what she must do.

STARRED REVIEWS

BOOKLIST – “Junie’s difficult journey is certainly one worth taking.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “A first purchase for middle school and upper elementary collections, Oh’s powerful novel sheds light on the devastating effect racism can have on mental health, and tells a history often overlooked.”