Dream on, Amber

Starred review from August 10, 2015
Charismatic 11-year-old Ambra Alessandra Leola Kimiko Miyamoto finds it confusing to be of both Italian and Japanese descent, and it’s “molto embarrassing” to have five names that draw attention to her differences—she’d prefer to stick to Amber. What’s more, her Japanese father abandoned the family years earlier, leaving Amber and her younger sister, Bella, with unresolved anger and longing. Middle school is going to be tough, so Amber creates an imaginary father to confide in and tries to lift Bella’s spirits by sending her faux letters from their father, who she pretends is a secret agent (“When all my missions are over, I might be able to come back. I might not though, so don’t get all excited or anything”). Crawford-White’s margin doodles (stars, confetti, swirls, etc.) and a smattering of Italian and Japanese words (including chapter numbers written in English, Italian, and Japanese) further enliven Shevah’s debut. Amber’s effervescent and opinionated narration captivates from the start, making it easy to root for her as she strives to conquer the “beast” of her worries and thrive at home and at school. Ages 9–12.

Starred review from August 15, 2015
Overwhelmed by a new school and worried about her little sister, Amber draws a lively Dream Dad to give her fatherly advice. Originally published in England, Shevah's funny yet poignant first novel makes its American debut. Eleven-year-old Londoner Amber is half-Japanese and half-Italian, but her Japanese father has not been in touch since she was young. Her younger sister, Bella, writes a letter to invite their dad to her birthday party. Feeling protective, Amber responds as their dad, inadvertently convincing Bella that their father will attend her party. In addition, Amber does not fit in with the other girls in her middle school, she has a crush on a boy, and a teacher forces her to enter the school's art contest. Drawing and creating art is Amber's refuge, but she's afraid to show anyone her work. During a fit of sadness, she sketches a Dream Dad and shares all her fears with her drawing. With art as her therapy and witty Dream Dad on her side, Amber realizes that she doesn't need to navigate life on her own. Shevah tenderly captures the void of growing up without a father yet manages to create a feisty, funny heroine. Crawford-White's whimsical pen-and-ink illustrations line the margins, as if Amber herself has added the doodles. Chapters are numbered in English, Italian, and Japanese, reflecting Amber's multicultural identity, but refreshingly, that identity does not drive the plot. A gutsy girl in a laugh-out-loud book that navigates tough issues with finesse. (Fiction. 9-12)

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Starred review from October 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-Eleven-year-old Ambra Alessandra Leola Kimiko Miyamoto (please, just call her Amber) navigates middle school embarrassments, awkward friendships, a first crush, an intimidating bully, and the realities of being a biracial tween in this smart and funny middle grade debut, first published in the UK. Half Italian and half Japanese, Amber has always felt a bit different than her peers in South London. Her loving and free-spirited mum; maternal grandmother, Nonna; and boisterous little sister, Bella, keep Amber on her toes. But she longs to know more about her Japanese ancestry. Unfortunately, Amber's father left the family when she was six, and it's a loss that feels like a "black hole" in her very center. Determined to protect her younger sister from the pain she feels, she begins forging letters from her father to Bella. Things quickly spiral, and what seemed like a white lie intended to help may wind up causing more harm than good. Amber comforts herself and works through her insecurities through her artwork and by creating an imaginary "Dream Dad" with whom she shares her deepest fears. Amber's authentic voice (including snort-worthy hyperbole and preteen melodrama balanced with tender moments of self-reflection) will resonate with kids. Shevah breathes life into this middle schooler, her lively family members, and her classmates and teachers. Amber confronts racial insensitivities (for example, students comment on her "exotic" appearance and ask her to "say something in Japanese") with frankness and realistic annoyance. The conversational first-person narration is enhanced by black-and-white doodles throughout. VERDICT By turns playful and poignant, in both style and substance, this coming-of-age novel will hook readers from the first page to the last.-Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2015
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* Almost-12-year-old Amber Miyamoto hates germs, loves to draw, and can't figure out why her father left 6 years ago. She is also half Italian and half Japanese, which makes her feel mixed up like a salad and isn't helping with her anxiety over starting middle school. Other things bothering her include Bella, her little sister; having a cavewoman phone that doesn't have Internet access; the swirling black hole inside her where her dad should be; maybe liking a boy; and being targeted by a school bully. When Amber has a genius idea that goes awry, she has to learn to confront her fears and mistakes in order to regain control of her life. Shevah's debut novel is a charmer, and it not only supplies some much-needed diversity to the middle-grade fiction scene but also addresses the emotional impact of living in a single-parent home. Amber's amusing self-awareness, imagination, and drawings keep the tone light, and her true-to-life tween concerns (e.g., existing in an Instagram and WhatsApp dead zone, hating Justin Bieber) will resonate with many. While its humor and illustrations lend it Wimpy Kid appeal, its emotional depth makes it stand out from the pack. Molto bene!(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
Though she barely remembers him, eleven-year-old Amber Miyamoto (half-Italian, half-Japanese) misses her dad, who abandoned the family when she was six. With a mix of humor and heartache, Amber's lively narrative in this British import describes her attempts--one successful and one less so--to make up for his absence. Amusing doodles decorate the pages of the art-loving middle schooler's story.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)