Love, Love

An 11-year-old competitive tennis player navigates family dynamics, identity, and belonging in 1980s Michigan. Her parents push her toward tennis excellence while her younger sister shows early signs of vision loss. The narrative alternates between this coming-of-age story and a parallel thread about their father's experience as a young immigrant from Taiwan. His own tennis journey and struggle to assimilate in America mirrors his daughter's search for self. At its core, the book examines the complexities of Asian American family relationships and the inheritance of both ambition and trauma across generations. Chang's precise prose style creates connections between tennis, sight, love, and the distances between family members who orbit around each other.

Readers connect with the authentic portrayal of middle school experiences, particularly the challenges of fitting in and dealing with racism. The parallel stories of Frances, a young tennis player, and her teacher Annie resonated with reviewers who appreciated how the narratives explore identity and belonging. Readers highlighted: - Accessible writing style for middle-grade audiences - Realistic depiction of microaggressions and Asian American experiences - Tennis metaphors and sports themes that appeal to young athletes Common criticisms: - Some found the dual narratives confusing to follow - Several readers wanted more development of secondary characters - A few noted the resolution felt rushed Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (100+ ratings) BookPage: 4/5 Review quote from Goodreads user: "Chang captures the awkwardness and uncertainty of middle school with painful accuracy. The tennis elements added depth without overwhelming the story."

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan A teenage girl processes grief and family history while searching for her mother's spirit in Taiwan through art, memory, and magic.

The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf A Muslim teen with OCD fights to reunite with her mother during the historical 1969 race riots in Kuala Lumpur.

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang Three interwoven narratives explore Chinese-American identity, family expectations, and self-acceptance through graphic storytelling.

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai A young Vietnamese refugee adapts to life in Alabama while processing loss through poetry and memory.

The House of Deep Water by Jeni McFarland Three generations of biracial women confront their past and identity when they return to their small Michigan hometown.

🌟 Victoria Chang wrote "Love, Love" partly inspired by her father's experience as an immigrant learning to play tennis, drawing parallels between sports, identity, and belonging. 🎾 The book weaves together two timelines: one following an Asian American girl in the 1980s, and another featuring professional tennis player Michael Chang's historic 1989 French Open victory. 📝 The novel explores themes of racism through both subtle microaggressions and overt discrimination, reflecting experiences common to many Asian Americans in the 1980s. 🏆 Michael Chang, who features prominently in the book, became the youngest male player to win a Grand Slam singles title when he won the French Open at age 17. 🖋️ Author Victoria Chang is primarily known as a poet, with "Love, Love" being her debut middle-grade novel, though she has published multiple award-winning poetry collections.