American Panda
“Delightful.” —Buzzfeed
“Charmed my socks off.” —David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author of Kids of Appetite and Mosquitoland
Four starred reviews for this incisive, laugh-out-loud contemporary debut about a Taiwanese-American teen whose parents want her to be a doctor and marry a Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer despite her squeamishness with germs and crush on a Japanese classmate.
At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents’ master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.
With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can’t bring herself to tell them the truth—that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.
But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?
From debut author Gloria Chao comes a hilarious, heartfelt tale of how, unlike the panda, life isn’t always so black and white.
Reviews (116)
Adorable, Cozy Read!
"Even though she didn't understand, she nodded at me, one sharp movement. 'I'm so glad you're here. You fit. You'll do well. I know you'll get into the best medical school and become the best doctor.' They were simultaneously the best and worst words. I tried to focus on the pride in the voice and eyes, but instead, my stomach shot into my intestines." Mei Lu, a freshman at MIT, is on track to fulfill all of her parents' dreams: (1) attend a prestigious Ivy League school, (2) become a doctor, and (3) marry a family approved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer. The only problems standing in her way are that she is: (1) falling asleep in her biology classes, (2) too germophobic to touch anything medical, and (3) falling for her classmate Darren Takahashi. Mei attempts to balance her parents' expectations with her increasing feelings of independence and defiance. Before she knew it, lies and half truths begin to mount between her and her parents. In addition, a chance meeting with her outcasted brother, Xing, brings up all the old feelings of resentment and forces her to question her parents' traditional values. Mei realizes that she must find a way to bridge the growing distance between her and her parents before her mountain of lies and anger drive a permanent wedge between her and her parents. Have you ever had a book that you just want to shake out of love and frustration? Well, I have. Meet American Panda by Gloria Chao. Why? Because I identify with it so much but it really could have used a few more rounds of proofreading and editing to achieve that final polish. American Panda is a cultural coming-of-age story of Mei Lu, a Taiwanese-American freshman studying to be a doctor at MIT. There is much to love about this story. It is culturally rich and full of details ranging from snacks to rituals to the stubborn mind set of a Taiwanese family living on the East Coast of the United States. Of course, the narrator made it clear that it is "a" story of a Taiwanese-American girl, not "the" story of Taiwanese-American girls - a seeming nod to future stories to come. Gloria Chao's writing is extremely easy and heartwarming to read. There are also many tiny details that made Mei Lu's world multidimensional. If you want a cozy, heartwarming read with several emotional, yet heartbreaking scenes, this is the book for you. So the things I love. I love the little details such as the stinking tofu, the dry squid, and the horrible attempts at parking. The relationship between Mei and her mother overshadows all other relationships in this book. Mei's attempt to bridge her cultural difference between her and her parents is commendable. It's not easy, but her family is part of who she is. She isn't Taiwanese, nor is she American; she is Taiwanese-American. It's impossible for her to deny one or the other, and her parents are the Taiwanese half of her. Although I wish there was more depth, I also adore Mei's relationship with her brother Xing. And here are the things that make me want to shake the book. There are so many inconsistencies in this story. (1) Mei has never heard of Star Wars because her parents didn't let her watch American movies - and yet she is familiar with Beyonce and Narnia and is up-to-date with numerous other pop culture references when joking with her peers. (2) How did Mei's mother spend so much time alone with Mei in her dorm? Mei mentioned weekly dorm visits. Her mother refuses to drive through Boston traffic and will only take a cab - which costs her $60 per trip, one way. If Mei's father was the one who drove, where did he go while Mei's mother made her weekly inspections of Mei's grades and living conditions? (3) Mei taking yoga classes at MIT didn't make any sense and contributed absolutely nothing to her story. If she found a part time job teaching dance in the community, she should have taken dance courses at MIT instead and enrich the dancing subplot. It would have smoothed out the transition between not knowing her future to eventually wanting to fight for her dance passion (not a spoiler - the readers knew from the very beginning where this story was heading). (4) Mei's mother's language skills is ridiculously inconsistent. When we first met her (the mother) in the beginning, "she had wanted to attend some of the parents' events during orientation week and I knew she had held back because she was insecure about her English and rarely talked to strangers in the foreign tongue." Then, many pages later, we find out that her mother was a graduate student in a U.S. university in Missouri when she gave birth to Xing, the brother. Wait… what? How was she ever a graduate student at a U.S. university without speaking to 'strangers in the foreign tongue'? And her mother had no problems communicating with Darren. Her speech was NOT insecure at all. Overall, American Panda is an adorable, heartwarming, and courageous story full of Taiwanese-American references. Unfortunately, it also has quite a few problems that could have (should have) been fixed to achieve a smoother reading experience. Rating Story: Liked it Writing: Average, but has flaws Characters: Liked it Enjoyability: Liked it
Highly recommended
Clearly written from experience, American Panda tells the story of Mei, an over-acheiving Taiwanese-American struggling to find herself while juggling traditional values and parental expectations. Being only seventeen and at an Ivy League college would be a big enough struggle, without throwing in the fact Mei's parents are dead set on her becoming a doctor. So Mei is enrolled in all the right classes to set her on that track, despite the fact biology bores her to tears and she is way to conscious of germs lurking everywhere. Her true love is dance, but her parents don't see that as a suitable career - certainly not one that will impress other Taiwanese parents, especially those with eligible sons. Sons Mei isn't interested in meeting because she's already met Darren, the handsome Californian with Japanese roots. As she struggles to balance her own needs with her parents' demands, Mei finds herself increasingly torn and reaches out to her estranged brother who has been cut off by the family for dating an unsuitable woman. She is surprised to find him happy and unrepentant and starts to wonder if trying to fit herslf into a box that is clearly the wrong size and shape is worth the lies and heartbreak. While I'm sure this book doesn't represent the experiences of all Asian Americans, it feels wholly honest to the author's experiences. I can imagine that re-living these experiences and emotions must have been incredibly difficult, but Chao has managed to write a book that is both touching and hilariously funny. The characters are authentic and never ridiculed, even when Mei is at her most exasperated at the cultural gap between herself and her family. Highly recommended!
Mei was awesome. I loved getting to know her and the ...
Mei was awesome. I loved getting to know her and the story was amazing. I couldn’t put it down! There were times that I was laughing out loud walking around campus. It was cute and funny. Here are a few comments I made right afterward: This book FLEW BY for me! I couldn’t put this one down. I loved Mei and I loved her personal journey throughout the whole story. It was exhilarating, and I loved every moment of it. I wanted to finish this in time for the event that coming Saturday and I finished in time for my friends to even finish the book, too. This was a quick, sweet read. Mei’s parents are big characters in this book, and their presence is felt throughout the story. Mei’s mom was well-meaning and loving. She tries to do a lot for Mei so Mei can focus on studying. I understand where they’re coming from, and from what I can tell this is a very accurate snapshot of what it’s like to grow up with Taiwanese parents. (I cannot speak from personal experience because my parents are Caucasian and American, though I am Chinese.) Chao pulled a lot of personal feelings and emotions into this story, and I appreciate the accuracy of her representation. Another aspect I really liked about the book was her representation, even with the cover art. You never notice the lack of rep on covers until you see it, and you wonder why you haven’t see it before. I don’t see a lot of books with Chinese women or other Asian-American/Asian out in the world, but I love the recent efforts made by those women to write their stories. This book does a good job of having diverse characters but not having that as the main focus of it. The story centers on Mei coming into her own in her freshman year of college. This setting is also something that isn’t often written in. I found that a lot of stories are about adults or high schoolers, especially seniors. This is another thing done well by Chao. She captures the freshman experience within her novel. Freshman year of college is a huge transition, and I think that Mei went through a lot of the things I’ve felt this year so far. She is trying hard to set herself apart from her parents while still needing their help. She wants to do things her way and must balance the wishes of her parents. One thing I do wish it had done better was talk about Mei’s mental health. There are small conversations about it here and there, but it’s never addressed head on. However, I can see that it wasn’t the full part of the story so I can see why it wasn’t completely talked about. I feel like I could talk about this book for days, but I’ll wrap it up here. I had an amazing time at the event at 57th Street Books. This is one of my favorite bookstores to visit, and I make sure to go when I’m in the area. Here’s a photo! [photo on blog] Happy reading, Sophie 🙂
Delightful and inspiring!
American Panda follows seventeen year old Taiwanese-American, Mei. Mei is a germaphobe, forced into a premed program by her very traditional parents. She is afraid to reveal that she instead would rather own a dance studio. Especially after her brother Xing is disowned for choosing a spouse his parents disapprove of. I enjoyed this book immensely which is remarkable because Young Adult literature is not my favorite. Gloria Chao's American Panda is thought provoking in its consideration of the perpetuation of traditions among immigrants. People who have left their home countries seem to hold on even tighter to traditions, cherishing these as a link to their home. But, considering that not all traditions have merit, why continue unnecessary, sometimes stifling traditions? Why not instead begin new traditions? Still, the book is far from all-heavy material. There are sweet moments between Mei and Darren, funny scenes with her dramatic family and great camaraderie between Mei and Xing. It also brings to life the ups and downs of college existence in a university like MIT. In Summary, American Panda is not just for young adults. Anyone who's ever embarked on the arduous journey to self will enjoy this read. A perfect blend of wit and substance, American Panda is delightful, inspiring and stimulating!
we're sucked in Mei's world where she wades between filial piety ...
This book is everything I thought it would be and more! From the first chapter, we're sucked in Mei's world where she wades between filial piety and love and respect for her Taiwanese culture and her struggles to find her true self through her parents' strict rules and traditions. The book is hilarious and heartwarming, with a complex, effortlessly entertaining and lovable main character in Mei. There was so much to love, little details that all built up the story like Mei's germaphobia, the college setting (LOVE the college setting!), Mei's mother's voicemails, and the arm circling. But Chao also painted one of the most beautiful, painful, amazing mother-daughter relationships I've read in YA. One that made me laugh, cry, and ultimately come away with so much hope for Mei and anyone whose story mirrors Mei's. And beyond that, the portrayal of Taiwanese culture is so vivid and wonderfully rendered, just another reason why #ownvoices books need to exist.
Relatable, funny, and brilliant!
Here's the thing that speaks to me so much about American Panda. I'm not Taiwanese, and my home life was so different growing up. But I felt like I was Mei, and she was me. It's rare that I connect so deeply with a character, but there was something so heartfelt and earnest and raw in the voice of this book, that I feel like anyone will be able to find a piece of themselves. There is something about #ownvoices novels by marginalized authors that help me relate to the characters in special way. There is a richness there that I feel all the way in my bones. This book has everything one could ask for in a contemporary YA novel. It's HILARIOUS. I'm talking scream laugh funny. There is also a sweet romance, and tidbits about MIT that are fascinating for this outsider. There are family dynamics, urban legends, and vivid settings. Plus, the book will make you hungry. I can't say enough good things about American Panda. It's one of my favorites of 2018. Highly recommended.
Brings back certain memories; fun to read
I'm an MIT alum and although I graduated long ago, this book brings back many memories with its descriptions of life at MIT, which really doesn't seem to have changed in any very substantial way. The story itself is a lot of fun. (I've been married for a very long time to an Asian and some of the things the author writes about ring a bell, too.) This is a coming of age story, in a way. The protagonist discovers love and romance while at MIT, but has to deal with a traditional Taiwanese mother and father who totally disapprove of a Japanese boyfriend. Things go downhill fast until ... well, you'll see. There's a lot here that will call to mind things like Tiger Mom, Helicopter Parents, and much more. It's done with humor and in good taste. The author to some large extent writes from experience. Perhaps the book is not "politically correct" and that in itself is an argument about taking PC-ness too far. (It is, however, NOT suitable for 12-year olds as is claimed in the description.) The writing itself is stellar. It's the right mix of tone, humor, language, and emotion. I really recommend this book and you don't have to be an MIT alum to love it.
Gloria Chao’s American Panda is full of heart – I laughed and cried more than once.
There’s so much to love about this gem of a book, from the fascinating portrayal of a culture I don’t know much about to the richly layered character arcs. The balance of poignant moments with laugh-out-loud humor gave me all the feels. I was cringing on Mei’s behalf every time her mother or other family members commented on her appearance (weight especially) and gave unsolicited advice. I can relate—there’ve been people in my life just like that, and I cheered for Mei to speak up, advocate for herself, and break free. As I read, I had a love/hate reaction to the familial responsibility that was forced upon her; love because Chao wrote it so well, hate because of how messed up it was, the things Mei’s family expected of her and said to her. Chao’s writing is brilliant with wonderful nuggets like, “… she [Mei’s mom] was ladylike for my father, fighting her natural instincts in fear of being cast aside. She looked exhausted from a lifetime of acting.” What a profound observation for a young daughter to make, and I loved reading how Mei’s blinders fell away to the reality of her family dynamics. Not that she didn’t know what was there, what was broken, but she made the important step of really seeing these things that had been perpetuated. And the part about her dad’s cognitive dissonance? Wow, right on the nose! Okay, I might be getting close to giving spoilers, so I’ll type carefully, but another beautiful example (among many!) of Chao’s writing came near the end in describing a minor character’s transformation: “And when she walked away, she no longer disappeared.”
So good! We need more YA books set in college
So good! We need more YA books set in college. Mei is a wonderful, three-dimensional character who realistically comes to terms with her parents plan for her life vs. her own talents and career-aspirations. She enters MIT as a 17yrold (So did I - fall birthday) and now must confront the fact that her biology/pre-mes major doesn’t work so well with her dislike of germs while coping with the stress of these life changes through dance. Her family and friendship complexities are handled with truthfulness and tenderness that reminded me of my own experience of coming into my own in college. I can’t wait to read more from Gloria Chao.
A fantastic debut
AMERICAN PANDA floored me with its nonstop humor and fresh voice, and then it sneakily broke my heart. Protagonist Mei's Taiwanese parents want her to become a doctor, but she pictures a different future for herself, perhaps one involving her love of dance. I've never seen a parent-child culture clash portrayed in quite this way; Mei clearly loves her mother and respects her culture, but she also aches for her independence. I also LOVED that this book takes place during Mei's freshman year at MIT, a rare setting for YA but one I desperately want to see more. It's still 100 percent a coming-of-age story, a story about identity, a story about being pinned between two worlds and how to forge your own path. Gloria Chao's debut is not to be missed.
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