I'm Ok

Gr 5-7--When Ok's beloved father dies in a construction accident, his mother works several jobs but can't make ends meet. Determined to help pay their bills, Ok writes a business plan for a braiding business. He doesn't make much at first, but he gets the attention of lots of girls, including the retro-fashion obsessed Mickey McDonald. Ok thinks things are under control until the suspiciously nice Deacon Kohl from the First Korean Full Gospel Church begins courting his mom. Ok becomes convinced that no one needs him anymore and he hatches a plan to run away. Ultimately, Ok learns he's not alone, friendless, or unwanted. Things might not go the way he wants them to, but he's going to be fine. Ok's hilarious observations shine in this realistic fiction title about conformity, individuality, and loving people for who they are, not who you want them to be. The Korean American characters stand out as the most nuanced and compelling throughout. The culturally authentic details Ok shares in his first-person narration bring his relationship with his parents into sharp focus. Unfortunately, Ok's friends Mickey and Asa speak in pronounced dialects, perhaps to indicate their belonging to uneducated families. Consequently, their dialogue seems exaggerated and their character development suffers. Although the plot has a few logistical holes and the character development is uneven, Ok's sincerity will hook many young readers. VERDICT The compelling, funny protagonist makes this a solid general purchase for school and public libraries.--Amy Seto Forrester, Denver Public Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

In the wake of his father's unexpected death, sixth-grade Korean immigrant Ok Lee ("No one at school says my name right... Say "pork." Drop the p sound. Now drop the r sound") is determined to earn money to help his mom, who works three jobs, and "keep alive father's plan for success in the USA." Unfortunately, Ok's money-making schemes--braiding his classmates' hair, tutoring the most popular kid in class, and learning how to roller skate to win the school talent contest prize--prove less profitable than he had hoped, and in addition, he is often bullied over his name, his appearance, and his traditional Korean food. As Ok and his mother are forced to move into a smaller apartment, Ok feels like he's failing, and his desperation leads him to lie, steal, blackmail, and betray newfound friends. Debut author Kim, also a Korean immigrant, tells a moving story of family, culture, and growing up, through the eyes of a boy who struggles to fulfill his father's American dream and maintain his own sense of pride. Ok's anger and frustration about his father's death and his mother's burgeoning relationship with a deacon from their church ring particularly true, as do his ethical and emotional growth. Ages 10-up. (Oct.)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"I love the profound honesty of I'm Ok. Patti Kim goes beyond giving us a fully-realized and finely-drawn character: She illuminates the truth that an awkward, confused, funny, and tender thirteen-year-old still lives inside every one of us."—Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist