School Library Journal
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Gr 3-6-Ravi was a top student and cricket player with lots of friends back home in India, so he is perplexed when he doesn't immediately fit in at his new school in America. His teacher says she has difficulty understanding him because of his accent, and his classmates laugh at his formal manners, clothes, and unusual lunch box. Joe has never fit in at Albert Einstein Elementary, so he observes Ravi with interest as he tries to adjust to his new surroundings. Joe has auditory processing disorder and goes to the resource center for special help. When Ravi is sent there, too, he is furious that his intelligence is being questioned and doesn't want to be associated with students like Joe. Joe and Ravi alternate as narrators, each giving a unique perspective on the first week of fifth grade. Vikas Adam perfectly captures Ravi's enthusiasm and confidence, which contrasts nicely with the voice of Josh Hurley's introspective and thoughtful Joe. VERDICT A wonderful story of friendship and self-acceptance; for most middle grade collections. ["A window for some readers and a mirror for others, this noteworthy book is highly recommended for middle grade collections": SLJ 3/16 review of the Scholastic book.]--Theresa Horn, St. Joseph County Public Library, South Bend, IN © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.